Overview of Health Care Issues in America

The health care debate has divided the U.S. Despite the rhetoric, there are serious health care concerns that must be addressed if the U.S. is going to have a healthy populace.

Uninsured

• There are an estimated 47 million American citizens who do not have health insurance; this figure includes 8 million children. Uninsured citizens raise everyone's health care costs.

Rising Costs

• According to the AFL-CIO, increasing costs are a result of higher insurance premiums, more out-of-pocket spending for doctor visits and spikes in prescription drug prices.

Employee Burden

• Employers are cutting their contributions and payments to group health plans, thereby placing the burden on employees. Employees are responsible for larger co-pays and higher deductibles when treatment is needed.

Baby Boomers

• The largest age cohort, the baby boomers, is advancing in age. Baby boomers have an increased rate of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, placing more burdens on the health care system and using a large portion of its resources.

Hospital Staff

• Most hospitals do not have adequate staff to serve their patients. The lack of staff leads to misdiagnoses due to overworked hospital workers providing treatment in areas where they have no expertise.