U.S. Health Care Spending:
Trends, Contributing Factors, and Proposals for Reform
T-HRD-91-16: Published: Apr 17, 1991. Publicly Released: Apr 17, 1991.
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GAO discussed U.S. health care spending, problems of the U.S. health care system, and reform issues. GAO noted that: (1) in 1990, over 12 percent of U.S. national income went to buying health care services, and if the growth trend continues, nearly 15 percent of the gross national product will be spent on health care by 2000; (2) in 1987, U.S. corporations' employee health care costs equalled more than 94 percent of total after-tax corporate profits; (3) many states had rising Medicaid expenses, and financed increases by cutting benefits, tightening eligibility, and reducing reimbursements to providers; and (4) the aging of the population, the rise in family incomes, the labor-intensive nature of health care services, and the steady stream of new procedures and technologies contributed to the growth in health care spending. GAO also noted that other countries contained health care cost growth by: (1) instituting insurance systems that covered all citizens; (2) applying the same rules to all payers, whether public or private; and (3) setting spending targets on hospital budgets and physician expenditures, and putting controls on technology. GAO believes that: (1) other countries spend substantially less per capita on health care and leave no citizen uninsured; and (2) U.S. health care reform must be comprehensive to restrain the escalation in health care spending and free resources for other important uses.
Apr 13, 2018
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Defense Health Care:
TRICARE Select Implementation Plan Included Mandated Elements, but Access Standards Should Be ClarifiedGAO-18-358: Published: Apr 13, 2018. Publicly Released: Apr 13, 2018. -
Medicaid:
Opportunities for Improving Program Oversight [Reissued with Revisions Apr. 13, 2018]GAO-18-444T: Published: Apr 12, 2018. Publicly Released: Apr 12, 2018.
Apr 9, 2018
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Federal Health Insurance Exchange:
CMS Needs to Ensure Complete Accurate Data on Terminations of Coverage for Nonpayment of PremiumsGAO-18-269: Published: Mar 9, 2018. Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2018.
Apr 5, 2018
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Electronic Health Information:
CMS Oversight of Medicare Beneficiary Data Security Needs ImprovementGAO-18-210: Published: Mar 6, 2018. Publicly Released: Apr 5, 2018.
Mar 29, 2018
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Defense Health Care:
TRICARE Surveys Indicate Nonenrolled Beneficiaries' Access to Care Has Generally ImprovedGAO-18-361: Published: Mar 29, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 29, 2018. -
Physician Workforce:
HHS Needs Better Information to Comprehensively Evaluate Graduate Medical Education FundingGAO-18-240: Published: Mar 9, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 29, 2018.
Mar 28, 2018
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Food and Drug Administration:
Information on Mifeprex Labeling Changes and Ongoing Monitoring EffortsGAO-18-292: Published: Mar 28, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 28, 2018.
Mar 23, 2018
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Comparative Effectiveness Research:
Activities Funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust FundGAO-18-311: Published: Mar 23, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 23, 2018.
Mar 19, 2018
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New Trauma Care System:
DOD Should Fully Incorporate Leading Practices into Its Planning for Effective ImplementationGAO-18-300: Published: Mar 19, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 19, 2018.
Mar 8, 2018
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Health Care Funding:
Federal Obligations to and Expenditures by Selected Organizations Involved in Health-Related Activities, Fiscal Years 2013-2015GAO-18-204R: Published: Mar 6, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 8, 2018.
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