Economic Slump Threatens Americans' Health Care

A page one article in the Wall Street Journal  on  Monday, September 22nd reports, "As the credit crunch threatens to throw the economy into a deep slump, Americans are already cutting back on health care, a sector once thought to be invulnerable to recession. Spending on everything from doctors' appointments to preventive tests to prescription drugs is under pressure."

The article further reports, "Health-care companies say the current economic slump's impact on demand for medical services has been surprisingly swift." Others warn "that patients' short-term care cutbacks could lead to more medical problems and higher spending down the road. As more people forgo screenings or wait until minor medical problems blow up into serious complications, hospital and emergency-room admissions could eventually spike."

The full text of the article can be accessed at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122204987056661845.html