Spending Figures - Admission/Application Essay Example

Spending Figures US and Japan Healthcare spending figures Globally, the United s spends far more in terms of its health care than any other nation. According to the New York Times, the United States tends to spend more money on health care as compared to the other twelve industrialized nations thus Netherlands, Germany, France, Japan, Denmark, Canada among others (Wise & Yashiro, 2006). In 2009 alone, the United States spent a total of $8,000 per person on health care services as compared to Japan, which spent one-third of it on its health care.

Unlike the United States, Japan tends to offer an interesting model in terms of its health care. In as much as the health care system almost shares several attributes with the United States, Japan remains one of the lowest-spending nations in terms of healthcare average expenditure. In 2008, Japan had a total of $2,878 per capita (Wise & Yashiro, 2006). Generally, Japan operates on a fee-for-service type of system. At the same time, it offers unrestricted hospitals and specialist access. Instead of containing costs through access restrictions, Japan tends to set its health care prices in order to ensure that its total health spending remain within its budget.

Health expenditure, total (% of GDP) between the two countries since 2009 Country2009201020112012United States17.717.717.717.9Japan9.59.610.010.1 As indicated in the table, the United States health care spending over the past five years amounted to over 17% percent in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). On the other hand, Japan’s spending is among the lowest and amounts to less than 9% in terms of GDP. This means that the United States spends excessively as compared to Japan (Wise & Yashiro, 2006).

Where the money goes High U.S spending figures can be attributed to greater use of technology instead of greater hospital and physician use. Most of the money spent in health care facilities are channeled towards technology purchases in health care facilities (Wise & Yashiro, 2006). The higher costs per health care stay tend to reflect to the effective high-tech care that most U.S hospitals use. The money is also used for paying the health care personalities and purchase of drugs in the medical facility.

The price per-day stay at the U.S hospitals is also very high. The average daily hospital stay cost in any US hospital is almost $4,287 as compared to Japan’s $320. This is also reflected on aspects such as Medicine, surgery and general outpatient visits in U.S hospitals. An average doctor’s appointment in the United States costs at least $95 rising to $176 while Japan stands at $30 (Wise & Yashiro, 2006). General routine and outpatient visits would cost a U.S resident an average of $176 rising upwards.

Analysis The high administrative and health care costs in the U.S remain a key area where Americans can save without adverse side effects of health care provision. The high costs of pharmaceuticals and healthcare in the U.S will continue to rise especially with the advancement in technology (Wise & Yashiro, 2006). Unlike Japan, which operates on health care models, which help in controlling health care costs, the United States citizens will continue to suffer due to high health care costs in the country.

Total Health Expenditure Per Capita, ReferenceWise, D. A., & Yashiro, N. (2006). Health care issues in the United States and Japan. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.