Despite Americans paying nearly double that of other nations, the US fares poorly in list of 10 countries

Despite Americans paying nearly double that of other nations, the US fares poorly in list of 10 countries

The United States health system ranked dead last in an international comparison of 10 peer nations, according to a new report by the Commonwealth Fund.

In spite of Americans paying nearly double that of other countries, the system performed poorly on health equity, access to care and outcomes.

“I see the human toll of these shortcomings on a daily basis,” said Dr Joseph Betancourt, the president of the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation with a focus on healthcare research and policy.

…

The fund said the US would need to expand insurance coverage and make “meaningful” improvements on the amount of healthcare expenses patients pay themselves; minimize the complexity and variation in insurance plans to improve administrative efficiency; build a viable primary care and public health system; and invest in social wellbeing, rather than thrust problems of social inequity onto the health system.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    842·
    3 months ago

    Shocking. “Best health care system in the world,” my ass. “You’ll have to wait months if there’s universal healthcare.” removed, I have to wait months now.

    • Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world
      33·
      3 months ago

      “You’ll have to wait months if there’s universal healthcare.”

      Yeah, but that healthcare is still practically guaranteed, and it won’t put you into debt

      • PlasticExistence@lemmy.worldEnglish
        22·
        3 months ago

        Several times I’ve had to wait for months on healthcare in the US system. This is such a weak argument against a socialized system.

        • Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world
          8·
          3 months ago

          Literally anything I want done is a wait list here. Eye exam; schedule a time. Dentist; is it an emergency? We’ll schedule you sometime next month. Phycologist; its a theee month wait list. Primary care; see you in three months. Finding a reliable primary care has been a dead end nightmare.

          I’m not shitting on doctors or nurses. Just this whole system is bonkers. For what reason? Healthcare is not a business.

          “In capitalism everything’s a buisness.” Well get fucked.

          I’m not saying we should be reductive. There is reasons for the way we do things. I am saying though, we’ve gone too far and it’s obscuring the goal of a having a functional society.

          People need professionals to help with their health; an extremely complex field. Every person needs this. Its not an optional thing. You want a society, well a society needs people, and people need Healthcare.

          “Well I never wanted to be part of a society.” Did you enjoy the luxury that having a society provides? From plumbing to super yatchs, all of this wealth we share was made by people like you and me.

          • optissima
            4·
            3 months ago

            There is reasons for the way we do things.

            Because a rich class keeps oppressing the poorer class, not because it’s a good way to do things.

          • iopq@lemmy.world
            2·
            3 months ago

            It’s the same in Canada, socialized healthcare never solved never solved this problem. That said, I had only a four hour wait time in urgent care in the US. I had to wait eight hours in Canada for emergency care

              • iopq@lemmy.world
                1·
                3 months ago

                For a blood clot I’ve had to wait like 16 hours in Canada, but that’s because for every examination and consultation you had to wait in a separate queue. Like talk to a doctor after 8 hours, get assigned to wait for a ultrasound, wait another two hours, go into the room, wait half an hour for a resident, become a test subject for half an hour, get a real doctor later, wait for them to consult me for another few hours, wait another hour for the script, etc.

                In the US at least they did everything in one shot for my first blood clot, after it my wait they did everything in one go and let me go

        • LustyArgonian@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          3 months ago

          Not only have I had to wait months, but then the doctor will argue with you and gaslight you about your fucking symptoms. Here’s a $200 bill for 5 minutes discussion and being told I am actually fine and not having the symptoms I’m having and even if I was they don’t want to do treatment because it’s too painful and difficult and so testing is pointless too since they won’t treat.

          I am TRULY TRULY fine with the day doctors lose their jobs to AI. I genuinely wish I could have an AI primary care doctor now. Or even just a veterinarian, because vets aren’t taught to gaslight their fucking patients.

    • Paddzr@lemmy.world
      14·
      3 months ago

      Who has ever said that? You guys have no healthcare. It’s literally a joke to anyone outside of US.

    • thesohoriots@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      3 months ago

      My insurance bumped up the copay on primary care to make it less affordable than an urgent care visit, incentivizing us to get care with immense surcharges. But at least we can get a same-day appointment instead of waiting a month or two to see the most qualified and familiar person with our conditions. Fuck capitalism, as usual.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        51·
        3 months ago

        Get everyone to use the ERs and clinics which pay doctors less. Think there’s a reason for that?

    • apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.world
      6·
      3 months ago

      I had my primary care doctor retire. The gigantic hospital system with which they work put all existing patients in as new patients for the incoming doctor. It has been 18 months and I’m still waiting for the new patient visit. Fighting to even get maintainance medications filled has been crazy because I keep being told “I have to see my doctor.” Circular logic abounds.

      The gigantic system makes it so I cannot directly contact the office, it is all hurry up and wait through their patient portal systems which require 24-48 hours for response time. Can’t go to the doctors office to complain without an appointment.

      This system is working optimally for someone. It is not us.