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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Down the drain: $1.2 trillion That's half of the $2.2 trillion the United States spends on health care each year, according to the most recent data from accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute. |
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What counts as waste? As policymakers continue to debate the extent and timing of health care reform, CNNMoney.com spoke with members of the medical community -- doctors, nurses, hospital groups and patient advocacy groups -- to find out. |
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Too many tests |
Defensive medicine -- doctors ordering tests or procedures not based on need but concern over liability or increasing their income -- is the biggest waste of health care dollars, costing the system at least $210 billion a year, according to a report. |
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That's half of the $2.2 trillion the United States spends on health care each year, according to the most recent data from accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute. |
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What counts as waste? As policymakers continue to debate the extent and timing of health care reform, CNNMoney.com spoke with members of the medical community -- doctors, nurses, hospital groups and patient advocacy groups -- to find out. |
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We are 300 million Americans with an approximate healthcare expenditure of $2.4 trillion that is $8,000 per person. Japan spends about $3,000 per person for healthcare and most of the European nations spend about $3,000 to $5,000 per person. |
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There are two aspects of the entire healthcare debate: 1) cost and administration, which is a problem and 2) quality of the medical care which is not a problem. As far as the second aspect goes, the quality of the healthcare available in the USA is the best in the world. We have the finest and most prestigious medical centers such as the Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, etc., which are the envy of the world. Our doctors are the best, and our nurses are the most caring professionals one can find anywhere. |
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So if the main problem with healthcare is in the area of cost and administration and not the quality, who is responsible for the problem? Obviously, not the doctors, not the nurses, and not the patients. The main culprits here who have failed America in the healthcare arena are the government and insurance companies who are in charge of the cost and administration aspects of healthcare. |
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The most important people that should be deciding and spearheading the entire healthcare debate are the 300 million Americans (patients), healthcare providers, and nurses. These three groups have the most to gain or the most to lose depending on which way the process will go. Where are the voices from these groups? Well, unless they speak up now, it may be too late. So let’s wake up and work together with new spirit and this new slogan: |
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Patients, Doctors, Nurses: IN
Government, Insurance Companies: OUT |
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics data of 2008, these are the approximate numbers of healthcare providers in America: |
| Physicians |
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600,000 |
| Dentists |
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800,000 |
| Chiropractors |
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160,000 |
| Nurse
Practitioners |
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60,000 |
| Physician
Assistants |
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125,000 |
| Optometrists |
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40,000 |
| Podiatrists |
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15,000 |
| Registered Nurses |
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2,500,000 |
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It is a general consensus that the healthcare system in America needs reform, and there are millions of different opinions from various pundits floating around. The sad thing is that the very people who have created the mess, that is; government, insurance companies, and organizations such as AMA are claiming that they can fix it. |
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My fellow Americans, unless we the people (300 million patients), and the providers mentioned above, take matters in our own hands, our future will be determined by the very same people who are responsible for this disaster that is – government and insurance companies |
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