2013 Global Health and Wellness Report - Kantar Health

National Health and Wellness Survey | United States 298Population profileJJThe US population growth is one of the highest inthe industrialized world, increasing by about 1%annually. The majority of this is due to immigrationrather than births.JJHispanics make up 16% of the adult population andare now the largest minority group in the US.JJOne-third of the total adult population is obese. Itis estimated that almost 10% of all US adults havetype 2 diabetes.Life expectancy and causes of deathJJLife expectancy continues to steadily improve,reaching a high of 78.7 years as of 2012. Thoughgaps still exist between male and female theycontinue to narrow. Women are expected to live 5.0years longer than men.JJCardiovascular disease is the leading cause ofdeath in the US, accounting for 31% of deathsannually. It is followed closely by cancer, whichaccounts for 23% of deaths.Healthcare systemJJState health insurance exchanges, one of theprimary features of the Affordable Care Act, becameoperational in 2014. Despite challenges during theopen enrollment period, approximately 8 millionpeople enrolled in a health insurance exchangeplan; 58% of them were previously uninsured.JJInsurance companies can no longer deny coveragefor pre-existing conditions or place upper limits onthe benefits a member can receive.JJWhile subsidies to buy health insurance areprovided to lower- and middle-income individuals,many are still left struggling to afford their premiums,deductibles and co-pays or co-insuranceReimbursement policiesJJWhile healthcare providers are still paid primarilyon a negotiated fee for the services delivered, lessa co-pay or percent that they patient is responsiblefor, both the government and private insurers areexperimenting with different approaches that pay forthe value of care delivered.JJA new care delivery model known as AccountableCare Organizations (ACOs) are becomingincreasingly numerous and prominent. Thesemodels encourage better integration care amongproviders (hospitals and physicians in particular)while shifting the burden of cost management to theproviders as well.United Stateswww.KantarHealth.com