What exactly is Health Care? In today’s economy, healthcare can get to be very expensive for some people (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). Healthcare costs have been rising for several years and continues today (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). Expenditures in the United States surpass $2.3 trillion in 2008(Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). Total health care expenditures grew at an annual rate of 4.4 percent in 2008 (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). This growth has become a major problem for our government, employers, and consumers increasingly struggle to keep up with healthcare costs (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). Although Americans benefit from many of their investments in health care, the recent rapid cost growth coupled with an overall economic slowdown and rising federal deficit, is placing great strains on the systems used to finance health care (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). The exceeding cost of health care is causing more problems for the poor and middle class individuals (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). One problem that is feeding into our healthcare deficiency is the spending on technology and prescription drugs (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). For several years, spending on new medical technology and prescription drugs has been cited as a leading contributor to the increase in overall health spending (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). “New drugs and technology increase healthcare costs because they generate consumer demand for intense costly services.” Even though the cost of healthcare related to technology and drugs have decreased over the pat couple of years, it is still an issue in our society (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). Another thing that affects our healthcare costs is chronic disease (Kimbuende, Eric pg.1). Seventy-six percent of Medicare spending is on patients with five or more chronic dise... ... middle of paper ... ... pharmaceutical products and medical devices will help improve the nation’s healthcare cost (Hoppe, Hans Hermann pg.1). Works Cited Healthcare-problems and solutions. 1998. Luksik Action. 13 September 2011. http://www.constitutional.net/Luksik/health.html Hoppe, Hans Hermann. “A four step healthcare solution.” 2009. The Free Market. 13 September 2011. http://mises.org/freemarket_detail.aspx?control=279 Kimbuende, Eric. “U.S. Healthcare cost.” KaiserEDU.org. March 2010:1-3. 19 September 2011. http://www.Kaiserebu.org/us-Health-care-cost.org Swartz, Kimberly. Healthcare Cost Monitor. 2011. The Hastings Center. 19 October 2011.http://healthcarecostmonitor.thehastingscenter.org/kimberlyswartz/projected-costs-of-chronic-diseases/ Ways to Improve Healthcare system. 2009. Rediff India Abroad. 19 October 2011. http://www.rediff.com/money/2007/jul/23health1/htm
According to Harry A. Sultz and Kristina M. Young, the authors of our textbook Health Care USA, medical care in the United States is a $2.5 Trillion industry (xvii). This industry is so large that “the U.S. health care system is the world’s eighth
In America today, many people are in need of medical help. In fact,the Federal Trade Commission estimates that 75% of the population complain of physical problems (Federal Trade Commission 9). They complain, for example, of fatigue, colds, headaches, and countless other "ailments." When these symptoms strike, 65% purchase over-the counter, or OTC, drugs. In order to take advantage of this demand, five billion dollars is spent by the pharmaceutical industry on marketing each year . This marketing, usually in the form of advert...
Access to healthcare provides financial stability by assuring people that they will not be financially destroyed by injury or illness. Additionally, when people can afford regular medical care they tend to avoid chronic problems and financial stress. In a study provided by the American Medical Students Association, researchers reviewed the costs and benefits of universal health care. They came to the conclusion, after reviewing other articles and statistics from multiple sources, that, “The annual cost of diminished health and shorter life spans of Americans without insurance is $65-$130 billion.” (Chua 5) This comes from people not having adequate health care and then losing their jobs because they...
During the study of various reforms that were proposed and denied, both the GOP and Democrats attempted to find a balance that would guarantee the success of their proposals. Years of research, growing ideologies, political views and disregard for the country's constitution sparked an array of alternatives to solve the country's healthcare spending. The expenditure of US healthcare dollars was mostly due to hospital reimbursements, which constitute to 30% (Longest & Darr, 2008). During the research for alternatives, the gr...
On a global scale, the United States is a relatively wealthy country of advanced industrialization. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is among the costliest, spending close to 18% of gross domestic product (GDP) towards funding healthcare (2011). No universal healthcare coverage is currently available. United States healthcare is currently funded through private, federal, state, and local sources. Coverage is provided privately and through the government and military. Nearly 85% of the U.S. population is covered to some extent, leaving a population of close to 48 million without any type of health insurance. Cost is the primary reason for lack of insurance and individuals foregoing medical care and use of prescription medications.
... (2013) IMS health study points to a declining cost curve for U.S. medicines in 2012 Retrieved from http://www.imshealth.com/portal/site/ims/menuitem.d248e29c86589c9c30e81c033208c22a/?vgnextoid=8659cf4add48e310VgnVCM10000076192ca2RCRD&vgnextchannel=437879d7f269e210VgnVCM10000071812ca2RCRD&vgnextfmt=default
The United States spends vast amounts on its healthcare, while falling short of achieving superiority over other developed nations. One cannot overlook that the deepening recession has left many without jobs and therefore lacking health insurance. According to Fairhall and Steadman, (2009), even though the recession is hard on all, it is worse on the uninsured due to health care and insurance cost rising faster than incomes. Nevertheless, even those with jobs are lacking in health insurance due to employers, who provide insurance, are increasingly dropping their sponsored insurance. Many find that purchasing a health policy or paying for medical care out-of-pocket is cost prohibitive. “Since the recession began in December 2007, the number of unemployed Americans has increased by 3.6 million,” (Fairhall & Steadman, 2009). In 2009 it was stated that approximately 46 million Americans were uninsured, however not all of that number is due to the inability to afford coverage. According to a 2009 story written by Christopher Weaver of Kaiser Health News, 43% of that number should be classified as “voluntarily” uninsured. This subset of uninsured Americans consist of nearly half being young and healthy; therefo...
Despite the established health care facilities in the United States, most citizens do not have access to proper medical care. We must appreciate from the very onset that a healthy and strong nation must have a proper health care system. Such a health system should be available and affordable to all. The cost of health services is high. In fact, the ...
The next driver of importance for world health is technology. The implementation of innovative medicine is a primary interest for the U.S., Japan, and Germany (Reid, 2008). Unlike these other countries, the United States has a greater commitment to technology than it does to health care expenditures (Barton, 2010). This regard has led to changes in clinical practices and the level of knowledge of consumers (Drivers of change). Patients gather information pertaining to disease or illnesses from reliable m...
Health care is one of the most debated issues in the United States today and it 's necessary to understand the basics of this problem. Approximately 50 million people living in the United
Healthcare is a dynamic, ever-changing environment. The complex circumstances around daily conversations that encompass life-threatening decisions are critical. In order to deliver high quality care, individuals must be able to communicate effectively. In the perfect world of communication, everyone receives the exact same information and is able to respond the exact same way. Unfortunately, communication breakdown is a prevalent issue among hospitals. On any given day of the hospital arena, multiple interactions take place. Some of the dialogue is planned, and some is not. While hospital departments are living in different silos within the same organization, the cultures may vary among the employees. Hospital leadership fosters the importance of collaboration within the organization and depends on the employees to ultimately drive the process. In order to overcome communication barriers in the workplace, conversations must occur. Engaging in daily face-to-face meetings with employees increases positive work culture, morale and overall productivity.
Increasing prices for medical treatments, consultations, and drugs is another element in increasing health care costs. Increasing prices of health care services and drugs were the main reason for increasing health care expenditures between 2009 and 2010. Poor productivity is another element of increasing health care costs. Because there is little or no intervening growth in productivity gains for health care, health care costs would increase over time; and because of inelastic demand health care expenditures would also increase (Baumol, 1988). Because it is difficult to measure value of health care service, it is very difficult to evaluate productivity gains in health care. Referrin...
The U.S. expends far more on healthcare than any other country in the world, yet we get fewer benefits, less than ideal health outcomes, and a lot of dissatisfaction manifested by unequal access, the significant numbers of uninsured and underinsured Americans, uneven quality, and unconstrained wastes. The financing of healthcare is also complicated, as there is no single payer system and payment schemes vary across payors and providers.
Roughly 2.8 trillion dollars is spent currently on health care in the United States (Kliff, 2014). In 2013, the United States spent almost 50 percent more than the next highest health care spender, France (The Commonwealth Fund, 2016). Many experts agree health care costs consumes a significant portion of economic output as well as increased premium costs. Several factors are contributing to cost escalation such as defensive medicine, increase in the elderly population, and growth of technology (Shi & Singh, 2016). The United States is considered to have mostly a private health care system, however it spends more money on the public health care system than countries with a completely public health care system. Government funded programs, such as Medicare, play a considerable roll in health care expenditures. It is projected that Medicare expenditures will rise to 9 percent of the GDP by the year 2050 (Shi & Singh, 2016). Further concern arises with drug costs in the United
The cost of US health care has been steadily increasing for many years causing many Americans to face difficult choices between health care and other priorities in their lives. Health economists are bringing to light the tradeoffs which must be considered in every healthcare decision (Getzen, 2013, p. 427). Therefore, efforts must be made to incite change which constrains the cost of health care without creating adverse health consequences. As the medical field becomes more business oriented, there will be more of a shift in focus toward the costs and benefits, which will make medicine more like the rest of the economy (Getzen, 2013, p. 439).