| No matter what else is happening with the U.S. | | | | has a lot of work to do here too. Now let's look |
| economy, health care costs seem to keep going | | | | at what we as patients can do along with the |
| up. In 1960, health care cost was 5% of the | | | | doctors to bring costs down. It's important to get |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDP). By 2000 it was | | | | medical care early in an illness, when it can be |
| 13% and is now up to 16%. The annual per capita | | | | treated more easily, and to get regular check-ups. |
| cost is $7026. | | | | On the other hand, you don't have to run to the |
| These are both the highest in the industrialized | | | | doctor for everything. (If in doubt, call or visit the |
| world. But we are 34th in life expectancy and | | | | doctor. Don't take chances.) Most of the |
| 29th in infant mortality among nations of the | | | | conditions people see doctors for will get better |
| world. Are we getting our money's worth? Some | | | | by themselves. Let a cold run its course. Don't go |
| experts now say as much as half of the money | | | | demanding some sort of medicine that will cut it |
| spent on medical care does nothing to improve | | | | short by a day or two. If you have a mild ankle |
| health. Single-payer health care has the | | | | sprain that no longer hurts after a couple of days, |
| government paying everybody's medical bills. | | | | it's not necessary to demand an MRI and physical |
| We're not looking at single-payer any time soon. | | | | therapy. |
| We currently go through insurance companies, | | | | And don't bother asking your doctor if every drug |
| and the incoming administration is not going to | | | | you see advertised is right for you. There's a lot |
| change that, although they do plan an option for | | | | of talk from politicians about disease prevention, |
| uninsured people. Employer health plans usually | | | | but it usually refers to stopping smoking and |
| don't pay all employee health care bills, with the | | | | getting appropriate medical tests to identify |
| average worker kicking in $3281/yr from the | | | | diseases early. These are important, but you don't |
| paycheck for family coverage. | | | | have to demand tests for any conceivable illness. |
| On average, a family policy bought directly from | | | | Many tests are not always accurate, and may |
| the insurance company is over $12,000 a year. | | | | have side effects. But the most important |
| Since 2001, premiums have gone up 78%, though | | | | preventive measure, which does not get nearly |
| wages have only increased by 19%. Some | | | | the exposure of the "obesity epidemic," is dealing |
| projections have health care as 20% of GDP by | | | | with the inactivity epidemic. In 1998 only 31% of |
| 2017. We can't afford this, either individually or as | | | | the population reported doing regular exercise, and |
| a society. One reason we don't go to a | | | | the percentage hasn't improved. |
| single-payer system is to keep the insurance | | | | Eat right, work out, don't smoke, and keep on |
| companies in business. | | | | your representatives to reform the health care |
| They can repay the favor by helping to get costs | | | | industry. Whether you agree with the public health |
| under control. Drugs are over-priced, | | | | option or not something must be done to contain |
| over-prescribed, and over-advertised. | | | | upward spiraling healthcare costs. We can't afford |
| Pharmaceutical companies can do their part to | | | | not to do something about it now. |
| lower medical costs. The medical establishment | | | | |