America hits the brakes on health care spending

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HEALTH_CARE_SPENDING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-01-09-17-46-33

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Is health-care relief finally in sight?

Health spending stabilized as a share of the nation's economy in 2010 after two back-to-back years of historically low growth, the government reported Monday.

Experts debated whether it's a fleeting consequence of the sluggish economy, or a real sign that cost controls by private employers and government at all levels are starting to work.

The answers will be vital for Medicare's sustainability, as well as for workplace coverage.

U.S. health care spending grew by 3.9 percent in 2010, reaching $2.6 trillion, according to the report by the Health and Human Services department.

That's an average of $8,402 per person - far more than any other economically advanced country.



*** i remain adamantly opposed to the HCR act -- i want to see health care for americans not insurance reform.

[Mojorabbit]

1. My husband is a family physician

People cannot afford copays and beg for prescriptions without an office visit they can't afford, they can't afford their meds, they are waiting till they are really sick to come in and end up in worse shape because they let things go on too long. He keeps a fund at work to help people get groceries or gas, that is how bad it is. That is why spending went down.

[w8liftinglady]

2. I agree. I'm a rehab nurse.

I've seen a drop in patients...largely because rehab for chronically ill patients is expensive,and 40% of Texans are uninsured/underinsured. I work at a "not-for-profit" hospital,who accepts some medicaid and free patients...but the insurance patients are dwindling.

Your husband sounds like a great doc.He's in medicine for the right reason.

[hlthe2b]

3. More uninsured/unemployed, thus more delaying or avoiding health care altogether...

It will, of course catch up with all of us, but.... My sister is an ER nurse. Throughout all the hospitals in her large city, nurses are being sent home early from shifts because they are just not as busy and on the floors, the bed census is down. Throughout her decades long career, she has never experienced this.

I'm amazed that some are looking at this as major signs of "good news. " I hope health care reform brings some relief, but that is in the future.

[Quantess]

4. People only go to the doctor when they REALLY need to.

I know, I've lived it. "What's the doctor gonna do? Nah, it'll heal on its own. Maybe look up some home remedies on the internet. I'll be fine"