Higher Healthcare Costs
Americans are paying more for healthcare than ever before. Just consider the evidence:
- U.S. healthcare costs have been spiraling out of control for the past decade, and in 2005 are estimated to surpass $1.7 trillion, or 15 percent of the total economy.1
- Healthcare spending per person has nearly doubled from $3,697 in 1995 to $6,546 in 2005.2
- When comparing the costs to countries like Germany, Canada, France, Sweden, Japan, and the United Kingdom, U.S. public healthcare spending alone is greater than total health spending in those other countries.3
- Looking to the future, healthcare costs are projected to continue to grow faster than inflation; by 2010 it is expected that per capita spending will approach $9,000.4
Notes:
1 "Health Care Costs 101," Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary, 2005. www.chcf.org/documents/insurance/HCCosts10105.pdf.
2 "Health Care Costs 101," Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary, 2005. www.chcf.org/documents/insurance/HCCosts10105.pdf.
3 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 2003; Health Affairs 2002, 21(4):88. Found in: Physicians for a National Health Program's presentation 2003, slide 92.
4 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, cms.gov/statistics/nhe. Found in: "By the Numbers," Modern Healthcare, December 20, 2004. www.modernhealthcare.com/docs/bythenumbers04.pdf.
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