That the US has a major health care crises on their hands. Here are some facts for Americans that may not know the health care system is screwed.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 46 million Americans, or 18 percent of
the population under the age of 65, were without health insurance in 2007
According to the MEPS data, nearly 54 million Americans under the age of 65 were
uninsured in the first-half of 2007.
A recent study shows that based on the effects of the recession alone (not job
loss), it is projected that nearly seven (7) million Americans will lose their
health insurance coverage between 2008 and 2010.
Urban Institute researchers estimate that if unemployment reaches 10 percent,
another six (6) million Americans will lose their health insurance coverage
Nearly 90 million people – about one-third of the population below the age of 65
spent a portion of either 2007 or 2008 without health coverage
The large majority of the uninsured (85 percent) are native or naturalized
citizens
Nearly 1.3 million full-time workers lost their health insurance in 2006
Over 8 in 10 uninsured people come from working families
Health insurance premiums have increased 119 percent for employers since 1999 and
employee spending for health insurance coverage (employee’s share of family
coverage) has increased 117 percent between 1999 and 2008
The average annual increase in inflation has been 2.5 percent while health
insurance premiums for small firms have escalated an average of 12 percent
annually.
http://www.nchc.org/facts/coverage.shtml
National health spending is expected to reach $2.5 trillion in 2009, accounting
for 17.6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). By 2018, national health
care expenditures are expected to reach $4.4 trillion—more than double 2007
spending
http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml
A baby born in El Salvador has a better chance of surviving than a baby in
Detroit. The infant mortality rate in Detroit is 15.5, compared to El Salvador’s
rate of 9.7
Canadians live three years longer on average than we do
Cubans have a lower infant mortality rate than the United States and according to
the U.N. Human Development Report, a longer average lifespan.
Over the next decade, the federal government will give the drug and health care
industries an estimated $822 billion as a result of the 2003 enactment of Medicare
Part D (the Medicare prescription drug plan
There are four times as many health care lobbyists in Washington as there are
members of Congress
http://www.nyegateway.com/2009/08/facts-about-health-care-in-america.html
The USA's life expectancy lags 42nd in the world, after most rich nations, lagging last of the G5 (Japan, France, Germany, UK, USA) and just after Chile (35th) and Cuba (37th).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States
Not something to be proud of is it? And some people call the US the greatest nation on earth... it doesn't look that way to me.
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'The truth is rarely pure and never simple' Oscar Wilde