Health care in France is characterized by a national programme of social health insurance (NHI), managed almost entirely by the state and publicly financed through employee and employer payroll contributions and earmarked taxes. In comparing with the U.S. health system, I think government, both in the federal and state levels’ provisions to health legislations, health regulations, taxation, health promotions, health financial incentives and health information technology should all be geared toward improving the well-being (i.e. health quality) of the populations. Overall though, the French have introduced the benefits of a competitive market without undermining Beveridgean principles, which seemed to be dealing with the problems of geographical disparities and gaps in long-term care with no less success than any other developed country (Civitas, n.d.). The NHS, by comparison, has universalized the drawbacks of public sector monopoly and seems to be suffering from a number of extremely critical reports on its quality of care, particularly for those in society who are most vulnerable: hardly an accolade for a ‘welfare state’.
Civitas (n.d.) Healthcare Systems: France. Retrieved July 25, 2015 from http://www.civitas.org.uk/nhs/download/france.pdf