Americans work the longest hours among industrialized countries according to the International Labor Office
Recess made working out fun! It has inspired me to continue a healthy lifestyle. I recommend it to anyone who wants to make a lifestyle change, or who just wants a new exercise routine. - Donna
What's the problem?
Since 2000, health care costs have increased more than 87%, outpacing wages, inflation and, in most cases, revenue growth by a factor of 5.
Why are health care costs rising?
A number of factors contribute to the rise in health care costs; however, research suggests that of those costs 75% of health care spending pays for illnesses that are preventable. - Centers for Disease Control
Causes of Death
| 10 Leading Causes | Number |
|---|---|
| Heart | 725,192 |
| Cancer | 549,838 |
| Cerebrovascular | 167,366 |
| Chronic Lung | 124,181 |
| Unintentional Injury | 97,860 |
| Diabetes | 68,860 |
| Influenza/Pneumonia | 63,730 |
| Alzheimer's | 44,536 |
| Chronic Liver | 35,525 |
| Blood poisoning | 30,680 |
| Total | 1,907,768 |
| Actual Causes | Number |
|---|---|
| Tobacco | 400,000 |
| Diet/Inactivity | 300,000 |
| Alcohol | 100,000 |
| Certain Infections | 90,000 |
| Toxic Agents | 60,000 |
| Firearms | 35,000 |
| Sexual Behavior | 30,000 |
| Motor vehicles | 25,000 |
| Drug Use | 20,000 |
| Total | 1,060,000 |
But, preventable doesn’t equal intentional.
These are real people getting sick:
Moms with cancer.
Children with diabetes.
Brothers with arthritis.
Sons with heart disease.
No one wants to be seriously ill or in pain. “Preventable” illness happens because people don’t have the information, time, support, or the ability to consistently make healthy choices that seem fun, easy, and likely to fit into their busy lives.
Who foots the bill for rising health care costs?
Private business pays for 34% of the national health care burden, second only to the 36% that the federal government pays. Like it or not, things are not likely to change soon. It is anyone’s guess on how willingly American taxpayers would elect to shoulder the current financial burden estimated to be 4.3 times what the US spends on national defense.
It’s time for corporations to get serious and become informed about caring for employee health and well-being. Costs aside, when something as simple as walking three hours a week cuts the risk of dying from breast cancer in half, how can you not choose to help employees get serious about transforming their health?