title: Confronting the challenges of long-term health care crisis in the United States.
abstract: This article examines the factors that comprise long-term health care and the impact that the aging population will have in dramatically increasing the costs of long-term health care in the United States if current health policies are not amended. It further analyzes the reasons that will cause the health care expenditures to expand. It also discusses the economic challenges and the impact that absent reform can have on state and federal budgets, ultimately affecting the national economy. Aside from that, this article presents numerous options that communities across the nation can embark on to reduce health care costs and it briefly glances at the proposed legislation called America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 that was submitted by the House Committee on Ways and Means and in summary discusses the key features of the bill.
authors.affiliation: College of Applied Sciences & Arts, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Aftab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Patrick A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rivers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D017047:Cost Sharing; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000639:trends; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D011157:Population Dynamics; D014481:United States