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Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker Reports on the Effects of COVID-19 on U.S. Health System Performance
On July 23, 2020, the Peterson-Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Health System Tracker released its brief, COVID-19 Repercussions May Outweigh Recent Gains in U.S. Health System Performance. The Peterson-KFF Health System Dashboard compiles data on the U.S. health system’s performance in four areas: 1) access and affordability; 2) health and well-being; 3) health spending; and 4) quality of care.
The brief examines the broader trends in the U.S. health system and considers the potential significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on measures of quality and performance.
Some of the key findings include:
- As of 2017, rates of disease burden (which is a measure that accounts for both longevity and quality of life) are higher in the U.S. than in comparable countries. In part, the high rate of U.S. disease burden can be attributed to conditions that may be risk factors for developing serious illness from COVID-19, including chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and heart disease.
- From 2011 to 2018, the adults reporting problems paying medical bills declined by more than 25%. The potentially high cost of treating COVID-19 and changes in the use of health care services during the pandemic could affect the affordability of care.
The brief is available here.