Paying for the Healthcare Bill
It’s a fairly well-accepted premise amongst progressives that the United States spends far too much money on the military. The federal budget for defense spending fiscal year 2010 comes in at $618 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office. Not including intelligence funding. That’s about 4% of our GDP. Crazy, huh?
Not even close. Healthcare spending in the US dwarfs military spending at 15% of GDP.
A few facts from the CIA World Factbook, and the World Health Organization searchable database:
- The government of France, a socialist country, pays 79% of its health costs.
- The Canadian government pays 70%.
- In the US, government pays 45% of all health costs.
- For per capita spending in France and Canada, the overall cost of care, comes in at about $3,500.
- In the US, our per capita spending overall is $6,700.
- Out-of-pocket average payments for the US: $873.
- Out-of-pocket average payments for Canada: $532.
- Out-of-pocket average payments for France: $238.
Though many US citizens fear socialized or single-payer systems, they are far more cost-effective than our current public-private system. A series on Frontline illustrates the costs and benefits of public systems in the UK, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland as compared to the current US system. In the graphs, quality of care is represented by life expectancy (nearly equal for all), infant mortality (the US is shamefully high), the number of MRI machines and CT scanners per million people (we do well on equipment after Japan).
The bottom line is that we pay too much. We get quality care, but we also pay a huge price, an unsustainable price according to the Congressional Budget Office, “The federal budget is on an unsustainable path, primarily because of the rising cost of health care.”
The current system requires reform. Conservatives who object on the grounds that we’re socializing medicine, thereby restricting free market forces, fail to understand that our government already pays 45% of healthcare costs. By broadening and restricting coverage, the new system should stop the worsening cost spiral. Some conservatives have even signed on to support HR 676, a single-payer proposal.
If you’ve got the time, read the text for the Health Bil here, but for a quick understanding of why we haven’t embraced healthcare reform before now, just follow the lobbying dollars at OpenSecrets.com.:
The health sector boosted its campaign contributions compared to the last presidential cycle, to $167.7 million in 2008 from $123.7 million in 2004. The various health industries have also steadily increased their lobbying efforts, from $448.1 million in 2007 to $484.4 million in 2008. So far this year, the sector has paid lobbyists $126.8 million to do its bidding on Capitol Hill.
Possibly Related Posts:
- $700 Billion: What it Could Pay For
- How’s that Deficit?
- The Stimulus Package: The Devil’s In the Details
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