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In 2005 total health spending In US was US dollars 2,000 billion
equal to US dollars 6,697 per capita and 16% of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP)with a prediction by 2015 health spending Us dollars 4,000 billion
about 20% of GDP.
There are several reasons for high health care spending in US: i) high
cost of services, ii) high cost of products, iii) the fragmented Health
System. In addition the comparison between US and Europe regarding the
prevalence of chronic diseases and risk factors such as obesity and
smoking in adults aged 50 yrs was higher in US than in Europe:
cardiovascular disease 21.8% (US) and 11.4% (Europe), diabetes 16.4% (US)
and 10.9% (Europe) obesity 33.1% (US) and 17.1% (Europe). In fact in two
decades (1980-2000) the prevalence of obesity in US adult population (aged
24-74) increased from 15% to 31% as well as the co-morbidity associated
with obesity with dramatic consequences regarding the life expectancy.
Moreover between 2000 -2007 has been calculated that the number of persons
uninsured rose at a rate of about one million/yr and 89 million US
inhabitants were without any health cover for at least one month.
Furthermore 25 million people were under-insured in the 2006-2007 with an
insurance that no guarantied protection in serious illness. In the same
period the percentage of inhabitants covered by insurance paid by their
employer fell from 63.6% to 59.7%. In summary the US health system scored
66 (with 100 optimal) could be divided as follows: state of health 69,
quality of treatment 71, accessibility 67, equity 71, and efficiency 51.
Whereas, regarding the health services the people, maybe, could be
strongly influenced by a unique mixture of personal experiences political
propaganda, a set of values that often rigidly establish what is god and
what is bad.
The complexity of US Health System
In 2005 total health spending In US was US dollars 2,000 billion
equal to US dollars 6,697 per capita and 16% of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP)with a prediction by 2015 health spending Us dollars 4,000 billion
about 20% of GDP.
There are several reasons for high health care spending in US: i) high
cost of services, ii) high cost of products, iii) the fragmented Health
System. In addition the comparison between US and Europe regarding the
prevalence of chronic diseases and risk factors such as obesity and
smoking in adults aged 50 yrs was higher in US than in Europe:
cardiovascular disease 21.8% (US) and 11.4% (Europe), diabetes 16.4% (US)
and 10.9% (Europe) obesity 33.1% (US) and 17.1% (Europe). In fact in two
decades (1980-2000) the prevalence of obesity in US adult population (aged
24-74) increased from 15% to 31% as well as the co-morbidity associated
with obesity with dramatic consequences regarding the life expectancy.
Moreover between 2000 -2007 has been calculated that the number of persons
uninsured rose at a rate of about one million/yr and 89 million US
inhabitants were without any health cover for at least one month.
Furthermore 25 million people were under-insured in the 2006-2007 with an
insurance that no guarantied protection in serious illness. In the same
period the percentage of inhabitants covered by insurance paid by their
employer fell from 63.6% to 59.7%. In summary the US health system scored
66 (with 100 optimal) could be divided as follows: state of health 69,
quality of treatment 71, accessibility 67, equity 71, and efficiency 51.
Whereas, regarding the health services the people, maybe, could be
strongly influenced by a unique mixture of personal experiences political
propaganda, a set of values that often rigidly establish what is god and
what is bad.
Competing interests: No competing interests