CIMH Analyzes the Cost of Healthcare in America as Retirees Struggle to Foot the Bill

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The burden of the American healthcare system is disproportionately felt by retirees. In fact, a recent study from Fidelity Retirement Healthcare shows that the average American couple retiring at 65 years of age will spend a staggering $245,000 throughout their retirement years on healthcare alone. (1) This is an increase from last year's figure of $220,000 and reflects a 29% increase in costs from 2005 when it was estimated that the same couple would need to spend $190,000 during their retirement years to cover healthcare. Alarmingly, these numbers reflect only healthcare coverage and do not take into consideration the costs of nursing homes or long-term care. (1)

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Among the most commonly cited reasons for the increase in total healthcare costs for retirees is the fact that advances in medicine are allowing Americans to live longer than ever before. Recent data suggests that for the first time the average newborn will live for 90 years. (2) Clearly, a longer life is something to be celebrated, but focusing on this statistic alone only tells part of the story and longer lives are not the only reason behind the increased cost of American healthcare. Now more than ever, the U.S. relies on expensive prescription medicines and costly medical procedures to treat individuals with illness. These procedures and treatments are directly linked to growing costs for all Americans. Even with the recent passage of healthcare reform legislation including the Affordable Care Act, Americans continue to struggle under the weight of the healthcare system and costs are expected to continue to rise 4% to 5% annually. (2)

Although Americans over 65 make up only 13% of the population, they account for 36% of all healthcare expenditures. (3) This payment gap is expected to widen as younger generations of unhealthy Americans with chronic illnesses including diabetes and heart disease age in the coming years and by 2050 it has been projected that one out of five Americans will be over the age of 65. (4)   

Medical Director Dr. Sztykowski of the Centers for Integrative Medicine and Healing (CIMH), believes that today's healthcare costs are growing at an unsustainable rate. Further, he states that many of these costs can be avoided by utilizing preventative medicine to tackle the root causes of disease before they even have a chance to develop into serious illnesses that require expensive treatments. By taking preventative measures and choosing healthy lifestyles Americans can avoid much of the costs of healthcare. Additionally, CIMH advocates approaching health and wellness with the entire body by combining proven Eastern preventative techniques such as acupuncture with Western medical diagnostic tools to address the underlying causes of disease. Dr. Sztykowski states that these methods have proven effective in his 21 thousand patients. According to Dr. Sztykowski, America has become obsessed with high cost prescription medicines which mask symptoms and provide temporary relief. Rather than relying solely on treatments which only help in the short-term, Dr. Sztykowski promotes long-term lifestyle changes and treatments which deal with the root causes of disease. 

Per Dr. Sztykowski, an ounce of prevention can prove more valuable than a pound of pills and the best way to reduce healthcare costs is by improving the overall health and wellness of Americans by giving them knowledge that empowers them to take ownership and responsibility for their physical wellbeing. If health can be improved on a generational scale through the use of preventative medicine which encourages healthy lifestyle choices, the cost of healthcare for retirees will be reduced.

For more information about CIMH and integrative medicine, please visit www.cimh.com.

About CIMH:

Established in 1990, the Centers for Integrative Medicine and Healing (CIMH) is the nation's leading and most advanced integrative medicine clinic. Integrative medicine combines centuries-old Oriental medicine modalities with current Western diagnostics. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, CIMH has a 97% success rate and thousands of satisfied patients. CIMH is headed by Medical Director Dr. Tad Sztykowski, and staffed with an elite team of doctor-specialists. The CIMH website hosts an abundance of useful information, including a Virtual Symptom IndicatorTM that allows users to communicate interactively with CIMH doctors and care managers about their areas of concern. Please refer to www.cimh.com for further information.

1.    "Health Care Costs for Retired Couples Rise to $245,000" Insurance News Net, October 2015; accessed October 12, 2015. insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/2015/10/07/health-care-costs-for-couples-in-retirement-rise-to-an-estimated-245000.html

2.    "Lifetime of Healthcare Costs up 11% in One Year, Study Says" Becker's Hospital Review, October 2015; accessed October 12, 2015. beckershospitalreview.com/finance/lifetime-of-healthcare-costs-up-11-in-one-year-study-shows.html

3.    "The High Concentration of U.S. Health Care Expenditures" U.S. Department of Heath & Human Services, June 2006; accessed October 11, 2015. archive.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/costs/expriach/

4.    "Rising Demand for Long-Term Services and Supports for Elderly People" Congressional Budget Office, June 2013; Accessed October 11, 2015. cbo.gov/publication/44363

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SOURCE CIMH