MEDICAL COSTS: Slowing but growing
 

That's the good news.



The bad news, ABC says, is that it's still growing - at a rate of 6.9 percent, which far outstrips worker pay.



In fact, Americans spend almost $7,000 per person, a year, on it - more than twice as much as any other industrialized nation.



In 2004, 15.9 percent of the nation's gross domestic product went for health care. Even at the lower, current rate, it will devour 20 percent of the GDP by 2015.



Because the federal government controls a large portion of health care, through Medicare and Medicaid, it needs to find a solution.



And it isn't enough to "squeeze" doctors for lower rates again.



A good start would be to expand medical savings accounts - or try to find other ways of giving people more of a direct financial stake in the medical costs that they incur.



There are three pressing issues on the domestic agenda - medical costs, Social Security and energy.



If the government fails to address any of them adequately, it may set the stage for an unmitigated budget disaster.



Kaynak: SağlıkHaber