Consumer nemesis of the 80s: rising health care cost.

Abstract

Health care costs have increased so dramatically in the last 25 years that government, the health care industry, health insurance industry and most recently consumers are taking steps to counteract this progressing nemesis. Factors that have significantly influenced this increase in health care cost, such as third-party payments, advances in medical technology, increased profit motive, wasteful and insufficient care, and the growing population of older Americans are examined. Efforts by government, business, industry, and consumers to control health care costs and the resulting trends are identified.