Recent studies of the costs of health care in the US and other developed countries indicate that we spend more money per person in the US for health care than any other country and that we have one of the fastest rates of growth in health care spending. These facts raise the question, how will we pay for our health care needs in the future? More troubling is the fact that the US has by far the most expensive health care system in the world, but we do not achieve better results in many important health measures. Some reasons for the high costs include the cost of the use of technology, prescription medications, and high administrative costs associated with the complex multiple-payer system in the US. It is estimated that between 19% and 24% of the total dollars spent on health care in the US are spent on administrative costs. In addition, the high percentage of uninsured people (16%) in the US contribute to the costs because conditions that could be prevented or treated less expensively in the early stages often develop into health crises. Because of this high percentage of uninsured, the US ranks very low in access to health care.

The US ranked low in various categories that measure health and well-being. We ranked 26th among the 55 industrialized countries for infant mortality rates and 24th on disability-adjusted life expectancy. A result of these measurements was that the US ranked lowest in fairness (least fair). This is a measure of the degree to which financial contributions to health systems are distributed fairly across the population. Unfairness has consequences for much of the population but especially for those who are uninsured or underinsured and for the poor. The World Health Organization states "the impact of failures in health systems is most severe on the poor everywhere, who are driven deeper into poverty by lack of financial protection against ill health."

It is our feeling at the Total Health and Wellness Center of Taos is that our good health should be preserved as a valuable resource. Preserving good health requires a high level of personal responsibility to live a health lifestyle including a good diet, regular exercise, and regular health screening. We are here to help you protect your good health by providing screening and education services at reasonable prices. Together we can reduce the overall costs of health care in our community by taking responsibility for our health one person at a time. By reducing the costs of individual health care by staying healthy we may be able to make more resources available for the severely ill.

Your health is one of your most valuable resources, protect it and value it. Know your current health status and risks to your health so you can adjust your lifestyle to preserve this treasure.

THE TOTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER OF TAOS
Services by appointment: call Jake or Becky (575) 758-3342 or (575) 737-5810.

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