The World Health Organization of the United Nations annually ranks its 191 member nations on the effectiveness of their health care systems. These enlightening statistics are available at the CIA World Factbook, the United Nations website, worldlifeexpectancy.com and The Institute for Health Metrics from the University of Washington.
The performance of the U.S. healthcare system ranks 37th of 191 nations, which is pitiful. France and Italy rank first and second.
The health of the U.S. population ranks only 72nd, slightly above Iraq. In life expectancy, we rank 43rd, the third successive year of decline.
We are, however, first in one category: expenditures. We spend almost twice as much as any other nation on health, and healthcare costs are the biggest cause of U.S. bankruptcies.
Longevity projections published in The Lancet rank the U.S. 64th in 2040, slightly better than Bangladesh!
Single Payer/Medicare for All is used by the rest of the world because it makes more sense and saves money, with no middle men, like insurance companies or agents. Doctors work for the health system and drug companies are forced to sell drugs at reasonable prices.
We can learn much from other countries about their success and as a result, experience better health at a much lower price.
Jim Forleo
Durango
