US Health Care Costs- Death by Prosperity
Posted by: Curt | Under: General Fitness | (0) Comments
A new study has found the obvious- people in the US spend 2.5 times more per person for health care than other developed nations yet are far less healthy. While our system is great at treating symptoms, we are ignoring the problem- which is our generally unhealthy lifestyle. In a nation where infectious diseases kill very few people anymore, the big problem has become diseases of prosperity like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. These are all directly related to our lifestyle which shuns exercise and eats anything and everything we want. This “death by prosperity” is tragic and ironic. Until there is a concerted effort by corporations, insurance companies and the government to teach and encourage healthy lifestyle choices, the problem will get worse and the US will eventually collapse under it’s own weight. Not a pretty sight.
So do what you can to encourage your family, friends and co-workers to make some steps in the right direction. I know it is hard because everyone I know thinks I’m just a health and fitness fanatic that is so far out on the fringe that I’m not worth listening to. But every little bit of advice and encouragement can help.
Americans spend $2.4 trillion a year on health care. The Business Roundtable report says Americans in 2006 spent $1,928 per capita on health care, at least two-and-a-half times more per person than any other advanced country.
In a different twist, the report took those costs and factored benefits into the equation.
It compares statistics on life expectancy, death rates and even cholesterol readings and blood pressures. The health measures are factored together with costs into a 100-point “value” scale. That hasn’t been done before, the authors said.
The results are not encouraging.
The United States is 23 points behind five leading economic competitors: Canada, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and France. The five nations cover all their citizens, and though their systems differ, in each country the government plays a much larger role than in the U.S.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
