Healthcare Systems Compared

I love America! I am American through and through. Do I think the US is perfect? No,it is not. It is important to change and adapt as human capabilities increase and with the global marketplace. As a country we have pursued global competition the best available path for the well being of the United States and her citizens. For all these reasons, we must study the very best systems and product in the world and improve upon the best and adapt it s our own. The US spends over 15 percent of GDP on healthcare, but does not cover every citizen in a systematic and rational fashion. The US is ranked 35th (!) in quality of care and coverage by the World Health Organization. The US is ranked 37th in infant mortality in the world. Can we improve our healthcare? Frontline (on PBS), this week has an excellent comparison of five top ranked healthcare systems from around the world in relation to the US. The show, Sick Around the World, is very well done and interesting. In particular, Switzerland is an interesting case, as it is one of the countries covered that is privately based. It may be beneficial for us to dispassionately study the world marketplace and to adjust to new realities. Can GM compete with competitors that pay much less for healthcare? It is unfortunate that this is a political hot button, because it may very well be that we could improve overall health in the US at a lower cost.