Archive Report
Archive Report
Rising Interest in Prepaid Health Care
Search for Medical Protection at Lower Cost
Americans now spend close to $100 billion a year on medical care.1 This enormous and increasing expenditure has led to widespread complaints that the public is not getting its money's worth and that the U.S. health care system is in drastic need of overhaul. Much of this criticism focuses on the health insurance industry. Nine of every 10 Americans are protected by one or more forms of private health insurance.2 However, it is estimated that this insurance covers less than one-third of the total national health bill. Because most insurance plans pay much more for hospitalization than for outpatient care, doctors are encouraged to admit their patients to hospitals, thereby increasing medical costs. ...