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Statistics by McKinsey &
Company - "Accounting for the Cost of Health
Care in the United States."
Ryan's Ramblings: Health care bankrupting the nation
When the editor of LarsonAllen publications writes
an editorial about the cost of health care, it pays
for the rest of us to listen.
After all, LarsonAllen is the accountant for many
companies.
"Employers are expected to offer some sort of
health-care benefit, but each year they must announce
that health-care costs have risen again and that the
employees will be taking on part of the increase,"
said Paul Pfeiffer, editor, LarsonAllen publications.
"For years we have seen all sorts of calls for
health-care reform. And while the bickering proceeds,
the patient - our health-care system - is sitting
in the office looking very pale," Pfeiffer said.
He lists some statistics by McKinsey & Company
- "Accounting for the Cost of Health Care in
the United States."
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The United States spends $1,645 per capita more
on health care than peer countries do. However,
our country does not deliver "objectively better
quality and access for U.S. citizens."
•
Drug
costs to the U.S. health-care system are 50 to 70
percent higher in the United States than in peer
nations.
•
In
2003, the United States spent nearly six times as
much on health-care administration and insurance
as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) average.
•
In
the U.S. private sector, 64 percent of the administrative
costs incurred by private payors are due to underwriting
health risks, and sales and marketing - costs that
do not arise in the public systems of most OECD
countries.
Pfeiffer concluded, "What I fear most in terms
of health-care reform is no change - because, really,
there are few stops after critical condition."
I'm among the fortunate. I can still afford what I
pay for health-care insurance. That may change if
the costs continue to rise.
It really is time that we consider a single-payer
health system. Oh, yes, I know you have heard the
Canadian horror stories of someone who had to wait
six months for heart surgery.
A single-payer system does prioritize access. I might
have to wait awhile to get a knee replacement. It's
not life-threatening, just an annoyance at times.
I'll gladly wait my turn if it means that all of our
children are covered by health insurance.
Have you noticed the number of stories in magazines
about people going to India or some other third-world
country for surgery?
That should tell you there's a problem with our health
care system. |
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• Insurance Alliances |
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- TTK Health Care Services
- Family Health Plan Ltd.
- United Health Care
- Medi Assist India Ltd.
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- Medisave Health Care
- Star Health
- MD India Health Care Services
- Paramount Health Care |
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