As the debate regarding health care reform takes shape in Congress, we can expect the usual canard to come from the foes of any public option: universal health care is a socialist spawned disaster that will be the undoing of us all. The United States of America is the only industrialized country which does not have some form of public health care regime (be it a mandatory universal plan, or a coexisting public option). Not so coincidentally, the USA is also the industrialized country that spends the greatest share of its GDP on healthcare.
According to the World Health Organization, the US reportedly spent 16.2% of GDP on health care related expenditures in 2007. This amount compares to a margin of 13 to 10.1% reported by Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland; figures which show the US spending 63% to 90% more than these counties on health care. And then there’s the 10 to 8.1% reported by Canada, the UK, Australia, Norway, and Sweden; figures which show the US spending 91% to 100% more than these counties on health care.
As the adage goes, you get what you pay for right? Well, not quite. The US ranks behind all these countries in life expectancy according to the CIA world fact book:
France (age: 80.87) – 5th
Switzerland (age: 80.63) – 6th
Sweden (age: 80.62) – 7th
Australia (age: 80.62) – 8th
Canada (age: 80.34) – 10th
Norway (age: 79.78) – 14th
Austria (age: 79.21) – 18th
Germany (age: 78.95) – 24th
United Kingdom (age: 78.7) – 26th
And, coming in just behind Bosnia and Herzegovina in 29th, the venerable US of A in 30th spot (age: 78.06)
That’s right people; the US is actually number 30 of 191 countries in terms of life expectancy. Even Jordan has a better life expectancy (age: 78.55). But don’t let that sway you because surely a public option will be the death to you all!!!
While all of the 9 countries mentioned above have some issue surrounding wait times for elective and non-critical procedures, it must be said that the life expectancy figures suggest that they do a bang-up job prioritizing critical cases.
For the detractors who will complain that expectancy isn’t the be all and end all of health metrics, I say yup. So let’s look at cancer survival rates in my next installment.