Steve Ballmer’s USAFacts Presents Government Data on Health & Healthcare, and America by the Numbers to Educate Voters Before Nov. 5

(BPT) - USAFacts, a not-for-profit, nonpartisan civic organization founded by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, is launching the final installment of its video series by focusing on health & healthcare, and America by the numbers. The six-part series, “Just the Facts with Steve Ballmer,” has garnered more than 40 million views since airing in August 2024.

"The average amount spent on healthcare per person per year went from $3,000 plus in 1980, to more than $11,000 in 2022," said Steve Ballmer. "By presenting the data on everything from rising spending to leading causes of death for Americans, we’re giving people the tools they need to better understand the issues that impact their health and their wallet."

USAFacts’ mission is to provide Americans with real insights about the country’s most pressing issues using only government data. The first four videos focused on immigration, the budget, energy and the environment and the economy. The final two episodes will highlight:

• Health & Healthcare will provide key statistics on leading causes of death in America, Medicare and Medicaid spending, and rates of uninsured Americans.
• America by the Numbers will provide demographic insights and data around population shifts in the United States across the last several decades.

By providing these videos, USAFacts aims to empower voters with data that they can analyze for themselves. What it means for them, that’s up to each viewer to decide.

"At USAFacts, we believe that better healthcare data leads to better decision-making," said Poppy MacDonald, president of USAFacts. "By breaking down the complexities of healthcare, from insurance coverage to Medicare spending, we empower Americans to make more informed choices at the polls across the hot button issues hitting the headlines every day, ensuring they are equipped with the facts, not opinions, to navigate these important topics."

Episodes will be available on the USAFacts YouTube channel.

Key health & healthcare stats* include:

• In 2022, 3.28 million Americans died, about 1% of the total population, while nearly 3.67 million people were born.
• Out of 69 million children ages 1 to 17, just over 16,000 died in 2022; approximately 4,900 of these deaths were from accidents.
• In 2022, there were 227,000 accidental deaths, accounting for 7% of total deaths. Accidental poisonings, which include drug overdoses, represented 45% of these accidental deaths.
• As of 2023, an estimated 6.7 million Americans 65 years and older had Alzheimer’s disease.
• Firearm deaths accounted for 1.5% of all deaths in 2022, with 48,000 gun-related fatalities, including accidents.

Overall, healthcare spending as a proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP) has increased over the last four decades. In 1980, healthcare spending accounted for roughly 9% of GDP. As of 2022, it had risen to approximately 17.3%, reflecting both the growing costs of care and the aging population needing medical services.

*Sources: USAFacts, accessed 10/9/24, National Center for Health Statistics, accessed 10/9/24, CDC Wonder, accessed 10/9/24

Key America by the number stats** include:

• As of July 2024, the U.S. population stood at nearly 337 million people, making up about 4% of the global population. Married-parent households have fallen from 31% of U.S. households in 1980 to 18% in 2023, while the percentage of households composed of adults living alone rose from 23% to 29% during the same period.
• In 2022, 92% of households in the U.S. had access to at least one vehicle, with 37% having access to two cars and 21% having access to three or more.

**Sources: US Profile, accessed 10/9/24, National Park System, accessed 10/9/24, US and World Population Clock, accessed 10/9/24, USAFacts accessed 10/9/24, US Selected Household Characteristics, accessed 10/9/24

“Just the Facts” videos launched monthly leading up to Election Day (Nov. 5). Episodes include Immigration, the National Budget, Energy and the Environment, and the Economy. Health & Healthcare and America by the Numbers will conclude the six-part series.