Why Healthcare Costs Are A Civil Rights Issue

Alicia Caramenico | FierceHealthcare | August 29, 2013

Fifty years since Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech on Aug. 28, healthcare spending as a percentage of the gross domestic product has jumped from 5.5 percent in 1963 to 18 percent today.

With that in mind, a Washington Post editorial calls on leaders commemorating the March on Washington to recognize the link between escalating healthcare costs and injustice.

The editorial points to the United States outspending most wealthy nations on healthcare but still trailing behind on health outcomes. For instance, a July study shows the United States spends the most per capita on healthcare across all countries but ranks last among Britain, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand for improving healthcare outcomes.