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Is there a health care cost crisis? Many
businesses believe this country is experiencing a health care cost
crisis.
In March 2007, the National Association of
Manufacturers (NAM) provided a number of "talking points". The
NAM believes that:
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our health care cost crisis is
one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers today.
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aggressive action by both
public and private sectors could help reduce this health care cost crisis.
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health care cost is the biggest
barrier to health coverage for all.
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health information technology
should be utilized to a greater degree.
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wellness prevention programs
could maintain our health. Workers need to be conscious of and
encouraged to support wellness prevention programs.
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common sense medical liability
reform is needed to control health care costs
Source:
NAM
In 2003, the Wisconsin Economic
Summit IV published a report (available online in PDF) titled "The
Health Care
Cost Crisis in Wisconsin: An Economic Development Prognosis". The PDF
stated "... Wisconsin and the nation are in the midst of a health care cost
crisis that, if ignored, will severely hamper our ability to care for our
citizens, grow our economy, and improve the quality of health care." The
PDF goes on to
discuss the enormous complexity of the health care cost system, and outlines steps
that might be taken to begin to solve it.
The PDF goes on to explain that,
with such enormous diversity of interest and fragmentation, solutions are bound
to be controversial. Ten (10) important drivers of the health care cost
crisis were presented in descending order. While it is beyond the scope of
this web site to even begin to discuss those 10 drivers, allow us to comment on
one of them.
Of the 10 drivers identified, #4
was Population Lifestyle. Even this singular driver has many
elements to it. We have the aging boomer population which will severely
tax the health care systems ability to deliver care in the short term. We
have the breakdown between races, sex, and poverty status. And then we
have the simple element of "lifestyle choices" which can cross all demographics.
Simply stated: Poor lifestyle choices like smoking, drinking, lack of
exercise, and overeating eventually lead to poor health. Poor health, in
turn, places a demand for services on our health care system. This demand,
which often could be avoided, is a key contributor to the health care cost
crisis.
How can one AVOID becoming a
contributor to the health care cost crisis? Educate yourself. Become
informed about healthy lifestyle choices and unhealthy lifestyle consequences.
Contact
CHIP to learn more.
"Be Healthy by Choice, Not by Chance!". |
