An analysis piece published in the Journal of the American Medical Association contradicts the perception that an aging population is responsible for raising US healthcare costs. Rather, the analysis points to the burden of chronic diseases, not just in seniors but also in people under the age of 65. The analysis also reveals that despite the huge amounts of money it spends on healthcare, the US system lags behind healthcare systems in other countries in producing better outcomes.
Bloomberg News (11/13, Pettypiece) reports that, according to an analysis piecepublished in the Nov. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, “the $2.7 trillion US health-care system lags behind other nations in improving its citizens’ health even as spending has doubled, increasing faster than any other industry over the past decade.”
Related Links:
— “Health Gains in U.S. Slow Even as Costs Rise, Study Finds, “Shannon Pettypiece, Bloomberg News, November 12, 2013.