Health Care

Health Insurance Reform in America

Healthcare Reimbursement Systems

Introduction: A Background of Healthcare Reform

Today, over 46 million Americans live without health insurance. “Health insurance premiums have doubled in the last 8 years, rising 3.7 times faster than wages in the past 8 years. Increasing co-pays and deductibles threaten access to care” (“Barack Obama,” 2009). Rebounding from a recession, the economy’s fragile state, consistent layoffs, and rising costs of medical procedures, Americans are, more than ever, in need of reform. The World Health Organization assessed the world’s health systems in 2004 and ranked the United States 37th out of 191 countries. “Total health spending accounted for 15.3% of GDP in the United States in 2004, which is only second highest to the Marshall Islands with 15.4% of their GDP going to health care” (“Health Care at a Glance,” 2009). According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. is projected to spend over $2.5 trillion on health care in 2009, or $8,160 per U.S. resident. Health spending in 2009 is projected to account for 17.6% of GDP (“National Health Expenditures,” 2009). Despite spending the most money on health care, citizens of the United States do not receive the best care. Society agrees that our current system needs to be improved or removed altogether. If nothing continues to be done to improve the downfalls of our health care system, the current state of health in our country will continue to decline.

Health care reform is not a new idea; President Clinton’s administration in 1994 attempted drafting a bill to expand upon our current health care system but was unsuccessful. On November 8, 2009, under current administration and President Barack Obama’s leadership, the House of Representatives approved a new health care reform bill, designed to lower costs of health care and provide affordable, accessible insurance coverage for all. Another landmark date...