Running head: U.S. HEALTH SYSTEMS
1
Problems Facing U.S. Health Care System
One problem that has been discussed in the healthcare systems in the U.S. according to the
reading is the country’s healthcare expenditure. In the book by Andersen, Rice, and Kominski
(2011), they explain that the cost of health expenditure in the country is high right from 2006 when
it hit trillions. Moreover, this study corresponds to the recorded value in 2013 where the state had
spent more on health compared to 12 other high-income countries. Based on the evidence it can
be concluded that U.S. is a substantial outlier on health spending because it uses more than seventy
percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP Andersen, Rice & Kominski, 2011). While
this expenditure may be considered unnecessary by some experts primarily based on the fact that
the country is compared to other nations of its kind, the spending is necessary and is called for.
Firstly, when comparing U.S. to the other nations, the country delivers thrice as many
mammograms as the other countries. More money is also spent on MRI scans and much more on
C-sections. Moreover, there is also more money spent on standby –equipment. In other words, the
situation is such that the country spends more on health machines that are easily accessible to all
Americans at an increased cost (GDP Andersen, Rice & Kominski, 2011). Additionally, in the
U.S. there are lower occupancy rates in the hospitals compared to other similar nations, and as
such, no delayed admissions are making the costs to increase to maintain these capacities.
Moreover, the concentrations on intensive treatment of the elderly who are suffering from chronic
illnesses increase the costs of expenditure.
U.S. HEALTH SYSTEMS
2
Problem Statement
The problem in the U.S. healthcare system is the increased expenditure on health which causes
the government to seek for more funds hence the high costs of medical insurance.
U.S. HEALTH SYSTEMS
3
References
Andersen, R. M., Rice, T. H., & Kominski, G. F. (2011). Changing the US health care system:
Key issues in health services policy and management. John Wiley & Sons.
Running head: HEALTH EXPENDITURE AND U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
1
Health Expenditure and U.S. Healthcare System
Blumenthal, D., Stremikis, K., & Cutler, D. (2013). Health care spending - a giant slain or
sleeping? New England Journal of Medicine 369(26), 2550- 2557
Blumenthal, Stremikis, & Cutler (2013) argued that the cost of providing healthcare services in
the United States is slowing down due to rate of 0.8% per person and less than GDP per
capita average for 2012. The content of the health policy report from the Harvard
University would help me formulate viewpoints that consider differing opinions on the
subject of healthcare spending in the United States.
Catlin, A. C., & Cowan, C. A. (2015). History of health spending in the United States, 19602013. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Catlin and Cowan used this publication to provide a historical review of the health care
expenditure of the United States in comparison to its share of gross domestic product in
past four decades. This article is a valuable source of information for examining the
factors that are responsible for the rising cost of healthcare services, especially those
associated with policy changes, economic indicators, and consumer purchasing power. It
is the content of the article that would contribute to the creation of the proposed research
paper.
Chernew, M. E., Hirth, R. A., & Cutler, D. M. (2003). Increased spending on health care:
How much can the United States afford? Health Affairs, 22(4), 15-25.
This article will be useful for addressing the problem statement for the research paper regarding
the capacity of American consumers to afford healthcare services in the United States
since the rising cost is not commensurate to those for other basic goods and services.
Therefore, it is a good source for understanding the factors surrounding the affordability
HEALTH EXPENDITURE AND U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
2
issues that consumers would need to deal with a healthcare cost increases in the country.
Also, its insights would help shape the perspective that can used to determine the
historical relevance of the issue of high-cost to the development of the United States.
Cutler, D. M., Davis, K., & Stremikis, K. (2010). The impact of health reform on health
system spending. Issue Brief (Commonw Fund), 88, 1-14.
In this paper, Cutler, Davis & Stremikis, (2010) analyzed the effect of healthcare reforms on the
quality of life of patients and concluded that the current trend where the cost of medical
and other health services has outpaced those for essential goods and services is
unsustainable. The article’s value to the research paper would be evident in the
examination of the impact of high health care cost on the ability of individuals,
government, and businesses to meet their financial obligations sustainably since the
provision of the services is a statutory obligation for them.
Dickman, S. L., Himmelstein, D. U., & Woolhandler, S. (2017). Inequality and the healthcare system in the USA. The Lancet, 389(10077), 1431-1441.
Dickman, Himmelstein, & Woolhandler (2017) used this article to examine the rate of health
care disparity in the United States as a measure of the level of income inequality in the
country as defined by the minimum wage crisis. This article is a valuable source of
information for examining the factors that are responsible for the rising cost of healthcare
services, especially those associated with policy changes, economic indicators, and
consumer purchasing power. It is the content of the article that would contribute to the
creation of the proposed research paper.
Kaiser, H. J. (2012). Healthcare costs–a primer: Key information on healthcare costs and
their impact. Kaiser Family Foundation, 7670-03.
HEALTH EXPENDITURE AND U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
3
In this article, Kaiser (2012) analyzed the effect of increased healthcare spending on the quality
of life of patients and concluded that the current trend where the cost of medical and
other health services has outpaced those for essential goods and services is unsustainable.
The publication’s value to the research paper would be evident in the examination of the
impact of high health care cost on the ability of individuals, government, and businesses
to meet their financial obligations sustainably since the provision of the services is a
statutory obligation for them.
Keegan, C., Thomas, S., Normand, C., & Portela, C. (2013). Measuring recession severity
and its impact on healthcare expenditure. International Journal f Health Care
Finance and Economics, 13(2), 139-155.
While the financial crisis that resulted in a global economic recession occurred over five years
ago, there is a need to examine the impact of the problem on government spending on
healthcare since the factors responsible for the incident are still prevalent in the industry.
In the case of the proposed study, the content of this article would be critical to the
formulation of preventative measures that would eliminate the potential impacts of the
problem in the future. Also, it would enhance the quality of the proposal regarding the
submission of economic agenda for healthcare management.
Larrat, E. P., Marcoux, R. M., & Vogenberg, F. R. (2012). Impact of Federal and State
Legal Trends on Health Care Services. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 37(4), 218.
Larrat, Marcoux, and Vognberg (2012) analyzed the legal implications of the several court cases
challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and provided
valuable insights into the issues resulting from the misalignment of the government
policies with the laws of the nation. It isthis dimension of this article that would help
HEALTH EXPENDITURE AND U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
4
shape the legal frameworks needed for the development of a detailed and articulate
research paper on the subject of healthcare spending in the United States.
Mack, M. (2016). What drives rising healthcare cost? Government Finance Review
While the government officials and leaders at different levels in the United States are concerned
about the inability of consumers to afford the cost of quality healthcare services in the
country, most of them are oblivious of the factors responsible for this problem and how to
resolve them. It is this dimension of the problem that was examined in this article that
made it appropriate for understanding the reasons why most health policies of the
government in the past five decades are ineffective in dealing with the issue. Also, its
discussion on the right measures for formulating policy documents would be useful in the
development of the recommendations included in this research paper.
Squires, D. A. (2012). Explaining high health care spending in the United States: an
international comparison of supply, utilization, prices, and quality. Issue brief
Commonwealth Fund, 10, 1-14.
The outcome of the comparative analysis of healthcare spending of thirteen industrialized nations
including the United States would serve as a source of statistical information on measures
used by other nations to keep their healthcare cost within the parameters for development.
Also, the issue-brief publication of the Commonwealth Fund would be critical to
developing the recommendations for further research on the subject and strategies for
implementing sustainable methods for health expenditures in the country.
HEALTH EXPENDITURE AND U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
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References
Blumenthal, D., Stremikis, K., & Cutler, D. (2013). Health care spending - a giant slain or
sleeping? New England Journal of Medicine 369(26), 2550- 2557
Catlin, A. C., & Cowan, C. A. (2015). History of health spending in the United States, 19602013. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Chernew, M. E., Hirth, R. A., & Cutler, D. M. (2003). Increased spending on health care: How
much can the United States afford?. Health Affairs, 22(4), 15-25.
Cutler, D. M., Davis, K., & Stremikis, K. (2010). The impact of health reform on health system
spending. Issue Brief (Commonw Fund), 88, 1-14.
Dickman, S. L., Himmelstein, D. U., & Woolhandler, S. (2017). Inequality and the health-care
system in the USA. The Lancet, 389(10077), 1431-1441.
Kaiser, H. J. (2012). Healthcare costs–a primer: key information on healthcare costs and their
impact. Kaiser Family Foundation, 7670-03.
Keegan, C., Thomas, S., Normand, C., & Portela, C. (2013). Measuring recession severity and its
impact on healthcare expenditure. International Journal f Health Care Finance and
Economics, 13(2), 139-155.
Larrat, E. P., Marcoux, R. M., & Vogenberg, F. R. (2012). Impact of Federal and State Legal
Trends On Health Care Services. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 37(4), 218.
Mack, M. (2016). What drives rising healthcare cost? Government Finance Review
Squires, D. A. (2012). Explaining high health care spending in the United States: an international
comparison of supply, utilization, prices, and quality. Issue brief (Commonwealth
Fund), 10, 1-14.
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