According to new research by The Commonwealth Fund, an independent research group, the U.S. ranks as the worst performer among 10 developed nations in critical areas of health care, including preventing deaths, access (mainly because of high cost) and guaranteeing quality treatment for everyone, regardless of gender, income, or geographic location.
The researchers looked at how the U.S. compared with nine other countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Each country was graded on 5 categories:
- Access to care,
- Care process,
- Administrative efficiency,
- Equity, and
- Health outcomes.
Based on the new findings, people in the U.S. die the youngest and experience the most avoidable deaths, even though the country spends nearly twice as much — about 18% of gross domestic product — on health care than any other nation ranked.
The researchers noted that the U.S. stood out for its “exceptionally weak” performance. One author wrote, “The United States provides perhaps the most advanced medical treatments in the world, but only for those who can afford it,” “For far too many people, high-quality medical care is out of reach.”
The research is new but confirms what has been previously found. The state of health in the U.S. can and must be improved! Dimensions is committed to making a difference for the health and well-being of all. We have written several blogs in the past on the state of health in the US. We wrote then and still believe that it is time for a change and that corporations can spearhead the conversation.
Right now, corporations pay about 50% of health insurance, and the government pays about 35% (Medicare and Medicaid). 15% are uninsured or under-insured and we believe it is higher than this now.
Corporate healthcare benefits provide more coverage and are often better than individual plans purchased through insurance carriers. Believe me, we speak from experience! That said, the insurance does not continue when employees lose their jobs, plus the fact that many employers do not provide benefits.
One of our blogs summarized the history of healthcare insurance and how we got to this point. But the history doesn’t capture the complexity of what has been created. The question still is, why don’t we have the best healthcare, not just for a few, but for all? Shouldn’t we? “Since the pandemic the gap has widened between U.S. healthcare dollar spending and the rest of the world. The U.S. continues to have the largest investment in care with the poorest returns. The U.S. ranks 39th in life expectancy compared to other nations. The U.S. is the only high-income country without guaranteed access to healthcare. This results in adults skipping or delaying needed care”. (Shouldn’t the US have the best healthcare?).
In our blog on the Shrinking Life Expectancy, a year-long Washington Post examination reveals that this erosion in life spans is deeper and broader than widely recognized, afflicting a far-reaching swath of the United States (AN EPIDEMIC OF CHRONIC ILLNESS IS KILLING US TOO SOON.
It is worth reflecting on and considering the possibilities. Just imagine if corporate leaders demanded a change to ensure the best healthcare for all. Just imagine.
2024 Commonwealth Fund Research
Photo by Joshua Chehov on Unsplash