US health system ranks last

RushlimboRushlimbo Posts: 832
edited May 2007 in A Moving Train
The last three paragraphs are interesting. I wish they would have elaborated on that.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/ushealthgovernmentpolitics;_ylt=Ak6PGrz9TgwOTUHqfZvTt7QDW7oF

The US health care system ranks last among other major rich countries for quality, access and efficiency, according to two studies released Tuesday by a health care think tank.

The studies by the Commonwealth Fund found that the United States, which has the most expensive health system in the world, underperforms consistently relative to other countries and differs most notably in the fact that Americans have no universal health insurance coverage.

"The United States stands out as the only nation in these studies that does not ensure access to health care through universal coverage and promotion of a 'medical home' for patients," said Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis.

"Our failure to ensure health insurance for all and encourage stable, long-term ties between physicians and patients shows in our poor performance on measures of quality, access, efficiency, equity, and health outcomes."

In "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: An International Update on the Comparative Performance of American Health Care", the study focused on interviews with physicians and patients in Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the United States who were asked to speak about their experiences and views on their health systems.

The US ranked last in most areas, including access to health care, patient safety, timeliness of care, efficiency and equity. Americans were also last in terms of whether they had a regular physician.

"The US spends twice what the average industrialized country spends on health care but we're clearly not getting value for the money," Davis told AFP.

She also noted that 45 million Americans, or 15 percent of the US population, have no health insurance, which contributes to the country's medical woes.

The United States is also far behind in adopting modern health information technology, which translates into spiralling costs and poor care.

"We pride ourselves on being advanced on so many areas of technology but it's not the case on health information technology," Davis said. "Other countries have just moved ahead."

Britain got the top score in overall ranking among the countries in the study, followed by Germany. New Zealand and Australia tied for third followed by Canada and the United States.

The second study delves into why health costs in the United States are so much higher than in eight other countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development: Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

The study, "Multinational Comparisons of Health Systems Data," found that even though the US spends the most on publicly and privately financed health insurance, its citizens had the most potential years of life lost due to circulatory and respiratory diseases as well as diabetes.

"This study blows a lot of myths about the US health system," Davis said. "We spend three times what the average country spends on a day of hospital care and we also spend twice what the average country spends on prescription medication."

Health care is likely to be a prominent issue in the 2008 US presidential elections with various candidates already promising to tackle rising costs and the burden placed on big business to provide health insurance.
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Comments

  • polarispolaris Posts: 3,527
    lots of people make lots of money in the US from sick people ... there is no desire to have a healthy populace ...
  • CollinCollin Posts: 4,931
    Interesting. Thanks for posting this.
    THANK YOU, LOSTDAWG!


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  • onelongsongonelongsong Posts: 3,517
    i find this funny because i can't turn on the tele without hearing about someone from another country having to come here because we can do the job and they can't.

    it's easy to point fingers when you don't have all the facts. america is going broke. plain and simple. social security will be a thing of the past yet this is where state aided medicine for the poor is funded. the biggest problem is illegal immigration. not only the millions of new people brought into the system but the displaced workers now on welfare have got the medical system on the verge of crumbling.

    i have a friend that works at a hospital in downtown phoenix. each day she has to write off at least a half million dollars in services because services were given to illegal aliens who will never pay the bill. this causes the price of services to rise and it's the paying customers that make up the difference. it's out of pocket whether it's in higher insurance rates or higher costs.

    america can have socialized medicine when the working are willing to pay for those not working.
  • CollinCollin Posts: 4,931
    i find this funny because i can't turn on the tele without hearing about someone from another country having to come here because we can do the job and they can't.

    Why is that on tv?

    Anyway that doesn't really prove a thing. When I was in the US I talked to a man who had to go to Germany for a medical procedure and we met a woman who was treated in the UK.
    THANK YOU, LOSTDAWG!


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  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    Collin wrote:
    Why is that on tv?

    Anyway that doesn't really prove a thing. When I was in the US I talked to a man who had to go to Germany for a medical procedure and we met a woman who was treated in the UK.
    I never hear such stories, or see them in my local paper. Onelongsong has a skewed idea of what's going on because he lives in a border state. I'm sure he does see these stories all the time, living right next door to Mexico, but that's not representative of what goes on in the U.S. as a whole, and providing services to illegal immigrants is not the biggest problem with the U.S. health care system.

    I am hoping to go to Germany for procedures that aren't available here, and another member of this board was told by his U.S. doctors that he had six months to live and was then successfully treated in Australia and is alive and healthy after five years.

    I work in a firm with many people who are from other countries, and whenever any of them has become seriously ill, they go home to the UK, Germany, France or Japan for treatment. They don't trust our medical system at all and don't want any part of it.
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • onelongsongonelongsong Posts: 3,517
    Collin wrote:
    Why is that on tv?

    Anyway that doesn't really prove a thing. When I was in the US I talked to a man who had to go to Germany for a medical procedure and we met a woman who was treated in the UK.


    who knows? maybe to show our superiority or something. i've seen siamese twins seperated; liver transplants; and recently a child born without an arm brought to the us to be fitted with a new arm that works through telepathy. the american child cannot afford this because they have to pay for it. the american child does without while it's parents taxes pay for the alien child to have the medical services.
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    who knows? maybe to show our superiority or something. i've seen siamese twins seperated; liver transplants; and recently a child born without an arm brought to the us to be fitted with a new arm that works through telepathy. the american child cannot afford this because they have to pay for it. the american child does without while it's parents taxes pay for the alien child to have the medical services.

    Usually those are cases of someone, or a number of people who have seen or heard about the plight of a medical victim then donate the money to bring them to Ameica for the procedure. It isn't a taxpayer situation.

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  • onelongsongonelongsong Posts: 3,517
    hippiemom wrote:
    I never hear such stories, or see them in my local paper. Onelongsong has a skewed idea of what's going on because he lives in a border state. I'm sure he does see these stories all the time, living right next door to Mexico, but that's not representative of what goes on in the U.S. as a whole, and providing services to illegal immigrants is not the biggest problem with the U.S. health care system.

    I am hoping to go to Germany for procedures that aren't available here, and another member of this board was told by his U.S. doctors that he had six months to live and was then successfully treated in Australia and is alive and healthy after five years.

    I work in a firm with many people who are from other countries, and whenever any of them has become seriously ill, they go home to the UK, Germany, France or Japan for treatment. They don't trust our medical system at all and don't want any part of it.

    maybe i do see a lot that others don't. especially since a lot of the surgeries take place in phoenix hospitals. a close friend who worked for IBM from the beginning; lost her sight because she spent so much time in front of a monitor. a doctor in germany was working on a way to restore her sight and put a "cap" over the eye to keep it moist until the surgery could be performed on humans. there are great doctors everywhere and i don't argue that. i think the difference is that the originating country will not spend the money to do these surgeries so a plea is made to the us.

    when i bought out the manufacturing business in chicago; the entire work force was european immigrants. LEGAL immigrants. every one of them went back to their native countries for medical services. not because they didn't trust american doctors; but because it was FREE. they planned their vacations around it and it worked out nicely. i don't fault them for this. one man saved almost $250,000 USD on one surgery alone.
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    maybe i do see a lot that others don't. especially since a lot of the surgeries take place in phoenix hospitals. a close friend who worked for IBM from the beginning; lost her sight because she spent so much time in front of a monitor. a doctor in germany was working on a way to restore her sight and put a "cap" over the eye to keep it moist until the surgery could be performed on humans. there are great doctors everywhere and i don't argue that. i think the difference is that the originating country will not spend the money to do these surgeries so a plea is made to the us.

    when i bought out the manufacturing business in chicago; the entire work force was european immigrants. LEGAL immigrants. every one of them went back to their native countries for medical services. not because they didn't trust american doctors; but because it was FREE. they planned their vacations around it and it worked out nicely. i don't fault them for this. one man saved almost $250,000 USD on one surgery alone.

    So, which is your argument? Illegal immigrants are driving up the cost of health care in the US, or US health care is top of the line? Argument one is nonsense, argument 2 is not true either.

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  • macgyver06macgyver06 Posts: 2,500
    As long as people in America sign on to these 30 Dollar health plans from United Health Care. WE WILL NEVER EVER HAVE DECENT HEALTH CARE.


    stop signing those fucking papers...you get nothing if you are seriously injured!

    and lay off all the meds and go excercise

    good day
  • onelongsongonelongsong Posts: 3,517
    gue_barium wrote:
    Usually those are cases of someone, or a number of people who have seen or heard about the plight of a medical victim then donate the money to bring them to Ameica for the procedure. It isn't a taxpayer situation.


    you could be right. i know the arm was donated by a scottsdale company and i know the doctor donated his time. but the american child still has to pay for it.
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    you could be right. i know the arm was donated by a scottsdale company and i know the doctor donated his time. but the american child still has to pay for it.
    How so?

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  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    though I certainly rather be here than in the US in terms of medical care (well, in terms of pretty much anything I can think of, but some of that is subjective), the fact that the UK supposedly comes overall first in that study makes me question it's validity.

    people are going overseas to be treated in a timely manner, and the problem of the postcode lottery of treatments is raised on a regular basis.
  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    when i bought out the manufacturing business in chicago; the entire work force was european immigrants. LEGAL immigrants. every one of them went back to their native countries for medical services. not because they didn't trust american doctors; but because it was FREE. they planned their vacations around it and it worked out nicely. i don't fault them for this. one man saved almost $250,000 USD on one surgery alone.
    All of our employees who come here are provided with full insurance coverage, otherwise we couldn't get them to come here at all. They are highly specialized professionals, they could get jobs anywhere. They do use our system for routine treatment, but when they get something serious they can't get out of here fast enough, even though their bills would be 100% covered.
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • onelongsongonelongsong Posts: 3,517
    gue_barium wrote:
    So, which is your argument? Illegal immigrants are driving up the cost of health care in the US, or US health care is top of the line? Argument one is nonsense, argument 2 is not true either.


    us healthcare allows competition. it's not top of the line but doctors can earn what they will. this brings more research and more ideas. american medicine also has their hands tied with strict regulations and laws. other countries are open to alternative forms of medicine which also makes medicine more affordable.

    as to illegal immigration; with millions of new people entering the system; it can only hurt the system. just as adding a million new people to any country with socialized medicine would hurt their system. it's only logical.
  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    Car purchasers rank last


    Those who purchase cars themselves rank last among those who make others purchase them for quality, access and efficiency, according to two studies released Tuesday.

    The studies found that the those who purchase cars spend the most on cars, and their cars underperform relative to those that force others to buy them.

    "Car purchasers stand out as the only group in these studies that do not ensure access to cars through universal coverage and promotion of 'carjacking' for those who can't afford cars," said Bob Smith.

    "Our failure to ensure free cars for all and encourage stable, long-term ties between car manufacturers and drivers shows in our poor performance on measures of quality, access, efficiency, equity, and transportation outcomes."

    In "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: An International Update on the Comparative Performance of Modes of Car Acquisition", the study focused on interviews with manufacturers, carjackers and purchasers in Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the United States who were asked to speak about their experiences and views on their practices.

    Car purchasers ranked last in most areas, including access to cars, driver safety, timeliness of acquisition, efficiency and equity. Car purchasers were also last in terms of whether they had the regular automobile they wanted most.

    "Purchasers spend twice what the average carjacker spends on cars, but we're clearly not getting value for the money," Smith said.

    She also noted that millions of Americans have no car, which contributes to the country's transportation woes.

    Car purchasers are also far behind in adopting modern automobile technology, which translates into spiralling costs and poor performance.

    "We pride ourselves on being advanced on so many areas of technology but it's not the case on automobile information technology," Davis said. "Carjackers in particular have just moved ahead."

    Britain got the top score in overall ranking among the countries in the study, followed by Germany. New Zealand and Australia tied for third followed by Canada and the United States.

    The second study delves into why automobile costs are so much higher for those that purchase them than for those who don't.

    The study, "Multinational Comparisons of Auto Acquisition Data," found that even though the car purchasers spend the most on publicly and privately financed automobiles, its citizens had the most potential years of going without transportation.

    "This study blows a lot of myths about the capitalist system," Davis said. "We spend three times what the average carjacker spends on a car and we also spend twice what the average wage-setter spends on car repairs."

    These studies, of course, are completey made up and never actually happened. Because who gives a fuck about cars?
  • RockinInCanadaRockinInCanada Posts: 2,016
    The system is flawed because it is unbalanced....a purely private system will never be affordable for all legal citizens....in turn all of which could never get the jobs needed to afford healthcare and/or insurance...for the same reasons a pure public system has flaws so does the private system....the best system is to incorporate both.....
  • The American government spends it all on military. 400 Billion annual pentagon spending? That's just insane...no really...it is. Pentagon admitted to losing 2.4 trillion...poof! Oops! soorry to hear you're sick....oh well fuck you...we have another country to invade...

    Every American could have awesome health care, but your gov't wants you paying them, and their corporations, cash on the barrel head.

    The new cotton picker society you all are. Pick that cotton for unca sammy. And try to keep massa happy ok? Raise your voice or act out too much and yous will a get a beating now...

    here endeth the history lesson. A little clarity for the masses.

    Cotton pickers 2007 unite..you're getting totally screwed!

    .
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    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

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  • Eliot RosewaterEliot Rosewater Posts: 2,659
    polaris wrote:
    lots of people make lots of money in the US from sick people ... there is no desire to have a healthy populace ...
    and this is exactly why "the american way" or "capitalism" or "free market" or whatever the fuck anyone wants to call it is not a good thing for we, the people.
  • CosmoCosmo Posts: 12,225
    ...
    i have a friend that works at a hospital in downtown phoenix. each day she has to write off at least a half million dollars in services because services were given to illegal aliens who will never pay the bill. this causes the price of services to rise and it's the paying customers that make up the difference. it's out of pocket whether it's in higher insurance rates or higher costs.
    .
    ...
    Ugh... There's blood in my mouth because I'm biting my tongue so hard...
    ...
    Jeanie... Jeanie!!! you takin' notes?
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    Cosmo wrote:
    ...
    Ugh... There's blood in my mouth because I'm biting my tongue so hard...
    ...
    Jeanie... Jeanie!!! you takin' notes?

    If you have a problem with me, you know how to reach me Cosmo.

    And all I can say is bring it on! You seem to have nothing else to do today.

    So by all means pm me. I'd just LOVE to hear what have to say now.
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • CosmoCosmo Posts: 12,225
    Jeanie wrote:
    If you have a problem with me, you know how to reach me Cosmo.

    And all I can say is bring it on! You seem to have nothing else to do today.

    So by all means pm me. I'd just LOVE to hear what have to say now.
    ...
    I thought you were... plague... avoiding... all that... tough talk...
    Well, since you've decided to open a dialog with the Great Satan, Cosmo... well... I....
    Okay, $500,000.00 each day... that's $182,500,000.00 per year... for one hospital. I mean... not to get you upset and report me again... but... maybe a little high? Like, shouldn't someone notice this? Maybe... an accountant... or auditor... or journalist? Maybe... instead of reporting me to the Mods... you can report this to the newpapers? Because... at least, in my humble opinion... 182.5 million dollars in taxes... well, that's kind of a lot of money... to me... not being a millionaire and all... you know? Ain't it?
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • OutOfBreathOutOfBreath Posts: 1,804
    us healthcare allows competition. it's not top of the line but doctors can earn what they will. this brings more research and more ideas. american medicine also has their hands tied with strict regulations and laws. other countries are open to alternative forms of medicine which also makes medicine more affordable.
    You have much of the best top-of-the-line treatment and research, true enough. But that top-notch treatment is by no means accessible for the general population. The lack of or poor treatment for large portions of the population makes you sag far bahind other industrialized countries in this field.
    When the competition is about having a gazillion health plans from as many companies having to be billed by the same hospital, forcing the hospital to have an entire floor dealing with payment and billing... Well, it's not efficient in any way. Factor in the cost of advertising and promotion of these plans too, as the consumers are the ones paying for those too in the end. In hospitals here, you have the lady in the reception handling all payment.

    Other comparable countries are no less strict with medical regulations either. Compared to Norway, the US is pretty lax really.
    as to illegal immigration; with millions of new people entering the system; it can only hurt the system. just as adding a million new people to any country with socialized medicine would hurt their system. it's only logical.
    Well of course. But that's not why the american system as that inefficient and lagging that far behind the rest. It doesn't help of course.

    Peace
    Dan
    "YOU [humans] NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY BECOME?" - Death

    "Every judgment teeters on the brink of error. To claim absolute knowledge is to become monstrous. Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty." - Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965
  • spiral outspiral out Posts: 1,052
    as to illegal immigration; with millions of new people entering the system; it can only hurt the system. just as adding a million new people to any country with socialized medicine would hurt their system. it's only logical.

    Don't you think with this statment that you are falling for the propaganda a little.

    Illegal, pointless (for the avarage joe american) wars are bleeding your country dry not illegal immagrants.
    Keep on rockin in the free world!!!!

    The economy has polarized to the point where the wealthiest 10% now own 85% of the nation’s wealth. Never before have the bottom 90% been so highly indebted, so dependent on the wealthy.
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