Analysis: Assessing U.S. Healthcare Expenditure and Quality of Care
TL/DR –
The U.S. spends the most on healthcare among industrialized nations, accounting for 18% of its GDP in 2024. International health care rankings from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Commonwealth Fund position the U.S. poorly due to its lack of a government-run, single-payer health care system, which these organizations equate with “equity.” However, the article argues that these rankings do not reflect health outcomes, and highlights that the U.S. has lower mortality rates for heart attacks and strokes, and high survival rates for many common cancers.
U.S. Healthcare Spending and the Single-Payer System
With a grand total of $5.3 trillion in 2024, the United States leads industrialized nations in healthcare spending, accounting for 18 percent of its GDP. Despite over 40 percent of Americans receiving healthcare via government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare, single-payer system advocates argue for a complete government-run system, which they believe would improve patient care and control healthcare costs. Read more about U.S. healthcare spending here.
International Health Care Rankings
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Commonwealth Fund are the key organizations cited in assessing international healthcare rankings. The U.S., ranked 37th by the WHO and last by the Commonwealth Fund, is seen trailing behind smaller nations like Australia, Norway, and Switzerland, based on healthcare equity.
Equity and Healthcare Rankings
Equity in a country’s healthcare delivery system plays a significant role in these rankings. The WHO bases at least 62.5 percent of its ranking on whether a country has a single-payer or government-run healthcare system. Thus, the U.S’s lack of a single-payer system attracted low rankings. The Commonwealth Fund also ranks countries based on “equity,” although it does not assign percentages to its criteria.
Treatment Efficiency in Heart Disease and Stroke
Critical to any healthcare delivery system is its efficiency in treating specific diseases. Data shows that the U.S. has a lower 30-day mortality rate for heart attack and stroke patients compared to an average of five other industrialized countries. Learn more about U.S. healthcare efficiency here.
International Cancer Survival Rates
The U.S. excels in five-year survival rates for the most common types of cancer – breast, prostate, and lung, according to the extensive Concord-3 study. However, it lags behind in certain health areas such as premature death, longevity, and maternal mortality, largely due to prevalent social issues and major physical trauma incidents. Read more about the Concord-3 study here.
Assessing Real Medical Results
Obesity rates in the U.S. are a significant concern, with 74 percent of Americans being overweight and 40 percent obese. However, the quality of a country’s healthcare delivery system should not be assessed based on lifestyle choices, but on its efficiency and success in treating diseases. The goal should be to provide world-class medical care, not merely insurance coverage. Find more about U.S. obesity rates here.
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