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Overview of Healthcare in the United States
as applied to Neurosurgery
U.S. health care spent $2.1 trillion in 2006. This translates to 16% of Gross Domestic Product. Of this, hospital spending was $648.2 billion and physician and clinical services were $447.6 billion. The rest was spent in other professional services, home health care, nursing homes, prescription drugs, and medical equipment. Sources of funding were Medicare at $401.3 billion, Medicaid at $308.6 billion and Private Health Insurance at $723.4 billion. Out of pocket expenses, however, were still $256.5 billion dollars. (1)
Sadly, 47 million Americans are uninsured including 8.7 million uninsured children. This comprises 16% of the population of the U.S. Estimates are that $100 billion per year are spent to provide health care for the uninsured, often these dollars are spent on preventable diseases or disease that physicians could treat more efficiently with earlier diagnosis. (2)
In 2006, there were 2,171,195 neurosurgical procedures done in the US. Of these 1,345,167 were spine related and 592,443 were cranial. (3) In 2008, 52,236 new cases of primary brain tumors are expected to be diagnosed. 3750 children under age 20 were expected to be diagnosed. (4) Given these data, a gross estimate of uninsured or underinsured patients would potentially need 300,000 neurosurgical procedures. Also, given the estimates of new brain tumors, 8400 patients would be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor and without adequate insurance to cover costs. Of these, 600 would be children. This assumes that all patients with these disorders seek and obtain care.
| Total Americans | 300,000,000 |
| Uninsured Americans | 47,000,000 |
| Percent Uninsured | 16% |
| Neurosurgical Procedure in U.S. | 2,171,195 |
| Number Uninsured | 300,000 |
| Primary Brain Tumors Insured | 43,836 |
| Adults Uninsured | 7,800 |
| Percent Uninsured | 600 |
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