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In U.S. Health Care, It’s Still the Prices, Stupid – But Transparency and Consumer Behavior Aren’t Working As Planned

Health Populi

He co-wrote the first “It’s The Prices Stupid” research article in Health Affairs with Gerard Anderson et. back in 2003 — so we’ve known for over 16 years that in the U.S., higher-than-world-average health care spending is mostly about how services are priced, versus whether Americans use more healthcare.

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Wistful Thinking: The National Health Spending Forecast In a Land Without COVID-19

Health Populi

.” These factors come out of the 2019 Medicare Trustees Report and include but aren’t limited to tax policy, the state of insurance marketplaces, and employer-sponsored health insurance assumptions. medical spending in Health Affairs in 2003.

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Patients, Health Consumers, People, Citizens: Who Are We In America?

Health Populi

Furthermore, the difference in information seeking between more educated Americans versus less could exacerbate health disparities and the inequities of health literacy. Finally, to the fourth paper, looking at the roles of assisters and automated decision support tools in consumers’ health insurance marketplace choices.

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Guns, Jobs, or Health Care? In 2018, Voters Split as to Top Issue

Health Populi

Financial stress is a social determinant of health, and as U.S. patients continue to evolve as health consumers, bearing more financial risks whether in employer-sponsored or individual health insurance plans, more Americans feel more health financed-stress. Thus, my mantra of “the patient is the payor.”

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Most Americans Want the Federal Government to Ensure Healthcare for All

Health Populi

This sentiment has been relatively stable since 2000 except for two big outlying years: a spike of 69% in 2006, and a low-point in 2003 of 42%. Note that over one-half of people who were ill had serious problems paying at least one type of medical bill, from hospitals and prescription drugs to the doctor’s office and ambulance services.