| | Putting America's Health Care Crisis in Perspective | |
by Organic Consumers Association - 8/21/2006
A Pre-Census Report: Putting the Crisis in Perspective
Voters to Mobilize Tomorrow in a National Day of Action to Call on Congress for Real Solutions on Health Care Now
WASHINGTON - August 21 - When the U.S. Census delivers its annual consolidated report on income, poverty and health care coverage next Tuesday, August 29, it will reveal the number of Americans who lacked health insurance last year, likely upwards of 46 million Americans, including 8.5 million children. Millions more are severely underinsured and are not reflected in the pending report.
But Americans don't need to wait for numbers to be released to understand the health care crisis is reaching record proportions. Tomorrow voters will participate in a National Day of Action calling on candidates and elected leaders to stop ignoring our broken system and offer comprehensive solutions now. (See attached media advisory.)
As you prepare your coverage, here are some facts that put the scope of the crisis into full perspective, showing that as costs explode and coverage erodes, consumers, business and government are all paying a hefty price:
Countless families are one serious illness away from bankruptcy. Between 2000 and 2005, premiums for family coverage increased by 73%, compared with 14% inflation growth and a15% wage increase over the same period. Average annual premiums for employer-sponsored coverage rose to $4,204 for individuals, and $10,880 for families, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The cost of employee insurance premiums has risen by anywhere from three to six times the rate of inflation over the past six years.
The employer-based system of coverage is collapsing. The cost-shifting strategy that helped U.S. businesses stay afloat amidst expanding globalization is unraveling, leading a top economic consulting firm, McKinsey & Co, to forecast that several corporations in the Fortune 500 will soon spend more on health care costs than they will earn in profits. The National Manufacturers Association reports that on average, U.S. benefit costs are 5-6% higher than the average benefit costs of our 9 largest trading partners worldwide.
U.S. health care spending in the global economy is astronomical. Total health care expenditures climbed to 16% of the GDP, or roughly $6,000 per person in 2004, the highest of any industrialized country by far, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. By contrast, Germany and Canada each spent 11.1 and 9.9% of their GDPs on health care in 2003. Japan and the U.K. had total health expenditures of 7.9 and 7.7%. Each of those countries has a variation of universal health insurance.
A final statistic: Each year, the Institute of Medicine reports over 18,000 people die as a result of being uninsured or lacking access to affordable care.
Provided by Organic Consumers Association on 8/21/2006
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