I saw this on Forbes. I lot of the rationale in the Health Care debate is that we spend more for Healthcare than any other nation and we’re no healthier in terms of infant mortality and life expectancy. This is a compelling argument on the surface. However, there are a number of factors which go into life expectancy than the quality of our Health Care system.
I would argue (like the commentator) that the US Health Care system is the best in the world. That we export medical technology and scientific advances that improve the quality of life, not only of Americans, but for people around the World. The examples of medical treatments and drugs that benefit the world’s population are almost limitless.
In looking at mortality in the US, what does the quality of the US Health Care system have to do with the murder rate in the US? With the level of auto related deaths? Deaths by suicide? In comparing the US to the UK, the murder rate, suicide rate and auto deaths are all much higher in the US. This has nothing to do with the Healthcare system, but has a large impact on mortality, since these deaths generally occur to younger people.
Looking at these 3 factors (murder, auto, suicide), there are over 90,000 US deaths/year compared with about 7,600 UK deaths/year. Granted we have about 6 times the population, even so, these rates of death are 2 times higher per capita.
A major ommission from this argument is the difference in income and GDP between the U.S. and Europe, as well as the rest of the world. The U.S. has higher wages and it’s GDP exceeds that of Spain, France, Italy and Germany by about 35%. So of course, this means higher wages here for doctors, nurses, lab and x-ray people and those who support their work. Why then is it any surprise we spend more for healthcare or any other service?
What these critics are essentially saying is that good-paying health sector jobs are the problem. Thats an odd position for a supposedly pro-labor political party to be taking.
It would be no different than citing how much more U.S. firefighters make compared to similar jobs in Europe, then complain we are no safer for it!
Craig,
Didn’t get to the Forbes article but this is exactly the argument against the WHO report that ranks the US 37th in healthcare. Going further, from memory, the WHO report/analysis does not include (or at least minimizes)social, financial contributions toward healthcare costs, so, the US is further penalized since a higher percentage of cost is paid by individuals vs. paid by government or social contributions.
It just seems illogical that a country that rank #1 in outcomes for 14 of 16 cancer indications is 37th in overall healthcare. The SOCIALIZED position continually fails the smell test.