Health secretary speaks to Rotary Club

Thursday, Oct. 11 | By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Keep these figures in mind, Dr. William Hazel told Warrenton Rotary Club members when he addressed their regular meeting on Thursday – 18 percent, 11.5 percent and 3.5 percent.

The first, 18, is the percentage of our Gross Domestic Product which we spend every year on health care in this country, Dr. Hazel, secretary of the state's Department of Health and Human Resources told the gathering.

The second is what is annual paid by Switzerland, the developed nation with the second-highest health care cost in the world. Every man, woman and child in the country is covered by that figure, while we spend much more and, at any given time, leave 50 million people uninsured.

Three and a half percent of our GDP is what we pay every year for defense – all of it – every soldier, every base, every weapon.

“This country absolutely has to do health system reform,” Hazel said. “I don't necessarily mean the health system reform they have been selling across the Potomac Ocean, but I do think we have to do reform.”

During his talk, Hazel went on to worry about current health-care reform – so-called Obamacare – how it will work, how it will affect residents of the commonwealth, and how its costs will be covered.

Nevertheless, “This country must do health system reform” he reiterated.

Warrenton Rotary Club meets weekly for lunch at Fauquier Springs Country Club.

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