You Pay for What You Get

That's the mantra. But it isn't true. Sometimes you get charged what the market will bear.

Here are some health care stats from an Economist article cited in a The Big Picture post:

US spend on healthcare is 15.4% of GDP including both state and private. With that it gets 2.6 doctors per 1,000 people, 3.3 hospital beds and its people live to an average age of 78.2

UK - spends 8.1% of GDP, gets 2.3 doctors, 4.2 hospital beds and live to an average age of 79.4. So for roughly half the cost their citizens overall get about the same benefit in terms of longevity of life.

Canada - spends 9.8% of GDP on healthcare, gets 2.1 doctors, 3.6 hospital beds and live until they are 80.6 yrs

France - spends 10.5%, 3.4 docs, 7.5 beds and live until they are 80.6

Spain - spends 8.1% , 3.3 docs , 3.8 beds and live until they are 81

It is pretty clear that the US is paying more and getting worse results. But wait... the US has all the sexy new gizmos and all the super well paid medical staff. So I guess the US is making more of a fashion statement than a health statement. In that sense, the US leads the world in stylish health care!

I, however, never wanted to be a fashion victim, so I'm quite happy with the Canadian medical system. Sure, it has flaws. But looking at "the big picture" it is head and shoulders over the US.