US health care is expensive, but it would be the best for those who can afford it. However, a new study has been published in JAMA Internal Medicine it shows how little has even the richest benefit. Although white citizens living in the richest 1% and 5% of the provinces have better health data than poor, they lag behind the average citizens in other countries in key areas.
According to Peterson-KFF, the US spent 18% of GDP on health in 2018. Average spending in comparable countries was only 10%. And the richest quintile in the U.S. population spends 43% more than the poorest, according to a 2016 study published in Health matters. That explains why wealthy Americans are believed to receive the best healthcare in the world.
But that may not be true. The study of JAMA for example, it shows that the maternal mortality rate in the wealthiest 1% of the provinces is about 10 per 100,000 births, less than half the rate in the country; but the average of 12 developed countries is 3 per 100,000. Something similar happens with survival 30 days after a heart attack.
Of course, the United States, for example, is among the best breast cancer survivors. And the populations are not the same: Americans are generally fatter and more sedentary than other nationalities.
Still, it’s further proof that something is wrong. Having a referral doctor would help. An official study shows that Americans with complex conditions have more than 12 doctors on average, increasing the likelihood of drug interactions or patients being ignored. The situation could improve with more home visits by nurses.
Evaluating and paying doctors based on results, rather than prescriptions and procedures, would also pay off. And greater health equality would benefit everyone, something that should be evident in a pandemic.
The authors are columnists for Reuters Breakingviews. Opinions are yours. The translation of Carlos Gomez down, it is the responsibility of Five days