Starving the Hungry Tapeworm: How Businessmen May Reform Health Care Cost
Authors: Laurence F. McMahon, Vineet Chopra
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2018)

Ideas and Opinions17 July 2018Starving the Hungry Tapeworm: How Businessmen May Reform Health Care CostLaurence F. McMahon Jr., MD, MPH and Vineet Chopra, MD, MScLaurence F. McMahon Jr., MD, MPHMichigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan (L.F.M., V.C.)Search for more papers by this author and Vineet Chopra, MD, MScMichigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan (L.F.M., V.C.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0432 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In 2016, U.S. health care spending reached $3.3 trillion, a figure representing 17.9% of the nation's gross domestic product. Sadly, the skyrocketing cost of health care is not headline news. Rather, as aptly summarized by Warren Buffett, “The ballooning costs of health care act as a hungry tapeworm on the American economy” (1). Like a tapeworm, our health care cost problem degrades the overall vitality of our economy. Therefore, news that the CEOs of Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase are coming together to combat health care cost has been met with anticipation and skepticism (1): anticipation—because these business giants ...References1. Wingfield K, Thomas K, Abelson R. Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan team up to try to disrupt health care. The New York Times. 30 January 2018. Accessed at www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/technology/amazon-berkshire-hathaway-jpmorgan-health-care.html on 8 February 2018. Google Scholar2. McWilliams JM, Chernew ME, Landon BE. Medicare ACO program savings not tied to preventable hospitalizations or concentrated among high-risk patients. Health Aff (Millwood). 2017;36:2085-93. [PMID: 29200328] doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0814 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. McMahon LF, Chopra V. Health care cost and value: the way forward. JAMA. 2012;307:671-2. [PMID: 22337677] doi:10.1001/jama.2012.136 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Bomey N. How Amazon, JPMorgan, Berkshire could transform American health care. USA Today. 25 February 2018. Accessed at www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/02/25/amazon-jpmorgan-berkshire-health-care/350625002 on 18 April 2018. Google Scholar5. de Mast J, Lokkerbol J. An analysis of the Six Sigma DMAIC method from the perspective of problem solving. Int J Prod Econ. 2012;139:604-14. CrossrefGoogle Scholar6. Mitchell E. Concentration of Health Expenditures in the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, 2014. Statistical Brief no. 497. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Rockville: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2016. Google Scholar7. Society of General Internal Medicine. Choosing Wisely: general health checks for asymptomatic adults. 2017. Accessed at www.choosingwisely.org/clinician-lists/society-general-internal-medicine-general-health-checks-for-asymptomatic-adults on 20 April 2018. Google Scholar8. Wicklund E. Potential for healthcare kiosks in improving care delivery. mHealth Intelligence. 2018. Accessed at https://mhealthintelligence.com/features/potential-for-healthcare-kiosks-in-improving-care-delivery on 20 April 2018. Google Scholar9. Barkley JE, Lepp A, Glickman EL. “Pokémon Go!” may promote walking, discourage sedentary behavior in college students. Games Health J. 2017;6:165-70. [PMID: 28628384] doi:10.1089/g4h.2017.0009 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Papanicolas I, Woskie LR, Jha AK. Health care spending in the United States and other high-income countries. JAMA. 2018;319:1024-39. [PMID: 29536101] doi:10.1001/jama.2018.1150 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan (L.F.M., V.C.)Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M18-0432.Corresponding Author: Laurence F. McMahon Jr., MD, MPH, North Campus Research Complex, 429W, Building 16, Ann Arbor, MI 48109; e-mail, [email protected]edu.Current Author Addresses: Dr. McMahon: North Campus Research Complex, 429W, Building 16, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.Dr. Chopra: North Campus Research Complex, 432W, Building 16, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.Author Contributions: Conception and design: L.F. McMahon, V. Chopra.Drafting of the article: L.F. McMahon, V. Chopra.Critical revision for important intellectual content: L.F. McMahon, V. Chopra.Final approval of the article: L.F. McMahon, V. Chopra.Administrative, technical, or logistic support: V. Chopra.This article was published at Annals.org on 29 May 2018. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoHow Businessmen May Reform Health Care Cost Surafel Tsega Metrics Cited byHow Businessmen May Reform Health Care CostSurafel Tsega, MD 17 July 2018Volume 169, Issue 2Page: 120-121KeywordsAcute myocardial infarctionAnginaEatingHealth careHealth care facilitiesMedicareMotivationPopulation statisticsStent implantationTrauma surgery ePublished: 29 May 2018 Issue Published: 17 July 2018 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2018 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...