medical/health care/insurance in the united states

Health and Medical Insurance in the United States

Healthcare accounts for a remarkably large slice of the United States (U .S ) economic pie . In 2006 , the National Health Expenditure (NHE ) of the U .S . grew 6 .7 to 2 .1 trillion or 7 ,026 per person and accounted for 16 of Gross Domestic Product (U .S . Department of Health and Human Services . Each year health-related spending grows on average 2 .5 percentage points faster than U .S . GDP since 1970 . These cost increases have a significant effect on the way households , businesses , and

government agencies conduct their affairs . Health inflation puts pressure on businesses who offer insurance coverage to their employees inhibits individuals from purchasing their own coverage , can be a major financial burden to families , and takes an increasing share of government budgets and taxpayer dollars

According to the Census Bureau , around 84 of citizens have some form of health insurance either through their employer (60 , purchased individually (9 , or provided by government programs (27 . The health sector in the United States is diverse and is characterized by a mix of public and private funding and provision . In this work , we first look at the various public programs , and second the private programs and thereafter we consider the criticisms facing the U .S . healthcare

Two public healthcare programs are dominant in the United States Medicare and Medicaid , and both were created in 1965 . Medicare is the federal government 's health program primarily serving Americans who are over age 65 while Medicaid is a joint federal-state program designed primarily to finance health care for the poor . Medicare beneficiaries and Medicaid recipients are entitled to outpatient medical care from physicians and hospital care from the same medical professionals who provide health care to individuals with private health insurance

Medicare is funded in part by a flat payroll tax of 2 .9 percent on nearly every American worker and , beyond that , by general federal revenue . Most recipients pay a monthly premium that now stands at 88 .50 during their working years , which entitles them to participate in the Medicare hospitalization program when they reach age 65 . Medicare is very popular with pensioners and politicians , despite growing problems with the program 's benefit structure and looming funding shortfalls Medicare beneficiaries are free to seek medical care wherever they choose . In 2006 , Medicare spending grew 18 .7 to 401 billion or 19 percent of Medicaid spending fell 0 .9 to 309 billion in 2006 , or 15 percent of through federal and state general revenue funds . Accordingly , there is great variation across the country over who is eligible for Medicaid what services are covered , and how much doctors and hospitals will be paid for treating Medicaid patients . While Medicaid recipients theoretically have access to a very rich package of health services and are entitled to receive healthcare services through the same public and private hospitals that serve the general public , their access to private physicians often is limited by Medicaid 's commonly very low payment...