Every 30 seconds in the
United States someone files
for bankruptcy due to a
serious health problem.
According to a recent study
by Harvard University, 50
percent of all bankruptcy
filings in the United States
are the direct result of
excessive medical expenses.
Health care spending in the
United States is more than
$1.8 trillion, which is more
than four times the amount
spent on national defense
and almost forty times the
amount spent on homeland
security.
Although nearly 45 million
Americans are uninsured, the
United States spends more on
health care than other
industrialized nations which
provide health insurance to
all their citizens. In 2003,
the United States spent 15.3
percent of its Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) on
health care. It is projected
that the percentage will
reach 18.7 percent in 10
years. By contrast,
universal health systems in
other countries consume much
less of their GDP: Canada-
8.4 percent; Sweden- 9.1
percent; Germany- 8.2
percent; Japan- 6.8 percent;
United Kingdom- 6.2 percent.
Legal
Note:
The
Information contained in
this website is based on
research. It is not intended
as a substitute for
consulting with your
physician or other health
care providers. Any attempt
to diagnose and treat an
illness should be done under
the direction of a health
care professional..
