We need to examine broader reasons for healthcare costs
Southeast Missourian, Wayne Wallingford
July 10, 2018
Health care costs and spending continue to be top issues for many Americans. Lawmakers in Washington continue to debate how best to reform a trillion-dollar system, while closer to home, our state legislature is also trying to figure out how to best manage costs for Missourians.
Year after year, costs continue to rise. A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that the United States spends double what other high-income nations do on healthcare, and yet we have the lowest life expectancy. Clearly, we need to take a hard look at what factors are contributing to our growing healthcare costs.
Across Missouri, health care costs continue to be a concern for consumers and businesses alike — something I know very well due to my work in human resources for a large restaurant chain.
There are many factors driving up costs, which means there is not just one change we need to make, but many.