A Toolkit for Action: The Imperative for Health Reform: The Position of the National Business Group on Health

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Abstract:

The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world, over $2 trillion, or 16% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Since 2000, employers are paying 100% more for health care and people who purchase insurance on their own have seen even greater price increases. The rise in health care costs contributes significantly to stagnating wages, makes goods and services more expensive, and hurts America's global economic competitiveness. It is increasingly difficult for employers to provide affordable health benefits, for employees to pay their cost sharing, and for people without employer-sponsored coverage to purchase insurance on their own. At the same time, the number of uninsured Americans has also grown to about 47 million.

Meanwhile, more people question the quality and safety of our health care as up to 100,000 people die in hospitals annually due to preventable medical errors and only just over half of the time, patients receive recommended care.

The Board of Directors of the National Business Group on Health recently issued a press release on its position on national health reform. To emphasize the importance of this issue for employers and their employees, the Business Group had developed A Toolkit for Action: The Imperative for Health Reform.