It is not surprising that for a number of illnesses, the outcomes are better in the U.S.: more cash is thrown at the problem and that money is spread over fewer people. The significantly higher expenditures in the U.S. do lead to some nice facilities. However, look at other measures: infant mortality is higher in the U.S., higher even than Cuba. This is often taken as a measure for basic, broad care. As already noted, Canadians and Britons live longer, even with the binge drinking and obesity problems in the U.K.

The U.S. is (I think) the only first-world example of profit-governed medicine. Occasionally the private component of Canada’s health care industry advocates more “anti-social” medical measures. The U.S. outcomes and costs serve as an example that pretty much shuts down the debate here before it gets started.

Britain’s and Canada’s medical system isn’t perfect, we know that, but it is pretty good, especially for urgent care. Few people outside the U.S. want its health care system. Most Canadians consider the U.S. as an embarrassment to the country and a mistake no one else wants to duplicate.

http://gulfstreamblues.cafebabel.com/en/post/2009/08/05/Germany,-and-Reason,-Ignored-in-US-Healthcare-Debate

–Jarrod

If I have a problem with a physicians evaluation and wish a second or third opinion on a critical matter I get it. Remember the old joke: “What do they call someone who finished last in medical school?” Doctor.
.

Not as many as you think.

But guess who is traveling out of country to get medical procedures done in numbers large enough to support an entirely new industry (medical tourism to India)?

Yep, you guessed it…WE ARE.

How’s that greatest health care system on earth looking now?

SIX MILLION Americans will travel to India for medical procedures this year.

Number of people coming to the United States each year?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism#United_States
Sixty to eighty-five thousand.

Hmmmmmm, what’s that, Deroy?
Couldn’t hear ya mate.
Your mouth is full of ASTROTURF.

But the real problem is that you are assuming that the difference is caused by the health care system. If that were the case, then we should adopt the Mexican health care system because the breast cancer death rate there is only 8%. Or maybe we should adopt the Chinese system because the rate is only 6%. That’s right the Chinese system is three time better than ours.

The reality is that breast cancer death rates are highly effected by diet. It is dairy products and meat that cause the high death rates, not the health care system. The same thing applies to prostate cancer.

Everyone of your examples are disceptive. For example steroid injections have now been proved to be no more effective for back pain than palcebo.