United States Health Care

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) works efficiently to improve the health and living standards of the community by implementing many health regulating services and policies. The department is also working diligently in providing important human services to the people. Various divisions and sub-divisions work concurrently with the department to optimize the health standards and offer essential services to the people. The department also maintains all health vital records of the citizens of the United States.

Contact Details:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HHS Headquarters:
Hubert H. Humphrey Building
200 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20201;
Toll Free: 1-877-696-6775
Website: http://www.hhs.gov/

Hospitals in the United States

USA has many internationally ranked hospitals with state of the art building, well equipped with technologically advanced facilities, efficiently staffed and provide 24-hour inpatient care, including medical, nursing, surgical, anesthesia, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy services, child care, maternity care, mental well being, and many more services. Almost all the hospitals in the US make an effort to follow environmentally preferable practices.

Given below are the top ranked hospitals in USA, according to US News and World Report.

United States Paramedics

Paramedics in the United States are paraprofessionals, who provide primary superior emergency medical care for emergent and critical patients. The paramedics work as a part of Emergency Medical System (EMS) response and they are skillful and professionally trained individuals who offer vital patient care and transportation in emergency situations. The eligibility requirements to become a paramedics differ from state to state, but most states require an individual to successfully complete a national accredited Paramedic program which offers certificate or degree.


Some customary skills that all emergency medical technicians and paramedics must possess are -

• Ability to assess and evaluate general incident scene safety
• Must have efficiency in verbal and written reporting
• Must be effective in routine medical equipment maintenance procedures and routine radio operating procedures
• Triage of patients in a mass casualty incident
• Must be able to operate emergency vehicle
  Image Courtesy: Chris Wagner at en.wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
  

United States Assisted Living

United States Assisted Living Chains are committed to serve the seniors and people in need with superior quality and efficiently staffed nursing homes. Numerous nursing homes in USA are rated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and their overall services in nurse staffing, quality of medical care and cost effective. Almost all the nursing homes provide for medicare and medicaid services.

Also read:

United States Assisted Living Chains Identified by Provider Magazine as Being the Nation’s Top Chains, 2005-2009

Locate a Nursing Home

United States Health Insurance

The Affordable Care Act is a vital and convenient health care plan that offers all Americans health insurance irrespective of income or health history. The Act assists and supports the citizens of USA to provide an effective health care plans and policies and offers comprehensive explanations about various programs and benefits so as to provide better understanding to choose the best among the many plans available.

Learn more: Affordable Care Act

Medicare

It is a federal healthcare coverage plan which covers residents of 65 years of age and older and also certain people with disabilities. Any individual of age 65 and is qualified for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits may automatically be insured under Medicare.

Listed below are the services covered by Medicare-

• Hospitals
• Skilled nursing facilities
• Hospice care
• Some home health care
• Doctors’ services and prescription drugs (Optional)

Learn more: Medicare.gov

Medicaid

Medicaid is a state operated Federal program that offers health care coverage for individuals, children or families of low income and people with disabilities. The state decides the eligibility criteria to get covered under this plan.

Listed below are the services covered by Medicaid-

• Doctor visits
• Hospital care
• Vaccinations
• Prescription drugs
• Vision, hearing
• Long-term care
• Preventive care for children

Learn more: Medicaid.gov

Also read:Medicaid & CHIP Profiles, by State

COBRA

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a federal law, effective, since 1986. COBRA gives an individual and his/her dependents, the benefits to continue availing the group health plan provided by the employers even after your job ends. Depending on the strength of employees your employer employed, (20 or more employees), you may be qualified for COBRA continuation coverage after retirement, resignation, terminated, or work reduced hours.

Continuation coverage covers-

• Surviving, separated or divorced spouses
• Dependent children
• Children no longer dependent under their parent's plan rules

Learn more: COBRA

U.S. Department of Labor
Pension & Welfare Benefits Administration
Boston Regional Office
JFK Federal Building, Room 575
Phone: 617-565-9600

Children’s Health Insurance Program

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a federal plan that offers free of cost or minimal cost health coverage for children belonging to low-income parents. The services covered under CHIP varies and decided by each states.

The mandatory services covered by CHIP in all states are-

• Routine check-ups
• Immunizations
• Hospital care
• Dental care
• Lab and x-ray services

Locate CHIP program in your state

Also read:

InsureKidsNow.gov - 1-877-Kids-Now (1-877-543-7669)

HealtCare.gov

Vaccines for Children Program (VFC)
Call at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636) or VFC coordinator online

United States Organ Donors

Several organizations in the USA are dedicated to provide organ, blood and tissue to those in need. The organizations are committed and striving to meet the transplant needs of the people.

DonateLife America

Donate Life America is the state-authorized non-profit organization that is committed to provide and manage the organ, eye and tissue donations to the people in need and help save as many lives as possible. Donate Life America is affiliated with many state organizations and has been diligently functioning in collaboration with many volunteers to help provide organ, eye and tissue donation to meet all transplant needs. It promotes the community to participate and support the cause and educates the people on how donation works, organ transplant waiting list, what is brain death, what organs and tissues can be donated and create awareness of the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation that saves lives.

Donate Life America
701 E. Byrd Street
16th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 377-3580
Email: donatelifeamerica@donatelife.net

Learn more: Donate Life America

United Network for Organ Sharing

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a non-profit private organization which works under contract with the federal government and manages the organ transplant system of the United States. UNOS has been operating the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and was bestowed the federal contract in 1986.

Given below are the services and capabilities offered by UNOS-

• Research & Technology
• Conference Planning
• Education
• Advertising

Contact Details:

Mailing address
Post Office Box 2484
Richmond, Virginia 23218

Physical address
700 North 4th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
UNOS corporate headquarters
Phone: 804-782-4800
Fax: 804-782-4817

News bureau: 804-782-4730
Data requests: 804-782-4876
Patient/public Info: 888-894-6361

Learn more: United Network for Organ Sharing

Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is a significant network which works under public and private collaboration. OPTN is one unique platform that functions to connect all professionals associated with donation and transplantation system across the United States. OPTN has its mission to establish a well efficient system to accomplish and fulfill as many transplant needs as possible, to improve patient safety and transplantation success rate.

United Network for Organ Sharing
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network
Post Office Box 2484
Richmond, Virginia 23218

Learn more: Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network

Organ Donation Facts

• In the United States, the system for organ procurement, matching donors and potential recipients are managed and regulated by the Federal Government. It is proclaimed as illegal to buy and sell organs in USA.
  
  
• The organ transplants success rate is between 80% to 90 %.
  
  
• The donor family need not pay any bills related to donation.
  
  
• Determining factors to receive an organ depend on blood type, severity of illness and waiting list time, irrespective of financial or celebrity status.
  
  
• From many surveys conducted, it has been recorded that one organ donor has the capacity to save up to 8 lives and the same donor may also improve or save the lives of around fifty people by donating tissues, organs and eyes.
  
  

United States Public Health Vital Statistics

The National Vital Statistics System is the most efficient system of inter-governmental data sharing which manages the collection, and distribution of public health and vital statistics data. The data such as vital events – births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and fetal deaths are maintained through this system.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the United States health protection agency which is functioning diligently to safeguard all residents of the United States from health, safety and security threats that started from both home or abroad. CDC was founded in 1946 and is dedicated to enhance the health security of the country by tackling all types of diseases and assists the communities and citizens in fighting against all diseases. It has its headquarter in Atlanta, Georgia.

Some of the significant responsibilities of CDC are-

• To supervise and prepare the Americans on how to respond to emergency health threats
• TO combat and prevent disease outbreaks before they spreadTo investigate and offer up-to-date information on deadly disease outbreaks around the world
• TO keep a strict watch and detect any harmful germs in the US food supply
• To supervise the efficient functioning of America’s laboratories
• To provide critical and vital data to help save lives and safeguard people
• To provide life-saving vaccines

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30329-4027 USA

-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)
-CDC Office of the Director: (404) 639-7000
-CDC Switchboard and Public Inquiries: 1-800-232-4636 or (404) 639-3311
-HIV/AIDS, STDs, & Immunizations: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
-Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): 1-888-422-8737

Learn more: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Also read: Information on where and how to obtain Vital Records, State-wise


Infant Mortality Rate, 2014 estimation, according to CIA

• Total: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births
• Male: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births
• Female: 5.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

Leading Causes of Death in USA ^[1]

• Heart disease: 611,105
• Cancer: 584,881
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 149,205
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 130,557
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 128,978
• Alzheimer's disease: 84,767
• Diabetes: 75,578
• Influenza and Pneumonia: 56,979
• Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 47,112
• Intentional self-harm (suicide): 41,149
  

Also read:

A to Z Health Topics
Adoption
Affordable Care Act
Addiction
Child Support
Child Care
Dental Health
Domestic Violence
Ebola
Elderly Care Locator
Healthfinder.gov
Immunization
Mental Health
Women Health

Important Emergency Contacts

Child Abuse:
National Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-4-A-Child (455-4453)

Elder Abuse:
Eldercare Locator
1-800-667-1116

Victims of Violence:
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-Safe (7233)
TTY: 1-800-787-3244

Runaway/ Homeless Youth:
National Runaway Safeline
1-800-Runaway (786-2929)

Victims of Human Trafficking:
End Trafficking
Text “BeFree” (233733)
1-888-373-7888

Suicide Prevention:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-Talk (8255)

Veterans in Crisis:
Veterans Crisis Line
1-800-273-8255, Press 1

Emergencies with Food, Drugs, or Medical Devices:
1-866-300-4374 or 301-796-8240

USA States Health Care List

Alabama Health Care | Alaska Health Care | Arizona Health Care | Arkansas Health Care | California Health Care | Colorado Health Care | Connecticut Health Care | Delaware Health Care | District of Columbia | Florida Health Care | Georgia Health Care | Hawaii Health Care | Idaho Health Care | Illinois Health Care | Indiana Health Care | Iowa Health Care  | Kentucky Health Care | Louisiana Health Care | Maine Health Care | Maryland Health Care | Massachusetts Health Care |  Minnesota Health Care | Mississippi Health Care | Missouri Health Care | Montana Health Care | Nebraska Health Care | Nevada Health Care | New Hampshire Health Care | New Jersey Health Care | New Mexico Health Care | New York Health Care | North Carolina Health Care | North Dakota Health Care | Ohio Health Care | Oklahoma Health Care | Oregon Health Care | Pennsylvania Health Care | Rhode Island Health Care | South Dakota Health Care | Tennessee Health Care | Texas Health Care | Utah Health Care | Vermont Health Care | Virginia Health Care | Washington Health Care | West Virginia Health Care | Wisconsin Health Care | Wyoming Health Care

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References:

1. Leading Causes of Death in USA