Living Well and Medicaid: Better Health for Consumers -- Lower Costs for States

Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., University of Montana Rural Institute - Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
University of Montana Rural Institute

Abstract

The United States has the world’s most expensive healthcare system – in 2002, health spending rose to nearly 15 percent of U.S. Gross Domestic Product. Healthcare policymakers charged with balancing cost containment with quality healthcare for consumers are desperate for solutions (Levit, Smith, Cowan, Sensenig, and Catlin, 2004).