As health care reform moves forward, many Americans are not aware of the
large costs incurred by the government because many times these costs are
contingent upon multiple factors such as the patients income, the service,
health care insurance and plans. "The percentage of national income that is
absorbed by health care has grown over the past half-century, from 5% in
1960 to 18% in 2017, reducing what is available for anything else from 95%
in 1960 to 82% today. The costs of health care contribute to the long-term
stagnation in wages; to fewer good jobs, especially for less educated workers;
and to rising income inequality" (Deaton & Deaths of Despair and the Future
of Capitalism, 2020). For a patient, the cost in considered their out of pocket
pay, not factoring in what the institution pays for the equipment or the
amount for hospitals and providers incur to deliver various services (Arora et
al., 2015). Many times Americans pay for health insurance through their job
which comes out of their paychecks. Most of the taxes that we pay goes
toward health care costs. "Health costs also affect federal and state
governments, which pay for Medicare and Medicaid. Governments must
collect more taxes; provide less of something else, such as infrastructure or
public education; or run deficits that shift the burden to future taxpayers"
(Deaton & Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism, 2020). This is
why Americans are not aware of exact costs because there are so many
different variables that play a role in the costs of healthacre and how it paid
for.4
Arora, V., Moriates, C., & Shah, N. (2015, November 1).4The challenge of
understanding health care costs and charges. Journal of Ethics | American
Medical Association. Retrieved February 7, 2022,
from4https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/challenge-understanding-
health-care-costs-and-charges/2015-11
Deaton, A. C. and A., & Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism.
(2020, February 20).4Unequal access to health care costs us all. Time.
Retrieved February 7, 2022, from4https://time.com/5785945/health-care-
problems-america/
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