Research Proposal on "Health Care Industry"

Research Proposal 4 pages (1114 words) Sources: 4

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Health Care Industry

The State of the Health Care System

Healthcare in the United States

Health care in the United States is provided by several types of privately and publicly funded health insurance plans that provide healthcare services. The last U.S. Census Bureau reported that approximately 60% of the population was covered by employment-based health insurance, 25% was covered by government based insurance, while 15% had no health insurance at all (Uretsky).

spends more of its gross domestic product on health care than any other developed nation. The U.S. is spending approximately 17% of its GDP on health care, compared with 8% for Japan, 9.7% for Canada, and 8.4% for the United Kingdom.

By several measures, health care spending continues to rise at a rapid rate, forcing businesses and families to cut back on operations and household expenses.

In 2008, the total national health expenditures rose approximately 6.9% -- two times the rate of inflation. Total spending was $2.4 trillion in 2007, or $7,900 per person. The U.S. health care spending is expected to increase at similar levels for the next decade reaching $4.3 trillion in 2017, or 20% of GDP (Health Insurance Cost).

Uninsured Americans

Of the U.S. estimated population of 300 million people, nearly 50 million people below the age of 65 have no health insurance. Of uninsured Americans 25% of them are eligible for public programs but they have not applied for them. Approximately 30% of the uninsured population fall into the lower income -- poverty level -- and 45% fall within the moderate to higher income categories but still can't afford the premiums. Around 10 million of the uninsured are non-citizens.

Of the population, 25 million are under insured, and 72 million people report having trouble paying their medical bills. Failure to pay medical bills is the most common cause of personal bankruptcy and forces one million people into insolvency each year.

Of the population who can afford health insurance premiums, the increase in health care costs has exceeded income growth by 400% over the past six years. Nine million people have lost their health insurance just since 2004.

Government's Role in Health Care

The government is not completely absent from the health care market and provides care for around 45 million people within Medicare, Medicaid and military health programs at an estimated cost of $970 billion or 46% of health care expenditure. Medicaid is a needs-based social welfare or social protection program with eligibility determined by income and financial resources. Medicare offers health insurance for people age 65 or older, people under age 65 with certain disabilities or diseases, and includes a prescription drug benefit program. Proponents claim that these programs have low administrative costs, in the region of 2%, though these figures are disputed, may be higher on a capitation basis, and take no account of fraudulent claims that Medicare does not detect (Journal Compilation).

Health Care Rankings

Evidence that the U.S. health care system is inadequate is suggested by international rankings. Analysis of comparisons with Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom expose that the U.S. ranks either last or next to last in the scope of quality, access, efficiency, and equity.

Another study of industrialized countries suggests that the U.S. has the highest death rate accountable to health care. The infant death rate in the U.S. is… READ MORE

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