Strengths and Weaknesses of the US Healthcare System
Introduction The United States healthcare system combines private insurance, employer-sponsored benefits, federal and state programs, nonprofit institutions, for-profit companies, professional practices, and public-health agencies. It is not one centrally administered service. Medicare covers many older adults and some people with disabilities; Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program serve eligible low-income populations; employers sponsor coverage for a large share of working-age people; and individuals may buy plans directly. Veterans, military

