How inflation will affect our health system

All eyes are on interest rates as investors look for more signs of trouble ahead. If their concerns over higher-than-expected inflation prove accurate, many players in the U.S. economy will suffer the burden of higher costs. But perhaps no sector would feel the strain more than health care. Higher costs would be just the start of many problems to come for providers, insurers and, eventually, patients. Surging inflation would create a vicious cycle After years stagnant wages and low-interest rates, fears of rising inflation have packed a wallop in recent weeks, shaking investors and igniting market volatility. Economists point to a pair of budget bills on Capitol Hill as the root of the recent turmoil: GOP tax reform, signed in December, along with the more recent bipartisan compromise to avert a government shutdown, will add an estimated $1.8 trillion or more to the federal deficit over the next decade, according to budget experts. That number could climb significantly if Republican lawmakers fail to deliver on $338 billion in projected savings from their repeal of health-coverage mandates. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Policy Public Health & Washington Watch Source Type: blogs