Tyler Baker Borrero English 1102 24 March 2013

Military Health Costs

United States spending is at an all time high not only for the government in general but also just the military alone. The spending increase is causing military health insurance to increase for retired families. Rising costs are prompting Congress and the Pentagon to hike out-of-pocket costs for the first time in fifteen years. The United States health care spending has increased from 19 billion dollars to 50.7 billion dollars within the span of ten years. The US Government simply cant keep spending the way they are right now. Compared to other nations, the United States is spending far more for military costs. In 2008, the United States spent 607 billion dollars as compared to China who only spent 61 billion dollars. Other countries spending a tremendous amount on their military include the United Kingdom, Japan, and France. Although these countries are spending an enormous amount of money, its nowhere near to what the United States is spending. Having said that, I wonder, is our military that much better? If a nation is spending that much money, then wouldnt they be the powerhouse and just an overall better military? Is our military that much better compared to other nations? What is the government doing to decrease excess spending?

On a broader scale, the United States Healthcare System spent 8, 233 dollars per person in 2010. The countries with the most spending after the US include Norway, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Even though those countries are among the top spenders, the cost per person a year is 3,000 dollars less than per person in the United States. Countries like France and Japan have demonstrated that the physicians can still get paid but also maintain costs. They use a common fee schedule so hospitals, doctors, and health services are paid similar rates for most of the patients that they see. Also, if spending in a specific area seems to be growing fast, they reduce the fees for that area. Military costs are also increasing because of fraud, waste, and abuse. Soldiers who have been in wartime, come back to the United States and clam to have PTSD when in reality they dont. These soldiers are receiving money from the military for a disorder that they actually dont have. Another example of fraud, waste, and abuse in the military includes a program for veterans that are without transportation who get paid to go the VA hospital. This program is when veterans go to the VA hospital to receive more disability with means more money but are receiving transportation. The program is set up for veterans to drive themselves to the hospital but instead veterans are carpooling, which isnt how the program was originally set up. Overprescribing medicine is another example. This also goes along with PTSD; soldiers/veterans who actually dont have this disorder are receiving medication, which is causing the military and US government to spend money that they shouldnt be spending. Health care spending in the military is mainly based off of fraud, waste, and abuse. The military has becoming more and more corrupt as the years have gone on. When the military starts controlling the fraud, waste, and abuse, the government wont

have to increase health insurance costs but until then, costs will continue to rise for retired military families.