American healthcare is the most expensive in the world. That seems to be established. Is it the best? Debatable. How would we know? By looking at specific aspects we as users would value - accessibility, timeliness, cost, effectiveness, kindness, safety confidentiality and so on.
A recent study by the Commonwealth Fund using such an approach suggests it is not the best - indeed it came last in study of a number of countries worldwide. Other studies have found similar results when looking at the health of the citizens but wrongly make the jump from healthcare to health. Expensive health care should mean a healthy populace they seem to expect. Wrong! Even excellent albeit costly healthcare cannot make a population healthy. It can help those whose ill health becomes a major issue. It cannot beyond advice, education and exhortation make a society behave in a manner which will promote good health. And here is the kicker - if we live badly and make poor choices we will have poor health, we will make extra demands on healthcare which will in turn cost more!
Expensive healthcare is not just about inefficiency, profligacy or exploitation - it is also about levels of demand which in turn are driven by the health of the population.
A continuing contribution to the promotion of sanity and decency in life with a few delights do lighten the load.
