U.S. Health Care spending is out of control....
When we say that longevity is a positive thing, we fail to specify that we mean healthy longevity: as in, an extended life free of the trappings of medications and hospital beds – and the exorbitant costs associated with those things.
Currently, the United States spends more per patient on health care than any other country, and the costs are steadily rising. Such increases create a major economic problem, impeding the financial security of those dependent upon medical care. Necessary household expenses such as food and utilities are being pushed to the back burner in order to pay for medical bills. Businesses are having a harder time providing adequate funding for employees’ health coverage, and if they are able to keep up with the higher costs, it is usually at the expense of business developments such as employee training, equipment, or research.
A 2008 report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers indicates that of the $2.2 trillion spent annually on health care, a whopping $1.2 trillion of it is “wasteful spending” – including the “behavioral waste” category, which is money spent on preventable health issues such as obesity (an estimated $300 billion per year).
If you needed yet another reason to keep yourself fit, here it is: investing more in your health means investing less in your health care.
What’s the point of living longer if, in order to do that, we’re saddled with bills we’ll never be able to pay?
Currently, the United States spends more per patient on health care than any other country, and the costs are steadily rising. Such increases create a major economic problem, impeding the financial security of those dependent upon medical care. Necessary household expenses such as food and utilities are being pushed to the back burner in order to pay for medical bills. Businesses are having a harder time providing adequate funding for employees’ health coverage, and if they are able to keep up with the higher costs, it is usually at the expense of business developments such as employee training, equipment, or research.
A 2008 report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers indicates that of the $2.2 trillion spent annually on health care, a whopping $1.2 trillion of it is “wasteful spending” – including the “behavioral waste” category, which is money spent on preventable health issues such as obesity (an estimated $300 billion per year).
If you needed yet another reason to keep yourself fit, here it is: investing more in your health means investing less in your health care.
What’s the point of living longer if, in order to do that, we’re saddled with bills we’ll never be able to pay?
posted by Rejuvena Health and Aesthetics at
8:45 AM
1 Comments:
As the richest country in the world it is a shame that we spend more than other country, yet are still listed #32 in the world for overall health care by the World Health Organization! Why don't we dedicate any of this spending towards preventative medicine?
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