Reform The Taxpayer-Supported

Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Introduction PAGEREF _Toc336787866 \h 1Extension of public health and creation of Medicare and Medicaid PAGEREF _Toc336787867 \h 1Pricing and reimbursement PAGEREF _Toc336787868 \h 2Medicaid PAGEREF _Toc336787869 \h 3IntroductionThe US healthcare system is fragmented, with various stakeholders interacting to create a complex network. There is a mix of public and private players, with the government funding healthcare for certain sections of the society while the majority of the population has private health insurance sponsored by employers. However, a significant minority of the US population remains uninsured and has little access to healthcare services. The US healthcare system has several other issues such as rising healthcare costs and poor health relative to other developed nations. The country leads the world in technological innovations and spends a significant portion of its GDP on healthcare, yet has poor healthcare outcomes for some sections of the population. After nearly a century of legislative attempts by various lawmakers to bring universal coverage, in March 2010, following a year of detailed discussions between Democrats and Republicans, President Obama signed wide-ranging health reform legislation into law.<span