National Healthcare Spending
National healthcare spending
HCS/440
November 9, 2012
Linda Watson
National healthcare spending
The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the entire world. The current level of national expenditures is astounding. According to us.governmentspending.com, the anticipated total of healthcare spending in the United States is $7,400.00 per person each year (Kaiser, 2009). Over the years the total of healthcare spending has continued to increase at a rapid rate. In 2009 healthcare costs accounted for 16% of the U.S. GDP ("Health care expenditures:," 2009 ). This paper will discuss different aspects of healthcare costs in the United States and what makes it better or what makes it worse. Whether or not healthcare spending is too much or not enough is quite controversial. In my opinion there needs to be some sort of transparency which will lead to better outcomes and lower costs. If consumers are given the access to reliable information about price and quality, then their choices often may lead to lower prices and better quality (Zimmerman, 2012). Cost reduction and investing in wellness and prevention programs is the key to unlocking the door to health care savings. If you think about it, it is far cheaper to provide effective weightloss programs and nutrition education initiatives then treating diabetes. The same can go for smokers, offering them smoking cessation programs is cheaper than treating lung cancer and other smoking related illnesses (Zimmerman, 2012). When it comes to where the nation should add or cut, it all depends on ones perspective and opinion. Some would say cut from the military budget or as some would say the Pentagon budget. “There are billions upon billions of pentagon dollars that could be eliminated without undermining the Defense Departments ability to execute its constitutional mandate to “provide for the common defense,”” (Hegseth, 2012). The Pentagon continues to routinely get items
HCS/440
November 9, 2012
Linda Watson
National healthcare spending
The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the entire world. The current level of national expenditures is astounding. According to us.governmentspending.com, the anticipated total of healthcare spending in the United States is $7,400.00 per person each year (Kaiser, 2009). Over the years the total of healthcare spending has continued to increase at a rapid rate. In 2009 healthcare costs accounted for 16% of the U.S. GDP ("Health care expenditures:," 2009 ). This paper will discuss different aspects of healthcare costs in the United States and what makes it better or what makes it worse. Whether or not healthcare spending is too much or not enough is quite controversial. In my opinion there needs to be some sort of transparency which will lead to better outcomes and lower costs. If consumers are given the access to reliable information about price and quality, then their choices often may lead to lower prices and better quality (Zimmerman, 2012). Cost reduction and investing in wellness and prevention programs is the key to unlocking the door to health care savings. If you think about it, it is far cheaper to provide effective weightloss programs and nutrition education initiatives then treating diabetes. The same can go for smokers, offering them smoking cessation programs is cheaper than treating lung cancer and other smoking related illnesses (Zimmerman, 2012). When it comes to where the nation should add or cut, it all depends on ones perspective and opinion. Some would say cut from the military budget or as some would say the Pentagon budget. “There are billions upon billions of pentagon dollars that could be eliminated without undermining the Defense Departments ability to execute its constitutional mandate to “provide for the common defense,”” (Hegseth, 2012). The Pentagon continues to routinely get items
References: Zimmerman, R. (2012, November 8). Advice to the president on controlling health care costs. Retrieved from commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/11/advice-to-the-president-on-controlling-health-care-costs Health care expenditures: An international comparison. (2009, August 21). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/health/healthreform/july-dec09/chart_08-18.html Hegseth, P. (2012, August 3). Why we should cut tri-nation anti-missle program meads. Retrieved from defense.aol.com/2012/08/03/why-we-should-cut-tri-nation-anti-missile-program-MEADS Kaiser, H. (2009, March). Key information on health care costs and their impact. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/insurance/upload/7670_02.pdf