Ohioans spend $62.2 billion on non-institutional health care each year, while the Ohio economy loses between $2.1 and $5.8 billion due to lost productivity and other indirect costs of having 1.3 million Ohio residents without health insurance, according to research released today by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO).
The research indicates that a six percent increase, or $3.9 billion, in annual health care spending would stem the economic loss by ensuring all Ohioans are insured. Only two percent of the health care dollars spent in Ohio goes for public health, ranking the state 32nd in the country. The national average is 5.4 percent.
The Institute's report, "Mapping Health Spending and Insurance Coverage in Ohio", sifted through existing data from various sources to provide a snapshot of Ohioans' health and access to affordable health care compared to other Americans. For the full report, see http://www.healthpolicyohio.org/publications/maphealthexpend.html
The Institute found that Ohio mirrors the national health care dilemma, with high costs, widespread lack of insurance, insufficient investment in primary care and chronic illness management, burgeoning technology and significant disparities in how well residents of different geographic, ethnic and racial backgrounds are able to access quality health care.
"An important first step for improving the health care system in Ohio is to understand the current health care terrain," said William Hayes, HPIO president. "This report tells us how much Ohio is spending on health care, compares us to other states and highlights some specific areas where we have much work to do."
Local Angles
The research also uncovered disparities in how accessible high quality health care is to low-income and minority residents, as well as residents in specific geographic areas. Highlights include: