Health Progress and Policy

The Problem with Our Health Care System

Health care costs are skyrocketing while American families are losing health coverage. Family incomes can't keep up with rising health care cost burdens. Over the past six years, health insurance premiums for workers have grown by 87 percent while wages have grown by only 20 percent and inflation by only 18 percent.

Yet while rising insurance premiums and other health care costs have left 47 million Americans uninsured, health insurance companies have experienced record profits, while the top ten American drug manufacturers made more in profits in 2002 than the other 490 companies in the Fortune 500 combined.

The nation didn't reach this crisis by accident. The White House and Congress have failed to address America's health care crisis, instead promoting policies that have enriched health insurance and drug companies, but leaving Americans with higher costs, fewer benefits, and greater insecurity. Other American businesses must struggle to compete in the global marketplace, as they shoulder the burden of America's broken health care system, while individuals and families try to keep up with rising health care costs.

The bottom line - the American health care system is broken, and we must make real changes. It's just wrong for anyone - individuals and families - who work hard, pay taxes and play by the rules to go without decent health care or to be driven into economic hardship because of health care costs.

We must reform our current health care system to provide affordable health care to all Americans.

Updated: October 20, 2006