Healthcare Costs

The costs and performance of America's healthcare system are putting workers and companies at a "significant disadvantage" in the global marketplace, according to a news issued by US News. Compared with people in Canada, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France, Americans receive 23 percent less value from their healthcare system. When compared with emerging competitors like Brazil, India, and China, the United States receives 46 percent less value. [1]

Higher U.S. spending funnels away resources that could be invested elsewhere in the economy, but fails to deliver a healthier work force. General Motors spends more per car on health care than it does on steel. [2]

[1]Henry J. Reske Hot Docs: Healthcare Costs Put U.S. Workers and Companies at Global Disadvantage usnews.com March 13, 2009 [2] RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Report: US on short end of health care 'value gap' The Associated Press March 12, 2009