Unit 1 Taking Charge of Your Health and Wellness Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 12 Healthcare Settings Healthcare workers work in inpatient and outpatient facilities. Inpatient facilities are hospitals where patients stay while they receive diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and therapy. Outpatient facilities treat patients who live in the community and who do not require a hospital. Most healthcare in the United States is delivered in outpatient settings. These settings include the following: • doctors’ offices and private healthcare clinics that provide checkups, physical therapy, outpatient surgery, counseling, addiction treatment, and eye and dental care • hospital emergency rooms • urgent care or walk-in clinics • health clinics and counseling centers in high schools and colleges • county public health clinics Health Insurance Healthcare is expensive, and most people cannot afford to pay the full cost of services. Instead, most people buy insurance to help pay for healthcare costs. Most people get insurance through their employer or purchase insurance from a health insurance marketplace. Other health insurance options, available through the United States government, include Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is insurance available for people 65 years of age and older. Medicaid pays for healthcare costs of people living in poverty, pregnant people, older adults, and people with disabilities. Because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), young people can get coverage through their parents’ or guardians’ insurance through age 26. There are two main types of insurance plans available for people to buy to help pay for healthcare costs. These plans are the health maintenance organization (HMO) and the preferred provider organization (PPO). Figure 1.5 describes these two plans. Physician Specialists Specialist Treatment of… Cardiologist heart disease Dermatologist skin conditions Gastroenterologist diseases and disorders of the digestive system Neurologist diseases and disorders of the brain, nerves, and spinal cord Oncologist cancer Orthopedist bones, joints, and muscle conditions Pediatrician medical conditions of children from infancy through adolescence Psychiatrist mental illnesses and disorders Pulmonologist breathing issues and lung diseases Rheumatologist diseases of the joints, such as arthritis Surgeon surgical issues, such as gallbladder or appendix removal Urologist urination issues Figure 1.4 Physician specialists are expertly educated and trained in their particular fields. What type of specialist is a dermatologist?