Forces for reforming the U.S. health care system: a review of the cost and access issues

In recent years, a spate of health care reform proposals have emerged on the American agenda. Although the elements of the reform proposals often vary substantially, most of the initiatives are fuelled by two common concerns: rising health care expenditures and a growing uninsured population. National health spending, for example, commands an increasing share of U.S. gross national product despite numerous cost-containment efforts initiated by public and private payers throughout the 1980s. And the uninsured population continues to grow--by an estimated 30 percent between 1978 and 1989. To facilitate understanding of the public policy options being considered to address these concerns, the article examines U.S. health care expenditure data and some of the causes of rising health care costs. The article also discusses the demographic characteristics of the uninsured population, the reasons why they lack health coverage, and the health consequences associated with being uninsured.