Abstract

As the development and upkeep of the United States healthcare becomes increasingly debated in society, the systems in place of other successful countries provide opportunities for erudition and comparison. One country’s system which seems to be consistently overlooked despite its vast improvement to the country is Costa Rica’s universal healthcare. In this comprehensive study of the healthcare systems in both the United States and Costa Rica, there is evidence of a middle ground, as well as areas for improvement to current policies in the United States. Acknowledging the long-term implementation of Costa Rica’s universal healthcare, which was split into three unique major reforms, reveals the need for patience and planning. In the midst of heavy debate regarding healthcare reform, this paper seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of Costa Rica’s history of reform, their current institutions, and recent statistical improvements in overall health, with the goal of providing a better understanding of how the United States should proceed in order to achieve parity.

Key words: Healthcare, healthcare reform, United States, Costa Rica, universal healthcare, history of reform

Abbreviation

ACA, Affordable Care Act; CCSS, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social.