User Pays System in Aged Care

Running head; User pays system in aged care 1
USER PAYS SYSTEM IN AGED CARE
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User pays system 2
The world is changing into a better place as time passes by due to the increasing levels
of technology and new inventions and innovation coming into place. Health systems are
improving as well as better health care systems are coming up. The user pays model is an
important aspect of health care systems in the world today. It operates by the fact that
someone gets to receive a service that they have fully paid for and deserves to get the best out
of the money paid to the service provider in terms of the service provided. This system has
several positive and negative aspects that revolve around it. The main focus of this discussion is
to explain the manner in which services are provided to the aged and how resources are
allocated to the same which is critical in user pays system
Aged care is one of the looked upon health care services in the world today since the
elderly form an essential part of the community and society at large (Gordeev, et al (2014)) .
Use of user pays system in aged care is coming into the lime light and is one of the most
effective health care service since one pays to receive a particular care service in accordance to
their preference. This is opposed to universal health care provision whereby the elderly mainly
depend on government subsidies to receive care which might at times be absent. In the user
pays model, the consumer pays for the services they require at a cost in which they can afford.
This is proving to be quite effective since someone does not have to pay indirectly for services
which they are not using as in the case of universal health care.
According to Sriram, et al (2015), resource allocation in this system is done based on the
most outstanding need and with reference to what the consumer desires since the service is
paid for. An old person for instance might prefer getting personal care in nursing homes and
therefore might afford paying for the service where they get taken care of by professional care

User pays system 3
givers. Since the elderly are part of the dependent population and may not be working, it is
understandable to have medical covers that had been paid for before retirement to take care of
them on retirement. They are therefore able to access to services of their preference since they
have paid for them as compared to government subsidies that are not normally comprehensive.
In cases where the financial resources may be limited, the health care giver might
consider looking at the most urgent requirement needed (Baker, et al (2016)). For example in a
medical case where the elderly has multiple diseases, the health care giver ought to use the
limited resources mainly financial to treat the most life threatening condition. There are many
positive aspects concerning the user pays system that have proved beneficial. Some of this
include the fact that you get to obtain services of your choice since you pay for them. According
to De San Miguel, et al (2015), care for the old has become easier with this system since a
relative can still go to work and be ascertained that their elderly is taken care of. These benefits
that come with this system include the introduction of nursing homes whereby the elderly are
taken care of by health care providers instituted in these homes. Medical services are catered
for in these homes and therefore the health of the elderly is guaranteed. Even though a fee has
to be paid for these services, the care for the aged is guaranteed since the health care provider
becomes closer to the elderly
In accordance to Tilse, et al (2015), this system has significantly helped minimize the
number of deaths for the old due to the effectiveness of the care provided in this model. For
instance care is delivered in a more exclusive package since the user pays for a certain care
service hence the elderly do not have to worry on where or how to seek a certain medical
attention. Some statistics conducted in the U.S in 2014 show that the number of deaths of