March 15, 2010 5:24 pm ET — Walid Zafar

A new report released today by the Urban Institute's Health Policy Center details the acute problems we will face if comprehensive health care reform is not enacted. The reports notes, "if federal reform efforts fail, over the next decade, the percent of the population that is uninsured will increase, employer-sponsored coverage will continue to erode, spending on public programs will balloon, and individual and family out-of-pocket costs will rise." The researchers, led by John Holahan, examined the present system and concluded that even under the best possible scenario, the current health care delivery system would be unsustainable.

NUMBER OF UNINSURED

"Even in the best case, the number of uninsured would rise to 57.9 million in 2020."

COST OF PREMIUMS

"Even in the best case, single premiums would rise to $7,800 and family premiums would rise to $19,500 by 2020, increasing much faster than incomes."

AVAILABILITY OF COVERAGE

"Even in the best case, the rate of employer sponsored insurance coverage would fall to 53 percent in 2020."

MEDICAID & CHIP COSTS

"Even in the best case, spending would increase by 59 percent to $442 billion in 2020."

COST OF PREMIUMS

"Even in the best case, employer premiums spending would increase by 67 percent in ten years. These increases would be even higher if employer coverage rates were to hold stead over this period rather than decline as predicted."

UNCOMPENSATED COSTS

"In the best case, the cost of uncompensated care would increase by 74 percent and total $111 billion in 2010. Together with increased spending on Medicaid, and CHIP, this would mean higher federal, state, and local taxes even without reform."

TOTAL HEALTH CARE COSTS