2.5 Trillion A year spent on health care in the USA, since 2006

After a good night’s sleep, waking up this morning, I went down stairs to make some coffee, walked the dog, and picked up the morning paper. After opening the morning paper and turned to page 3, an article grabbed my attention and there it was, 2.2 trillion dollars spent on Health Care. After reading the article I uncovered and discovered a few more facts.

From the WHO (World Health Organization)

As a world power, our infamous leaders of today and yester year have put us in a messy situation of humongous debt. This is a small synopsis of our health care in comparison to other top   industrialized countries of the world.

• From, the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2000, ranked the U.S. health care system as the highest in cost, first in responsiveness, 37th in overall performance, and 72nd by overall level of health (among 191 member nations included in the study) http://www.photius.com/rankings/who_world_health_ranks.html   Where in the history of the USA, did we loss the distinction as the best in the world?

• Of 17 high-income countries studied by the National Institutes of Health in 2013, the United States was at or near the bottom in infant mortality, heart and lung disease, sexually transmitted infections, adolescent pregnancies, injuries, homicides, and rates of disability. Together, such issues place the U.S. at the bottom of the list for life expectancy. On average, a U.S. male can be expected to live almost four fewer years than those in the top-ranked country.[1] http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13497

After looking at a few differences and comparing ourselves to the rest of the world, we the United States are not very healthy. When the USA, a leader in the economic world, ranks extremely low on health, I don’t think we are spending our money correctly.  The focus has been on saving procedures, but retrospect has it gotten the USA healthier?  There is and always will be a financial gainer, due to the capitalistic society we have to create money. This seems to be a greater objective, creating more money for the stock holder.  But again at what cost to the family. Who’s involved? The big boys, pharmaceutical industry and the insurance industry which has their hands deep within the political pockets, these two have made a complete mockery of government and creating a  sick care form of health care system. Here are the rewards given to the drug producers and there profit and involvement;

• Per capita, the U.S. spends more on pharmaceuticals than any other country. National expenditures on pharmaceuticals accounted for 12.9% of total health care costs, compared to an OECD average of 17.7% (2003 figures).[217] Some 25% of out-of-pocket spending by individuals is for prescription drugs. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=15451969

12.9 % of 2.2 trillion dollars is a lot of money, and they don’t pay their share of taxes.

How the government spends our tax dollars on health care.

When we continue to look at the number of how we stack up. We must begin to look at how this has begun and how we are going to get out of it. First, this did not happen overnight.  The health care industry from the perspective of the US Government has create (Obama Care) a socialized medicine system so no one is left out is scary.  They cannot manage on what they have now and we the people believe them.  History states that this little endeavor by the US Government was started in 1965. The number s attained were from 1970-2000.

• Of each dollar spent on health care in the United States, 31% goes to hospital care, 21% goes to physician/clinical services, 10% to pharmaceuticals, 4% to dental, 6% to nursing homes and 3% to home health care, 3% for other retail products, 3% for government public health activities, 7% to administrative costs, 7% to investment, and 6% to other professional services (physical therapists, optometrists, etc). http://www.kaiseredu.org/Issue-Modules/US-Health-Care-Costs/Background-Brief.aspx#How%20is%20the%20U.S.%20health%20care%20dollar%20spent?, http://www.kff.org/insurance/upload/7692_02.pd

Within the chart below we can see the significant increase in health care cost over the years comparatively to the rest of the world.

This numerical chart below is a representation of the increase in the USA on health care since the 1970s.

Year   %GDP

1960   5.1                          1970   7.1                                1980    9.0

1961    5.3                       1971   7.3                            1981    9.1

1962    5.3                        1972   7.4               1982    10.2

1963    5.5                      1973   no data                           1983    10.3

1964   5.7                         1974   7.7                                   1984    10.2

1965   5.7                          1975   8.0                                1985    10.4

1966    5.7                        1976   8.3                 1986    10.6

1967    6.1                         1977   8.4                 1987    10.8

1968    6.3                        1978   8.4                 1988    11.3

1969    6.6                      1979   8.5                   1989    11.7

1990    12.4                    2000   13.7

1991    13.1                      2001    14.3

1992    13.4                    2002   15.1

1993    13.7                       2003   15.7

1994    13.6                    2004    15.8

1995    13.7                     2005   15.8

1996    13.7                     2006  15.9

1997    13.6                    2007     16.2

1998    13.6                    2008     16.6

1999    13.6                    2009     17.7

2010     17.6

Unfortunately we are in a very difficult time within our country.  We are unsure of where we are going, but we cannot be afraid and stick our heads in the sand any longer or we will go down in flames.  Even in the midst of the economic situation, there is one thing that we can do for ourselves, and that is to educate, educate and educate ourselves and no one can take that away from you in return, we can all prosper.