Health Care Facts
A recent Reuters article quoted these facts about our healthcare system.
- According to US Government economists, public and private health care spending will hit $2.5 Trillion this year, 17.6% of GDP
- Americans spend more per capita on health care than any other country at $7,421 per person, and receive poorer care than many other industrialized countries that have nationalized health care. (Of the $7000 plus spent on health care per person…35% of this is paid by private health insurance companies, 19% paid by Medicare, 15% is paid by Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs, 12% from public funds, 7% private sources, and the remaining 12% out of pocket by patients.)
- 15% of population (46 million people) have no health insurance coverage.
- 63% of US companies offer health benefits to workers.
- Growth in health insurance premiums has outpaced workers’ earnings and inflation since 2004 by a ratio of 4 to1.
