American health insurance system although there are several different types of coverage and states often have their own health insurance regulations there are some aspects of the system that are similar throughout the us hospitals clinics doctors offices and other health care facilities are owned by a variety of private and public entities health insurance providers are generally separate companies from these and deal with a wide range of different healthcare providers. Us health care system basics of the 9781284103007 fmxx pass01indd 1 10 17 16 643 pm world headquarters jones bartlett learning 5 wall street burlington ma 01803 978 443 5000 infojblearningcom wwwjblearningcom jones bartlett learning books and products are available through most bookstores and online booksellers to contact jones bartlett learning directly call 800 832 0034 . The us health care system is a complex mix of public and private programs most americans who have health care insurance have an employer sponsored plan but the federal government insures the poor medicaid and elderly medicare as well as veterans and federal employees and congressmen state run programs insure other public employees. The debate about us health care concerns questions of access efficiency and quality purchased by the high sums spent the world health organization who in 2000 ranked the us health care system first in responsiveness but 37th in overall performance and 72nd by overall level of health among 191 member nations included in the study