The High Cost of Being Healthy

From The Washington Post:

For years, people have been complaining about the high cost of health care and said they are fearful about being only a job away from medical bankruptcy.

"For years a booming economy camouflaged the burden of medical debt," Boodman wrties. "Patients borrowed against their homes or whipped out credit cards, including some specially designed to pay medical or dental bills. But falling house prices and tightening credit have eliminated those options for many."

Brown reports that Americans spend a little less than 10 percent of their income on food, which is down from 25 percent in 1930. We spend twice as much -- 21 percent -- on shelter. Last year, 16 percent of the nation's gross domestic product went for health care. If health care costs grow at its present rate through the first three-quarters of this century, it will consume 38 percent of the GDP by 2075.

This really gets to the heart of the issue. The burden of health care for both govt and individuals is increasing dramatically. It will not be long before the burden becomes overbearing.