Recent projections by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate that the government will be paying for half of all health care services by the end of next year.
In 2008, public funds accounted for 47 percent of the $2.34 trillion spent on national health services. By 2012, it is estimated that the government will pay for at least 50.4 percent of the nations total spending on health care.
There is little to slow the increasing need of government help in purchasing health care — especially since just about all of the Baby Boomers will become eligible for Medicare in 2011. And until the economy starts doing better, many lower-income Americans will continue to receive financial assistance for government-run health care programs like Medicaid.
The federal government can keep offering short-term fixes for keeping these public health insurance programs afloat, but will have to consider a better option for the future.