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ROB MCCLENDON: WELL THE FIRST DECADE OF THIS CENTURY WAS ACTUALLY A
PERIOD OF PRETTY LOW INFLATION, BUT NOT EVERYONE GOT THE MEMO.
THE COST OF THE AVERAGE AMERICAN HOSPITAL STAY NEARLY DOUBLED FROM 2000
TO 2010 WHILE THE AVERAGE STAY LENGTH DECLINED.
IF YOU WILL, LET'S FACE SOME FACTS.
CHARGES FOR A HOSPITALIZATION SOARED FROM AN AVERAGE OF JUST
OVER $17,000 IN 2000 TO RIGHT AT $33,000 IN 2010, ALMOST DOUBLING IN JUST
ONE DECADE.
NOW, HERE IN THE U S, WE SPEND ALMOST THREE TIMES AS MUCH ON A HOSPITAL STAY
AS OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES, EVEN THOUGH THEIR AVERAGE STAY TENDS
TO BE A BIT LONGER.
IN JAPAN, HOSPITAL STAYS AVERAGE 18 DAYS; WHILE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY, THE
MEDIAN STAY IS RIGHT AT 5 DAYS; YET WE STILL PAY ALMOST TRIPLE WHAT THE
REST OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD DOES.
NOW THE AVERAGE HOSPITAL STAY IN THE U S COMES IN RIGHT AT $18,000 PER
PATIENT COMPARED TO JUST OVER $6,000 PER PATIENT FOR PATIENTS ABROAD.
NOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE FACTS JUST LIKE THIS, WE HAVE DAILY
UPDATES ON OUR WEBSITE COURTESY OF OUR FRIENDS AT FACE THE FACTS USA.
PLUS, WE ALSO HAVE A LINK TO AN INTERESTING STORY ON THE HISTORY OF HEALTH
REFORM IN THIS COUNTRY, THROUGH THE ARTWORK OF SOME OF OUR NATION'S BEST
POLITICAL CARTOONISTS.
TO SEE THAT FEATURE PLUS MUCH, MUCH MORE, JUST HEAD TO OUR VALUE ADDED SECTION
AT OK HORIZON DOT COM.