Health Inequities May Cost The U.S. One Trillion Dollars

Health inequity is expensive. A new report by Deloitte elucidates the details: “…health inequities account for approximately $320 billion in annual health care spending signaling an unsustainable crisis for the industry. If unaddressed, this figure could grow to US$1 trillion or more by 2040.” The report further indicates that this increased cost burden will be directly shifted onto the consumer, i.e. the patient.

Inequities in healthcare access and outcomes are rampant. As the report explains, “Quantifiable differences in health-related outcomes have been documented across many dimensions, including race, gender, age, location, disability status, and sexual orientation. Health inequities can be seen across a wide range of conditions including, hypertension, asthma, diabetes, cancer, mental health, and heart disease. Some communities have lower life expectancies and higher instances of certain diseases simply due to their zip codes.”

However, what can be done about this problem? For one, healthcare leaders need to better understand their patient stakeholders and realize that healthcare is not a “one-size-fits-all” model. Rather, different patients require different approaches to care, often demanding specific expertise regarding certain populations and demographics.

Furthermore, awareness about the issue is equally important. Socioeconomic factors play a large role in achieving optimal healthcare outcomes. Take for example a single mother who must choose between affording her blood pressure medications or feeding her children for a week. Without a doubt, the fact that the mother even has to make this choice indicates an area where the system can be improved.

In addition to socioeconomic barriers, racial, age, and language barriers are equally challenging. The federal government recognizes this as an important issue and actively investigates inequities. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discusses how “the year 2030 marks a demographic turning point for the United States. The nation’s population is projected to age considerably and become more racially and ethnically diverse. The population of people who are more than one race is projected to be the fastest growing racial or ethnic group over the next several decades, followed by Asian Americans and Hispanic/Latino Americans.” This means that programs will have to be put into place to not only raise awareness and education around health equity, but also as a means to encourage organizations to set tangible and measurable milestones.

Corporations are already trying to increase their commitment towards achieving better health equity. Large technology companies like Google have even dedicated specific roles for health equity champions, as a means to explore new ways of achieving this equity through innovation and technology.

Inevitably, healthcare inequity is a problem that will eventually impact every member of a given community, regardless of the immediate repercussions. Thus, collectively, healthcare leaders, public policy experts, and daily consumers (patients) must unite to tackle this conundrum together.