A review of data on the health sector of the United States

Abstract

This report provides data on the state of U.S. health care at the start of the new century. It reveals increasing numbers of uninsured and underinsured Americans; increasing costs for health insurance, health care services, and medicines; and increasing inequalities in health and in access to health care. The author also provides data on the current state of the pharmaceutical and health service industries, including Medicaid and Medicare HMOs. The results of some opinion polls on health care, conducted among physicians and the general public, are also summarized.