Researchers Release New Information About Just How Bad US Healthcare Is

From long wait times to rising costs, there’s no shortage of complaints surrounding America’s healthcare system. And the assessment only becomes bleaker when compared to how things operate in similar nations.

Important facts and figures

The Commonwealth Fund recently conducted a study of systems in place around the world and found that the U.S. not only spends more on healthcare than any other upper-income nation … it also seems to get the least return for that investment.

According to the recent report, Americans are sicker during their lives and die earlier on average than should be expected based on the amount of cash the nation funnels into healthcare.

Compared to the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands specifically, the U.S. is notable for a significantly higher rate of chronic disease and preventable deaths.

Other nations the research determined had better healthcare services than America were Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, and Sweden.

But no country is perfect

It might be easy to look at this report and conclude that there’s no hope for rehabilitating the U.S. healthcare system. But the study’s authors noted that there are positives and negatives across all nations, each of which “have something to learn from one another.”

Nevertheless, the current situation in the States earned a fairly scathing assessment in the report. Here are some of the primary issues cited:

• Americans are more likely to have chronic diseases
• Drug overdoses and gun violence are among the most common preventable deaths
• Out-of-pocket costs keep preventative care out of reach for many Americans
• The U.S. insurance industry is far more complex than those in other nations

The report ended with a prescription of sorts, suggesting that universal healthcare with a focus on preventative care could help turn things around for the U.S.

Chris Agee September 20th, 2024

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