How much more do Americans spend on healthcare than people in Britain, Germany and Canada?
More than twice as much, according to a recently released report by The Commonwealth Fund.
The report was compiled from patient and physician surveys in seven countries from 2007-2009.
It found that health spending in American was $7,290 per person per year. That’s a big increase from the $6,697 Americans were spending per capita the last time the survey was conducted (2007).
What’s spending like in the six other countries included in the study?
- Canada — $3,895
- Netherlands — $3,837
- Germany — $3,588
- Australia — $3,357
- United Kingdom — $2,992
- New Zealand — $2,454
And the news doesn’t get any better for the U.S. when it comes to the other standards upon which each nation’s health system was rated.
The U.S. health care system ranked last or next-to-last in each of these categories:
- Quality
- Access
- Efficiency
- Equity, and
- Long, healthy and productive lives.
When the scores in each of the categories were combined, the Netherlands ranked first overall, with the U.K. and Australia close behind.
The U.S.? Dead last.
A detailed rundown of the study can be found here.
Note: It bears mentioning that The Commonwealth Fund has been a big proponent of the health reform law that was just passed in March. Reports from the nonprofit fund have been used by lawmakers who supported reform.
What do you think about the findings of this report? Share your opinions in the Comments Box below.
