U.S. healthcare once again lags behind other developed nations in quality

[spike]

(Reuters) - Americans spend twice as much as residents of other developed countries on healthcare, but get lower quality, less efficiency and have the least equitable system, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The United States ranked last when compared to six other countries -- Britain, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, the Commonwealth Fund report found.

"As an American it just bothers me that with all of our know-how, all of our wealth, that we are not assuring that people who need healthcare can get it," Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis told reporters in a telephone briefing.

Previous reports by the nonprofit fund, which conducts research into healthcare performance and promotes changes in the U.S. system, have been heavily used by policymakers and politicians pressing for healthcare reform.

Davis said she hoped health reform legislation passed in March would lead to improvements.

The current report uses data from nationally representative patient and physician surveys in seven countries in 2007, 2008, and 2009. It is available here

In 2007, health spending was $7,290 per person in the United States, more than double that of any other country in the survey.

Australians spent $3,357, Canadians $3,895, Germans $3,588, the Netherlands $3,837 and Britons spent $2,992 per capita on health in 2007. New Zealand spent the least at $2,454.

This is a big rise from the Fund's last similar survey, in 2007, which found Americans spent $6,697 per capita on healthcare in 2005, or 16 percent of gross domestic product.

"We rank last on safety and do poorly on several dimensions of quality," Schoen told reporters. "We do particularly poorly on going without care because of cost. And we also do surprisingly poorly on access to primary care and after-hours care."

NETHERLANDS RANKED FIRST OVERALL

The report looks at five measures of healthcare -- quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives.

Britain, whose nationalized healthcare system was widely derided by opponents of U.S. healthcare reform, ranks first in quality while the Netherlands ranked first overall on all scores, the Commonwealth team found.

U.S. patients with chronic conditions were the most likely to say they gotten the wrong drug or had to wait to learn of abnormal test results.

"The findings demonstrate the need to quickly implement provisions in the new health reform law," the report reads.

Critics of reports that show Europeans or Australians are healthier than Americans point to the U.S. lifestyle as a bigger factor than healthcare. Americans have higher rates of obesity than other developed countries, for instance.

"On the other hand, the other countries have higher rates of smoking," Davis countered. And Germany, for instance, has a much older population more prone to chronic disease.

Every other system covers all its citizens, the report noted and said the U.S. system, which leaves 46 million Americans or 15 percent of the population without health insurance, is the most unfair.

"The lower the performance score for equity, the lower the performance on other measures. This suggests that, when a country fails to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, it also fails to meet the needs of the average citizen," the report reads.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65M0SU20100623

 

[Winky]

Are you hungry, Troll?

 

[spike]

looks like you are just trolling to get your post count up. Are you really that obsessed over this?

 

[spike]

ZOMG you are!

 

[catocom]

what's wrong spike...you don't like Obama's new Law?
(oops, I mean "the center for american progress" 's new Law)

 

[spike]

Very little has gone into effect yet. Yes, people with pre-existing conditions can now get insurance. That's great.

Of course we have a long way to go. Should be at least a public option or Medicare for All. Like you have.

 

[catocom]

The only thing I've noticed is that my Medicare deductible has gone up quite a bit.
Too bad it's not going to save the tax payers any.

 

[Professur]

As usual, statistics on healthcare only tell the tale they want told. americans pay huge health costs ..... for medical care when and where they need it. Canadians have to go cap in hand begging for permission for the treatments they need...provided there's a doctor handy to provide it and he hasn't already charged too many hours this week. The american health industry (not service, industry) generates what percentage of the annual total of new treatments and cures? Odd that that number never appears in anyone stats, isn't it?


Spike, once again I repeat .....your country was based on the idea that you get what you pay for. You have freedoms NONE of the other countries you list give their public. We got medicare ... and all the punishments that go with it. Sure, we'll treat anyone's cancer who's a resident.... if you can get to a doctor before it kills you. Good luck with that. You can walk into a doctor's office and seek treatment TODAY.


Feb 2010, The premier of NFLD traveled to Miami for heart surgery.
June 2007 Belinda Stronach... went to US for breast cancer treatment
Robert bourassa...To the Us for treatment of multiple melanoma.


Odd that people with all the pull necessary to line hop ... still chose to leave the country and pay of of pocket for treatment.

 

[Gonz]

Very little has gone into effect yet. Yes, people with pre-existing conditions can now get insurance. That's great.

For how long?

 

[spike]

Canadians have to go cap in hand begging for permission for the treatments they need.

We have that here too but apparently worse.

The american health industry (not service, industry) generates what percentage of the annual total of new treatments and cures? Odd that that number never appears in anyone stats, isn't it?

It would be odd to include an unrelated stat in this type of study.

You can walk into a doctor's office and seek treatment TODAY.

No, you have to wait months to get an appointment with a lot of doctors. Especially with specialists. Then they rush you on so they can get to their next patient.

Feb 2010, The premier of NFLD traveled to Miami for heart surgery.
June 2007 Belinda Stronach... went to US for breast cancer treatment
Robert bourassa...To the Us for treatment of multiple melanoma.

Interesting, people from the US often go to other countries for treatments too.

 

[spike]

For how long?

As long as it's law.

 

[jimpeel]

So if we become like every other country in the survey our standard of care will come up?

That is ridiculous.

The article states that there are five tenets -- quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives -- which determine their findings. It seems, however, that cost is the determining factor in the U.S.

 

[spike]

So if we become like every other country in the survey our standard of care will come up?

We should probably learn from what's been effective and efficient.

The article states that there are five tenets -- quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives -- which determine their findings. It seems, however, that cost is the determining factor in the U.S.

Yes, the US has a much higher cost vs. effectiveness. Inefficiency.

 

[jimpeel]

I have no problem with the quality of care I was given which, by the way, saved my life.

 

[Gonz]

I still find this amazing

The Obama administration has not ruled out turning sick people away from an insurance program created by the new healthcare law to provide coverage for the uninsured.

Critics of the $5 billion high-risk pool program insist it will run out of money before Jan. 1, 2014. That’s when the program sunsets and health plans can no longer discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions.

In addition, Popper said, many people won’t be able to afford to participate in the program since premiums will range between about $140 and $900 a month, depending on applicants’ age and where they live.

Just like private insurers.

The Hill

 

[Cerise]

Yes, people with pre-existing conditions can now get insurance. That's great.

You haven't mentioned that the burden of having to shell out $1300/month for ONE of your GF's 7 or 8 medications has been lifted from your shoulders.

 

[spike]

I have no problem with the quality of care I was given which, by the way, saved my life.

That's great Jim. Doesn't have much to do with the thread but I'm happy things worked out for you.

 

[spike]

You haven't mentioned that the burden of having to shell out $1300/month for ONE of your GF's 7 or 8 medications has been lifted from your shoulders.

The healthcare bill has had no effect on my girlfriend's insurance or medications yet. Although we might start looking at plans again.

I'm not sure what your point was.

 

[Cerise]

You have said that she was disabled because of a pre-existing medical condition and uninsurable under any private plan so she was on Medicare and you were paying cash for her meds.

Now, her treatment and meds can be covered by 0bama's Stash.


http://www.elderlawanswers.com/Resources/Article.asp?ID=8458

 

[spike]

Yeah, that's good news thanks. According it's unclear from your link whether she will qualify until 2014 because of the "uninsured for 6 months" thing. We'd have to see if Medicare counts.