The U.S. government spent $4.1 trillion on healthcare in 2020, which was an
increase of 9.7% from the previous year (Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, 2021). As a percentage of GDP, healthcare accounted
for 19.7% of spending. In 2010, 72% of spending was on health insurance
(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary,
National Health Statistics Group, 2012). This large leap in spending can be
attributed to the pandemic where thousands of Americans had to rely on
healthcare and the government for assistance but it’s also important to note
that healthcare has been increasing each year aside from the pandemic. This
data shows the startling reality of how much of a financial impact healthcare
has on the government. One way the government pays for these costs,
specifically Medicare, is through taxes. While taxes are something every
person sees taken out of their checks, where the money goes afterwards is a
mystery to many people. If the knowledge is not pushed into the face of the
public, they may not seek that information.
What people really want to know is what’s in it for me (WIIFM)? If
something does not have a direct impact on a person’s life they will not pay
attention or care. This could be one of the reasons Americans do not realize
how much the government pays for their healthcare. As long as their
insurance is paying for their appointments and treatments, they are happy.
Even if they aren’t happy because the insurance does not cover enough of
the cost, they may not realize the government’s role in their healthcare.
People may not realize the government pays for a lot of healthcare costs
through reimbursement programs and without this knowledge put in front of
their face and told why it is important and how it affects them, they could go
on living without caring about the impact of the government paying
enormous sums of money for healthcare.
References
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2021). Historical. Retrieved
from https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-
Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-
Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/NationalHealthAccountsHistorical
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary,
National Health Statistics Group. (2012). The Nation’s Health Dollar,
Calendar Year 2010: Where It Came From. Retrieved from
https://web.archive.org/web/20120925173101/http://www.cms.gov/Researc
h-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-
Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/Downloads/PieChartSourcesExpenditu
res2010.pdf
