Inside Human Resources Blog

Americans Pay 53% More for Health Care

U.S. citizens paid $5,267 per person for health care in 2002, 53 percent more than any other industrialized country and $1,821 more than Switzerlan, the nation with the second highest per-capita spending.

We pay for drugs, hospital stays, and doctor visits 2 to 2 1/2 times as much as other countries pay.  Americans pay twice as much for prescription drugs than other countries.

While medical malpractice is a problem, its cost account for less than 1 percent of psending.  And defensive medicine makes up no more than 9 percent of total spending.

Despite the belief that Americans make frequent use of some of the best medical care in the world, they see doctors less often and spend 20 percent fewer days in the hospital than most other countries.

Source:  July/August 2005 Health Affairs

For more information about workforce trends, see Perfect Labor Storm

Every Word Counts

Careful writing counts, especially when it comes to the resume and its cover letter.

In a recent survey of state agency human resources directors, 88 percent said accuracy in writing was "extremely important"; 71 percent also gave the same weight to solid spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Source: National Governors Association

Meth Abuse at Work Grows

Methampetamine, also known as speed, meth and chalk, has been tried by more than 12 million Americans, especially workers trying to stay awake on 2nd and 3rd jobs or attempting to boost their productivity.  Meth is popular among long-haul truck drivers and other employees who must be mentally alert while working long hours.  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

The number of positive drug tests for amphetamines grew by 6% in 2004, following an increase of 44% in 2003.  (Quest Diagnostics)

A recent study at the University of Arkansas found that businesses in Benton County were losing an estimated $21 million annually because of meth - costs largely due to absenteeism and lost productivity including time diverted to meth dealing and meth-related sales.

While drug abuse in the workplace is decreasing, methamphetamine-positive drug tests are increasing. (Institute for a Drug-Free Workplace)

Meth initially creates a burst of energy for the user but over time triggers anxiety, burn-out, paranoia, weight loss and dental decay. It can also lead to violent behavior, confrontation, and exhaustion resulting in workplace violence.

Soldiers: Too Fat to Fit?

One of the biggest worries facing the Army and other armed services recruiters is finding enough recruits. An even bigger worry is finding enough recruits who can fit in their uniforms.  Nearly 2 out of 10 men and 4 out of 10 women of recruiting age weigh too much to be eligible, a record number for that age group.

These excess pounds are causing problems for some troops and taxpayers. Weight problems add stress to already stressful jobs, costing many soldiers promotions and leading some to try desperate measures like rubber suits and risky pills to shed pounds. Problems don't end when active duty does, either. The Veterans Affairs health system increasingly is strained by vets piling on pounds and developing weight-related diseases like diabetes.

Source: U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Fat Employees Fuel Rising Medical Costs

From 1997 to 2002, Americans' private spending on obesity-linked medical problems increased from $3.6 billion to $36.5 billion, and swelled from 2% of all health spending to 11.6%.  A study published in the journal Health Affairs found the rise in obesity has boosted the costs for treating arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.  In 2002, treating an obese person cost $1,244 more than treating a healthy-weight person.