Radio Smart Talk: Waste in health care spending

Radio Smart Talk for Wednesday, February 20:

Health care spending accounts for some 18 percent of the gross domestic product in the United States. But increases in personal income aren’t keeping pace with rising health care costs, which seemed to have skyrocketed in recent years. And a recent study from the Institute of Medicine says the U.S. wastes $750 billion on health care each year. It cites a lack of coordination among health care providers, inefficiencies in providing preventive services, and unnecessary administrative costs as being part of the problem.

As part of witf’s ongoing Transforming Health project, Wednesday’s Radio Smart Talk will look at just how hospitals and insurance companies are spending money, and why health care costs are rising so dramatically. We’ll also explore the parts of the Affordable Care Act that aim to contain costs.

Joining the program are Dr. Kevin Mosser, executive vice president and chief operating officer atWellSpan Health and Martin Ciccocioppo, vice president of research at the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

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