June 18, 2013
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Description
.JPG/200px-U.S._Uninsured_and_Uninsured_Rate_(1987_to_2008).JPG)
The health care reform debate in the United States has been a political issue for many years, focusing upon increasing coverage, decreasing the cost and social burden of healthcare, insurance reform, and the philosophy of its provision, funding, and government involvement. Following the election of Barack Obama, who campaigned heavily on accomplishing health care reform, legislation was enacted in March 2010.
In 2009, the U.S. had the highest healthcare costs relative to the size of the economy in the world, with an estimated 50.2 million citizens without insurance coverage. Some critics of reform counter that almost four out of ten of these uninsured come from a household with over $50,000 income per year, and thus might be uninsured voluntarily, or opting to pay for health care services on a "pay-as-you-go" basis.
Further, an estimated 77 million Baby Boomers are reaching retirement age, which combined with significant annual increases in healthcare costs per person will place enormous budgetary strain on U.S. state and federal governments. Maintaining the long-term fiscal health of the U.S. federal government is significantly dependent on healthcare costs being controlled.
(via Freebase)
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