Without comment, I have quoted Victor Fuchs’ “Three ‘Inconvenient Truths’ about Health Care” which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Each truth that Fuchs states is supported by argumentation. As always, the entire article is worth reading.
1. Over the past 30 years, U.S. health care expenditures have grown 2.8% per annum faster, on average, than the rest of the economy. If this differential continues for another 30 years, health care expenditures will absorb 30% of the gross domestic product— a proportion that exceeds that of current government spending for all purposes combined.
2. Advances in medicine are the main reason why health care spending has grown 2.8% per annum faster than the rest of the economy.
3. Universal coverage requires subsidies for the poor and those too sick to afford insurance at an actuarially appropriate premium; it also requires compulsion for those who don't want to help pay for the subsidies or who want a “free ride,” expecting that they will get care if they need it.
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This is one of the more challenging posts. I understand that a main source of increase in the cost of health care is the increase in medicine. I find that an acceptable use of taxpayers money. However, I am not okay with tax dollars going to freeloaders who do not pull their weight in this country. In order to get health care benefits, you have to benefit the country in some way. We have to find some middle ground because 30 years down the line we will all be in trouble. It would be ridiculous if 30% of our GDP went towards health care. We need to create a more intense system to better identify those in need of health care.
ReplyDeleteI really like this post. And the previous commenter took the words right out of my mouth. I get that we have to spend on healthcare and I get the reasons why. But, those that use and abuse the system just because they can and because they know the loop holes really aggravates me. I feel like if you are receiving government assistance and government healthcare that you have must give something back in return. You have to contribute. If you can't find a job to help compensate then you should be required to volunteer somewhere if you are willing and able, as well as be drug tested. My husband and I work our butts off and for what? So we can pay for the freeloaders of our society to receive the benefits that we worked so hard for and paid so much in to? It's a very unbalanced system that healthcare is! I know there are honest people and sick people out there who need the assistance and I have no beef with them, I am all for helping those people. However I am not for helping the person that lives down the street from me that is on welfare, receiving food stamps, yet can still somehow afford to drive their navigator and have a party every weekend, or the illegal immigrants that receive free medical care. It's wishful thinking that my social security benefits will be intact when it's time for me to retire.....but I guess that's a whole other post!
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