United States health care well below average but costs more

[BirminghamExaminer]

Excerpt:

Only 56% of Americans say they have confidence in the U.S. health care system according to a recent Gallup poll. The United States has the highest per-capita total health expenditures of any of the 30 countries yet Americans report only average levels of health. Except for the United States, the more money spent on health in a nation translates to better health for the respondents.

As part of President Obama's election campaign platform, the issue of health care was one that a lot of Americans responded positively to. In a Gallup poll released the day before President Obama's inauguration, Americans were asked how important it was that President Obama keep his promise on a variety of issues he had talked about during the campaign. The issues included were health care, alternative energy, unions, closing Guantanamo prison, stem-cell research, withdrawing troops from Iraq and cutting taxes.

(graphic)

During the last couple of months, a number of region al forums on Health Reform have taken place across the nation though there has been little news coverage of the events. The most recent forum took place today in California with Governor Schwarzenegger and Washington's Governor Gregoire.

Though there are relatively few people voicing opposition to health care reform, I recently came across an article by conservative blogger, Anthony G. Martin, who posits that the United States has the best health care system in the world. He supported his argument by quoting someone who was a guest on the Glenn Beck show. The author also used one other source for his argument, a biased article that originated in the Washington Times, a notoriously conservative paper. That particular article carefully selected single facts out of large studies without reference to parts of the studies that didn't fit the argument that America has the best health care system in the world.

Articles such as the one mentioned above are becoming fewer and less relevant as a growing number of Americans go without health insurance. 86.7 million Americans have been uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. As unemployment grows, so too does the number of uninsured.

Three in ten households in the United States report that someone in the household has put off seeking medical care for a health concern because they cannot afford the cost.

Of the 30 OECD nations, the United States ranks only 22nd in life expectancy. Of the 30 nations, only Turkey, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, and Mexico have a higher rate of death per 1000 live births. Of the 30 nations, only the United States, Turkey and Mexico are without universal health coverage.

(Graphic)

(snip)

With the number of uninsured Americans on the rise and fewer seeking medical treatment because of cost, the argument against universal health coverage because it seems socialist in nature will collapse. The socialism argument doesn't work anymore. If it did, John McCain would be president now.

For more information, the complete article and some surprising statistics, go here.

[rurallib]

1. let me put in a plea to contact Senator Grassley [phone]

As ranking member of the senate Finance committee, Grassley will have a huge impact on what the senate health care bill.
Based on his work on the drug bill (Big Pharma bailout bill) and on what he has said publicly Grassley is much more concerned about health INSURANCE COMPANIES getting their paws on public moneys than on anyone getting health care.
Please call Grassley and tell him that we need a public option as part of the health care package.

[BirminghamExaminer]

2. Great idea. We should make a list of who takes the most from

health insurance companies and give their phone numbers for people to call. I'm going to see if I can find such a list. Thanks.

[bemildred]

3. Health insurance is a racket that was sold as health care management.

That's what HMOs are supposed to be, efficient managers of health care. Instead they are another parasitical entity feeding on the health care system. Efficiency demands we get rid of them first, then we can address what the system ought to do. Health care is a system, which provides a service, in order to carry out certain public ends. Like roads or bridges or defense. It needs to be addressed in that way, on the same level, by the government.

[FiveGoodMen]

10. Absolutely right!

[customerserviceguy]

4. I'd be interested in seeing

how much of other countries' health spending goes towards their legal systems. A not insignificant part of our dollars go to the tort system of dealing with malpractice.

[hay rick]

5. Useless comparison.

They are reeling you in with a right-wing talking point. The comparative statistics you seek will never be available. In their stead you will see statements like "a not insignificant part of our dollars..."

A few years ago, New Jersey's malpractice premiums and payouts were a subject of some debate. The numbers reported from state and federal sources contradicted the claims of the alarmists and medical industry flacks and the story quickly died in the back pages of the local papers. Here's a link to a Public Citizen news release on some of the malpractice information from 2002: http://www.citizen.org/documents/NJ_NPDB.pdf

Note that the total payouts for the state amounted to $228 million for the year. A lot of money- until you divide it by 7,000,000 people and get a little more than $30 per person per year...

The argument then becomes- the real cost of the tort system is found in the medically unnecessary or borderline useless tests that doctors prescribe to avoid spurious claims of negligence. Bush made this claim, prefaced by "everybody knows..." in one of the debates. Conveniently, there are no statistics to confirm or contradict such assertions. The other point that needs to be made in such discussions is that in most cases, doctors are paid for procedures and therefore have a positive incentive to practice "conservative" medicine.

[eridani]

6. I'd say 1% is pretty insignificant. The reason people in other countries don't go to court--

--as often is that they have no need to attempt to recoup future medical expenses due to errors. IN other words, they don't have to sue somebody to get what is theirs by right.

[quidam56]

7. We need a cure for health care in America

http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 In East Tennessee, Profit care comes ahead of Patient care...

[Enthusiast]

8. We all know there is only one

way to solve this dilemma. We have to make healthcare a national non-profit operation. It can operate like the USPS, and become a remarkable and efficient system. I remember when hospital beds were full. Now you can't stay overnight in a hospital except in dire circumstances or when procedures dictate an overnight stay-like surgery.

[PHIMG]

9. Look at Taiwan's experience

They went to a Single Payer system, got everyone covered and they didn't break the bank to do it.

Single Payer saves lives and saves money.

The only problem is that the Congress and bought and paid for by AHIP and PhRMA.

The solution is to get into the streets and DEMAND HR-676.

When the people lead the leaders will follow. It's about time!