The reason why any health care reform proposal in the United States evokes such a passionate response is that the health care related spending in the USA forms over 16% (approximately one 6th) of the total GDP. In the health care sector, not only the insurance companies will be affected by any change; it will be also the pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, hospitals, home health care providers and many others. Furthermore, governmental health care programs make up almost half of the total health care spending (7.5% of the US GDP). Therefore, any change, will translate into the economy itself and every party involved wants to get the best deal out of any reform. This added to the comprehensiveness of the bill and political power struggles makes passing such bills a daunting task everybody wants to have a say in.
By Lucie S.
Source: News Briefing Septemeber 29, 2009
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