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Health Care Information
by the Kaiser Family Foundation
May 2004
Striking changes have occurred in the health care marketplace in recent years as health care costs have continued to climb, the shape and influence of managed care has changed, and the number of Americans without health insurance coverage has risen.
Trends and Indicators in the Changing Health Care Marketplace, 2004 Update, a new online resource from the Kaiser Family Foundation, provides current information on a variety of measures, including:
* Health Care Spending and Costs - Health care spending in the U.S. totaled $1.6 trillion in 2002. About one-third of this was for hospital care, over one-fifth for physician services, and about 10% for prescription drugs.
Although prescription drug spending increased more than for hospital or physician services between 1992 and 2002, drug spending now appears to be moderating while the growth in hospital costs is rising.
* Health Insurance Enrollment, Premiums, and Benefits - PPO enrollment increased dramatically between 1996 and 2002, from 28% to 54% of those covered by employment-sponsored health insurance. During the same period, HMO enrollment declined from 31% to 24%. About two-thirds of the non-elderly are covered by employer-sponsored coverage.
* Structure of the Health Care Marketplace - There was a sharp decline in the proportion of physicians practicing independently between 1983 and 2001, from 41% to 23% in solo practice.
* Consumers and the Safety Net - In 2003, 47% of the uninsured reported postponing care because of cost (vs. 15% of the insured), 37% did not fill a prescription because of cost (vs. 13% of the insured), and 35% reported skipping recommended treatment because of cost (vs. 13% of the insured).
This data book, an update of a chartbook previously released by the Foundation in 1998 and 2002, is now available online at
http://www.kff.org/insurance/7031/index.cfm.
This online resource will be updated frequently as more current data becomes available and a pdf version of this chartbook will soon be added to our website.
We hope this information is helpful in your work during Cover the Uninsured Week May 10-16 - and throughout the year.
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