Healthcare: “Bad in America”
New York. Americans get the worst health care compared to five other rich countries, according to a report released on May 15 2007 by the Commonwealth Fund. The group based in New York found that people in Germany, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada get a better care even if their governments spend less money on health than the US. Per-capita health spending in the US in 2004 was $6,102 almost twice that of Canada, which spent $3,165. All the other countries spent even less on health care. Germany leads the pack with $3,005 per capita, followed by Australia ($2,875), Britain (2,546) and New Zealand ($2,083). “The U.S. health care system ranks last compared with five other nations on measures of quality, access, efficiency, equity, and outcomes,” the non-profit group, which studies health care issues, said in a statement. The root of the problem lies in the absence of universal coverage in the US. 45 million Americans live without any health insurance. This number grew since George Bush arrived at the White House in 2001 and the issue moved to the forefront the 2008 presidential campaign. In 1993, Hillary Clinton proposed a health care reform. The former First Lady headed a group that came up with a pan to provide universal healthcare to all Americans. But she failed at the time to convince the US Congress and her plan was abandoned in 1994. Now a presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton is advocating an overhaul of the US health care system. Barack Obama, her main opponent in a crowded democratic field, promised universal health care if he is elected to the White House in 2008. On Monday May 14, the Illinois Senator told a crowd he would make health insurance available to all Americans by the end of his first term as president. President George Bush and the US Congress pledged in recent months to transform the health care systems but have not produced any major results yet. Jean-Cosme Delaloye CommentsYou must be logged in to post a comment. |
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