Page 8
The INDEPENDENT, June 6, 2012
gist. “Obesity-related illnesses
kill about 1,400 Oregonians a
year, making obesity the sec-
ond leading cause of preventa-
ble death after smoking.”
The Oregon report comes
on the heels of a Duke Univer-
sity and Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention study
published online May 7 in the
American Journal of Preventive
Medicine predicting that obesi-
ty rates will rise to 42 percent
by 2030. The study also proj-
ects that if things stay on their
current path, the prevalence of
individuals with severe obesity
will more than double to 11 per-
cent in that time.
Addressing the nation’s obe-
sity problem was the focus of
the CDC’s “Weight of the Na-
tion” conference held last week
in Washington, D.C., and at-
tended by policy-makers,
health officials and re-
searchers. Cable network HBO
teamed with the CDC and the
National Institutes of Health to
produce a documentary series
of the same name that began
airing May 14.
According to the report, obe-
sity-related chronic diseases
cost Oregonians about $1.6 bil-
lion in medical expenses each
year, with $339 million of that
paid by Medicare and $333 mil-
lion paid by Medicaid. Obese
people are estimated to have
annual medical costs that are
$1,429 higher than those of
non-obese people. Obesity can
lead to diabetes, heart condi-
tions, stroke and high blood
pressure, taking a toll on fami-
lies and the health care sys-
tem.
Reducing overweight and
obesity is one of the state’s
public health priorities. “Our
goal is to become one of the
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To Your Health!
By Judy Hargis, P.A
OUR HEALTH IN CRISIS:
Changing the future of Health care in
America.
The United States Healthcare system is
in crisis. The health of our citizens is in
trouble. I think it is important for all Ameri-
cans to begin looking more in depth at the
reality of our situation. We need to begin
thinking critically about the issues, and be-
come more knowledgeable about the facts.
This is an emotionally charged issue on all sides, but looking at
health statistics in the U.S. is alarming.
We rank 38th in life expectancy, 39th in infant mortality and #1
in obesity worldwide. These are just a few of the statistics that re-
flect a downward trend in the health of Americans. The U.S. is
falling farther behind other countries each year. Our country ranks
37th in the performance of our health care system. We lag behind
many countries in providing timely and effective care. We have a
vast number of preventable deaths attributed to obesity, heart dis-
ease and diabetes each year. We fall short in health maintenance
and prevention. We pay the most for healthcare with some of the
poorest outcomes.
We argue against government involvement in our healthcare,
but often don’t question the control that health insurance compa-
nies have over our choices, and our access to diagnostic tests
and treatments when we are ill. In our country 45 million people
do not have access to healthcare due to the lack of, or inade-
quate health insurance. There are many myths floating around
about universal health coverage available in other countries. A
good example of this is the myths surrounding Canadian health
care. Listed below are a few.
Myth #1: Canadians are flocking to the United States to get
medical care. Only 0.5 % of Canadians seek elective care in the
U.S. Approximately 0.11% receive emergency care in the U.S.
They are often tourists, or here for other reasons, when an emer-
gency occurs. The remaining 99.39% do not actively seek care in
the US.
Myth #2: Doctors in Canada are flocking to the U.S. to prac-
tice. The thought is that it is more satisfying to practice medicine
in the United States. The reality is that there are varying degrees
of provider satisfaction and dissatisfaction in all healthcare sys-
tems. I looked at some recent research into provider satisfaction
in 10 countries; U.S. physicians came in 7th with 64% satisfac-
tion behind Canadian physicians with 75% satisfaction.
Myth #3: Canada rations healthcare. That is why hip replace-
ments and cataract surgeries happen faster in the U.S. The truth
is that when people have cancer or need emergency care, it is
given in a timely manner. Most people who get hip replacements
in the U.S. are older Americans on Medicare, which is a single
payer system, like the Canadian system.
Myth #4: Canada has longer waits because it is a single payer
system. Wait times in Canada
are not a result of a single pay-
er system. They are a result of
Canadians making a con-
scious choice to keep costs
down. Wait times are attached
to elective procedures and surgeries, otherwise outcomes are
comparable to the U.S.
Myth #5: Canada rations health care, the U.S. does not. The
U.S. is more likely to withhold healthcare because of cost. In a re-
cent survey, 42% of Americans did not express confidence that
they would be able to afford health care, if seriously ill. The U.S.
has the highest rate of people avoiding needed care because of
cost.
In the U.S. we have the most costly healthcare with the poor-
est outcomes. We are all entitled to our opinions on health care,
but we need to take the time to do our homework, and know the
facts, before we make decisions that have a significant impact on
each of us, and the future health of our children. Every health
care system has its strengths and weaknesses. There is not a
magic bullet or quick fix. Our current system is broken and needs
to change. We must take a realistic approach to making change
in our current system, so every American has access to afford-
able, high quality and equitable care.
There is one thing I believe we can all agree on, something
needs to change. We have to turn the tide and begin to make
good health and health care an important focus in our lives. The
alternative is a continuing decline in access to healthcare, and
poor health outcomes. I encourage everyone to do their home-
work and get the facts on health care reform. Canadian health
care is one example of a single payer system. There are many
examples in other countries. We currently have the Affordable
Care Act, which has sparked controversy. It isn’t perfect, or cast
in stone. It is a start in a long process that needs to take place to
deal with health care issues in our country.
I have listed some resources below to get you started;
www.who.org, www.nih.gov and www.aarp.org.
New data on cause of obesity
Obesity rates in Oregon
have jumped 121 percent
among adults since 1990, driv-
en by a lack of physical activity
and poor nutrition, a new Ore-
gon Health Authority report has
found.
More than 1.76 million peo-
ple, or 60 percent of the adult
population, were overweight or
obese in 2009, according to
Oregon Overweight, Obesity,
Physical Activity and Nutrition
Facts, developed by OHA’s
Public Health Division. View
the report at http://public.
health.oregon.gov/PHD/ODPE/
HPCDP/PAN/.
“The story behind these
numbers is that in every part of
our state, Oregonians are
struggling with the health is-
sues that come from this health
crisis,” said Katrina Hedberg,
M.D., M.P.H., state epidemiolo-
State Farm ®
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Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710
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