"Europeans pay for their healthcare systems with pain and suffering. Since this cannot be measured, it cannot be turned into a target, and bureacrats learned that it is the best way to hide the true cost of socialised healthcare. If the accountant can't see it, then it doesn't exist."
-Blog entry by Lee Kelly, former British subject, now living in the United States.
Another post:
"One cost savings in Europe is that they are not Obese. 12% of the French are obese compared to over 30% of Americans. The incidence of chronic, expensive and life-shortening diseases is very high among the obese. This cannot be overstated. They choose a better lifestyle and lifestyle has a very profound effect on your health - an effect that, at some point, cannot be offset with additional medical attention.
Beyond that, Europe doesn't trounce us in cost because it's an apples to oranges comparison. If you've had the unfortunate experience of needing complicated procedures in both places, you will know instantly that the availability of more advanced (and more expensive) medical technology and pharmaceuticals is very limited as compared to the U.S. The quality of care is also worse.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, health care spending accounted for 10.9% of GDP in Switzerland, 10.7% in Germany, 9.7% in Canada and 9.5% in France.
The U.S. spent 15% for the same time period.
But, we also get a lot of optional procedures and are eager to provide our loved ones with the latest medical technology has to offer. Expensive infertility treatments are covered by insurance in the U.S. but are not covered at all in European countries. Same for medication like Viagra (although, I expect France does cover it - love is important and smoking is hell on the vascular system). If I lose a leg, I'm getting the newest, most expensive prosthetic there available and will allow me to continue running - and I'm willing to pay to get it. In France, the wooden stump whittled by a sixth generation stump craftsman on the Normandy coast is all that's available to me. Are we getting what we pay for? I think so. We get so much more.
According to the CBO, about half of the increase in healthcare spending in the U.S. over the past few decades is associated with changes in medical care made possible by advances in medical technology.
The real problem is that Americans see the new technology and want it, but don't want to pay for it and assume that Europeans are getting it "for free". Most of it, the Europeans are not getting at all or in very limited amounts.
Then, there are the claims of "excessive growth" in America's healthcare costs. According to a study conducted by Andrew Biggs, if "excessive growth" is defined as the growth rate above the growth rate of GDP, America's excessive growth since 1990 is not that different from the 23 OECD countries. 1.62% for the OECD vs. 1.66% for the U.S. In fact, the U.S. excessive growth rate ranks 9th of the 23.
Is Europe better, faster, cheaper? Hardly."
Folks, this is your health and the health of your children. I suffered and I don't want to suffer again and I don't want you and your kids to suffer. Before you <i>irreversibly<i> (because government never gives back ground) commit to handing over something as important as the medical care of your loved ones, you should take some time to consider and learn about the various systems available around the world and take the best from each.
But, for God's sake, call your representatives and tell them not just RAM this current bill through congress in the name of political expedience. A change this big and important cannot be written up and crashed on the heads of Americans with so little consideration and debate.
