Economics

"I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room." 

-George W. Bush, July 11, 2007

United States

2% of health care expenditure is on ED care (2008 DHHS: $2.4T total, AHRQ: $47.3B in ED)

27% fewer ED's compared to 10 years ago, 35% more visits (JAMA 2011)

5% of US population accounts for 48% of healthcare spending.  50% of population account for 3%. (NIH 2011)