Overall, prescription drugs presently make
up 10% of healthcare spending. However, though this percentage is higher than
in recent decades, prescription drugs in fact reduce overall spending on
medical care.
Did you know 6 in 10 Americans have at
least one chronic disease? Nearly 85% of all health care spending is spent on
managing these diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, HIV, obesity,
arthritis.
In a study by Gerard Anderson, a
professor at John Hopkins, some very shocking figures are presented:
· 82% of hospital admissions and 79% of
all doctor visits are by people with chronic diseases.
· People with 2 chronic diseases cost
the health care system 5 times more than those without.
· Those with chronic diseases are 4
times more likely to be hospitalized.
Why are these percentages so high? The
answer is simple. We are old and fat.
In a country where 2 in 3 American adults are overweight, and 1 in 8 Americans
are over the age of 65, it is no surprise that heart disease kills 1 person
every 34 seconds and diabetes diagnoses have doubled over the past decade.
However, we MUST realize prescription drugs curtail the costs. Drug prices do not drive up health care costs.
Example:
Lipitor is cheaper than heart surgery.
The Journalof the American
Medical Association reported that from 1999-2006 after tracking nearly
45,000 heart patients from 14 different countries, the rate of death from heart
attacks dropped by half. Why? The increasing number of cholesterol-lowering
drugs, blood thinners, stents, and angioplasties did the trick. From 1999-2005,
the proportion of patients developing congestive heart failure dropped from
19.5% to 11.
A 2005 study in Medical Care
found that $4-7 is saved on other medical spending for every additional dollar
spent on drugs for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. Additionally, a
paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research states that Medicare saves
$2.06 for every dollar spent on medications.
True: Prescriptions cost money, but
cost less than hospitalization and surgery.
False: Drug prices drive up
health care costs.
*All facts and figures taken from
studies cited in The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen’s
Guide by Sally C. Pipes.I strongly urge you to read this book for
more information.
True or False: High drug prices drive up health care costs
Part 1
Overall, prescription drugs presently make
up 10% of healthcare spending. However, though this percentage is higher than
in recent decades, prescription drugs in fact reduce overall spending on
medical care.
Did you know 6 in 10 Americans have at
least one chronic disease? Nearly 85% of all health care spending is spent on
managing these diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, HIV, obesity,
arthritis.
In a study by Gerard Anderson, a
professor at John Hopkins, some very shocking figures are presented:
· 82% of hospital admissions and 79% of
all doctor visits are by people with chronic diseases.
· People with 2 chronic diseases cost
the health care system 5 times more than those without.
· Those with chronic diseases are 4
times more likely to be hospitalized.
Why are these percentages so high? The
answer is simple. We are old and fat.
In a country where 2 in 3 American adults are overweight, and 1 in 8 Americans
are over the age of 65, it is no surprise that heart disease kills 1 person
every 34 seconds and diabetes diagnoses have doubled over the past decade.
However, we MUST realize prescription drugs curtail the costs. Drug prices do not drive up health care costs.
Example:
Lipitor is cheaper than heart surgery.
The Journalof the American
Medical Association reported that from 1999-2006 after tracking nearly
45,000 heart patients from 14 different countries, the rate of death from heart
attacks dropped by half. Why? The increasing number of cholesterol-lowering
drugs, blood thinners, stents, and angioplasties did the trick. From 1999-2005,
the proportion of patients developing congestive heart failure dropped from
19.5% to 11.
A 2005 study in Medical Care
found that $4-7 is saved on other medical spending for every additional dollar
spent on drugs for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. Additionally, a
paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research states that Medicare saves
$2.06 for every dollar spent on medications.
True: Prescriptions cost money, but
cost less than hospitalization and surgery.
False: Drug prices drive up
health care costs.
*All facts and figures taken from
studies cited in The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen’s
Guide by Sally C. Pipes.I strongly urge you to read this book for
more information.
