<unk>  is an American term describing the payment for doctors, hospitals and other providers for health<unk>  from a<unk>  fund. The Canadian health<unk>  system and  Medicare in the U.S. for the elderly are<unk><unk>  systems.
According to the National Library of Medicine, a<unk><unk>  System" is
An approach to health<unk>  financing with only one source of money for paying health<unk>  providers. The scope may be national (the Canadian System), state-wide, or community-based. The<unk>  may be a governmental unit or other entity such as an insurance company. The proposed advantages include administrative simplicity for patients and providers, and resulting significant savings in overhead costs. (From Slee and Slee, Health<unk>  Reform Terms, 1993, p106) Year introduced: 1996
Some writers assume that the<unk><unk>  is the government, but the preceding definition as well as some<unk><unk>  proponents in the U.S. leave the government's role open to interpretation.<unk><unk>  is one alternative proposed for  reforming the  U.S. health<unk>  system. Proponents argue that it would provide universal coverage with at least the same quality and lower costs. Critics argue that<unk><unk>  would harm quality and innovation and advocate tax code incentives and free market approaches instead.

The term<unk><unk>  is often used in the U.S. to distinguish systems paid from a<unk>  source with other systems of universal health<unk>  in which the government has a higher degree of control, up to and including administering hospitals and employing doctors and staff. (See socialized medicine.) Under<unk><unk> , doctors' practices and hospitals may remain private and negotiate for payments with the government.
Single-payer health care
User contributions
Evidence based practice
Shared decision making
Good clinical practice
Family centered care
Healthcare in India
Healthcare in Cuba