Re: Is the U.S. Falling Behind Europe?

From: MS (mikesc_at_iname.com)
Date: 02/14/05 

Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 17:41:19 GMT

js wrote:
> MS wrote:
>
>>js wrote:
>>
>>>cliff84373@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
>>>
>>
>>>>26th among the industrial nations in infant mortality, well below
>
> the
>
>>>>EU average. The average lifespan in the 15 most developed E.U.
>>>>countries is now 78.2 years, compared to 76.9 years in the United
>>>>States.
>>>
>>>
>>>So these numbers somehow suggest the EU-25 has better health care?
>>>
>>
>>Most developed nations have better health care systems than
>>America. A nation would have to try real hard to have one
>>that's worse.
>
>
> It's an interesting comment - yet you fail to provide any tangible
> evidence - "better" is a relative term - what do you mean by "better"?

A single payer system like every other developed nation in the
world has. Universal access to primary care physicians and
catastrophic coverage. I know this is anathema to some, but it
would be great for businesses (outside the health sector) and
patients and everyone's level of disposable income.

>
> Infant mortality - Yes, the US rate exceeds that of other countries.
> There are three reasons for this. First is the metric - the definition
> of what a live birth is is different between countries. Second,
> prenatal care in the US is not accessed, not because of its
> unavailability but because of the culture.

Culture? Could you explain?

Finally, technology in the
> US is very good at saving what other countries would not be able to -
> think about intrauterine surgery, for example - or the rate of pre-term
> c-sections, or even better, the use of invitro fertilization. All
> these add to the statistic not because of "worse" care but because of
> more agressive care.
>

Yes technology is better. That said, one of the problems with
the US health system is that there is too much "boutique
medicine". This aspect of the system does nothing for
population health at large. The specialist to primary care
physician ratio is very high.

Because of this, many people have trouble seeing a GP because of
various costs (copays or lack of insurance) and they end up at
the ER where care is much more costly. This is great for
specialists, surgeons and hospital profits. The US system is
really a fouled up system rife with greed and inefficiency.

You'd have the same technological wonders with a single payer
system.

> Life expectancy - if you look at lifestyle as opposed to health care,
> you find the rates of most cancers, cardiovascular, and endocrine
> diseases to be higher in the US than in Europe - generally speaking.
> You find that obesity is higher in the US and exercise lower. These
> are contributors. What you also find is that the survival rates for
> thee diseases are better (especially cancer) in the US than elsewhere.

Cancer survival rates in the USA are better for breast cancer,
for instance. However, a lower percentage of American women are
receiving screening than in other countries. So in reality,
fewer American women are surviving breast cancer than their
counterparts in other countries. Same with prostate and other
cancers.

You'll find that survival rates for many diseases are better in
Canada and Australia and Europe. Check 'Health Affairs',
May-June 2004. "How Does The Quality Of Care Compare In Five
Countries?" healthaffairs.org

I can send a file to you if you like.

> js
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Is the U.S. Falling Behind Europe?
    ... 85% of Americans have insurance to provide them access to primary care ... >> of what a live birth is is different between countries. ... > Cancer survival rates in the USA are better for breast cancer, ... survivability in the US than in the UK. ...
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