Health Care: A Report on the Industry
Abstract
Health care matters to everyone. At the most basic level, every American has an obvious personal stake in developing and maintaining a robust health and medical system. Beyond personal health, however, the nation has a stake in a healthy, productive population. Sick people can't work. Unfit soldiers cannot defend us. With more than 15 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) now devoted to health care, the health care system affects the strategic health of our nation and world. For the Department of Defense (DoD), the issue is not only keeping a healthy fighting force, but finding a way to pay for and control the growth of the rapidly rising health care bill. In the wake of 9/11 and the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), health care has taken on an increased relevance as a national security issue. Attention is on our health care network's ability to surge for consequence management, and our recognition of the political and economic consequences of global pandemics. At its core, the debate over health care comes down to three competing interests: improving quality, assuring access, and controlling costs. Unfortunately, current trends are discouraging. As we spend more we improve our ability to treat people, but the overall health of our population does not improve significantly and access to care appears to be decreasing. The system is out of balance. A holistic approach to addressing imbalances in the industry is crucial, but the very breadth of the industry and competing interests makes any move toward a systemic solution daunting. The solution likely will have to be a uniquely American blend of free enterprise and government intervention borne out of compromise and tradeoffs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA449480
Entities
People
- Antonio Coleman
- Elizabeth Lederer
- Marilyn Peppers-citizen
- Minerva Blanco
- Mohammed Alabdali
- Rodney Berk
- Samuell Hawes
- Stuart Lewis
- Vivian Hill
- Wendy Martinson
Organizations
- Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy