U.S. is No. 1 in a key area of healthcare. Guess which one ...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Britain — all are outperforming the United States when it comes to most aspects of healthcare. Again. But we're still tops in one area: spending. Take that, Netherlands.

The assessment is from a new Commonwealth Fund report, released Wednesday, ranking healthcare systems on quality, access, efficiency, equity and healthy lives.

After pointing out that the other countries have universal health coverage (perhaps you'd heard?) and that the access picture should change as the health overhaul is implemented, the summary of the report states:

"But even when access and equity measures are not considered, the U.S. ranks behind most of the other countries on most measures. ... It is apparent that the U.S. is lagging in adoption of national policies that promote primary care, quality improvement, and information technology."

The report notes that various legislative remedies (read: funds) are now being administered to mitigate these symptoms as well.

But money doesn't necessarily buy quality, as the assessment emphasizes, and it would appear we have a long way to go in improving key elements of our healthcare system.

Here's today's L.A. Times article on healthcare: Obama proposes interim health protections ... "The regulations, all outlined in the healthcare overhaul bill, include barring insurance plans from denying coverage to children with preexisting conditions. Republicans call the rules a sales job."

— Tami Dennis

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/06/us-is-no-1-in-a-key-area-of-health-care-guess-which-one.html

[IndigoSkies 168]

American healthcare is seriously, seriously broken. It's not the actual "health" part of healthcare. What's broken is the business part of healthcare. There are insurmountable inefficiencies in the system. Frauds are rampant and patients receive unnecessary care and therapy just because the doctor wants to cover his bases and make a big claim against the insurance company.

But unfortunately a 1000 page long act is no way to fix this. The fix should come from futurists and technologists. I s### you not. Lawmakers can’t fix something they don’t understand or comprehend. MIT is far more suitable to fix healthcare than Senators. Seriously.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

American healthcare is seriously, seriously broken. It's not the actual "health" part of healthcare. What's broken is the business part of healthcare. There are insurmountable inefficiencies in the system. Frauds are rampant and patients receive unnecessary care and therapy just because the doctor wants to cover his bases and make a big claim against the insurance company.

But unfortunately a 1000 page long act is no way to fix this. The fix should come from futurists and technologists. I s### you not. Lawmakers can’t fix something they don’t understand or comprehend. MIT is far more suitable to fix healthcare than Senators. Seriously.

oh FFS why the hell do I somewhat agree with what you're posting again.

It must be 2012...

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

A month ago my wife went to the doctor to get a certain prescription, nothing major not an antibiotic or anything. Well the doctor gave the prescription and wanted to do a few viral tests and took some samples. My wife asked what they were and said no to the tests as she had them recently. The doctor said ok and that was that.

Two days ago we received a bill for 300.00 for the tests which came back clear. So the only thing we can do is file a grievance and hope the panel believes us over the doctor....how messed up is that?????????

[SMOKE 1,426]

A month ago my wife went to the doctor to get a certain prescription, nothing major not an antibiotic or anything. Well the doctor gave the prescription and wanted to do a few viral tests and took some samples. My wife asked what they were and said no to the tests as she had them recently. The doctor said ok and that was that.

Two days ago we received a bill for 300.00 for the tests which came back clear. So the only thing we can do is file a grievance and hope the panel believes us over the doctor....how messed up is that?????????

request a copy of the results.

[alienlovechild 75]

The assessment is from a new Commonwealth Fund report, released Wednesday, ranking healthcare systems on quality, access, efficiency, equity and healthy lives.

Even after Obamacare kicks in with the benefuts, it seems unlikely there will be any major improvement on reports like these. Access and equity with increase but quality and costs will rise. Healthlier lives? Has a lot to do with non-medical lifesyle choices which are ingrained in Americans so at best it would be a draw but advocacy groups like Commonwealth will claim some success then call for more spending. It's the same as we spend more on education than nearly any other country but we don't have the best education system but nobody cares about that.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

A month ago my wife went to the doctor to get a certain prescription, nothing major not an antibiotic or anything. Well the doctor gave the prescription and wanted to do a few viral tests and took some samples. My wife asked what they were and said no to the tests as she had them recently. The doctor said ok and that was that.

Two days ago we received a bill for 300.00 for the tests which came back clear. So the only thing we can do is file a grievance and hope the panel believes us over the doctor....how messed up is that?????????

Very messed up. Call the doctor and say I AM NOT PAYING because I told you not to do the tests. Why is there a "panel" involved? I never involve a panel or anyone else. ME and the doctor. Had my 6 month post-bypass surgery yesterday, talked it over with the doctor agreed to some more tests which I will pay for when I arrive. Problem? If I say no, the test is not done and I do not pay.

[Heracles 417]

Dude no offense but are you ###### retarded? On one hand you want every illegal alien in under the sun and visas for all the third world. Then you disingenuously post this ####### and claim you are for the same group of people that are ###### the most by illegal aliens in 2010; considering last time I checked, this isn't the 50's or 60's.

Edited June 25, 2010 by Booyah!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

American healthcare is seriously, seriously broken. It's not the actual "health" part of healthcare. What's broken is the business part of healthcare. There are insurmountable inefficiencies in the system. Frauds are rampant and patients receive unnecessary care and therapy just because the doctor wants to cover his bases and make a big claim against the insurance company.

But unfortunately a 1000 page long act is no way to fix this. The fix should come from futurists and technologists. I s### you not. Lawmakers can’t fix something they don’t understand or comprehend. MIT is far more suitable to fix healthcare than Senators. Seriously.

excellent point, considering that what lawmakers generally understand of IMPROVING anything is rather minuscule (they generally do understand much about making bureaucracy MUCH WORSE, easy example being INS/USCIS--of which I have had much bitter experience).

[Heracles 417]

American healthcare is seriously, seriously broken. It's not the actual "health" part of healthcare. What's broken is the business part of healthcare. There are insurmountable inefficiencies in the system. Frauds are rampant and patients receive unnecessary care and therapy just because the doctor wants to cover his bases and make a big claim against the insurance company.

But unfortunately a 1000 page long act is no way to fix this. The fix should come from futurists and technologists. I s### you not. Lawmakers can’t fix something they don’t understand or comprehend. MIT is far more suitable to fix healthcare than Senators. Seriously.

Actually, MIT is a technology oriented school. WTH would they know about fixing health care?

The health care in this country is great, it's just not affordable.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

A month ago my wife went to the doctor to get a certain prescription, nothing major not an antibiotic or anything. Well the doctor gave the prescription and wanted to do a few viral tests and took some samples. My wife asked what they were and said no to the tests as she had them recently. The doctor said ok and that was that.

Two days ago we received a bill for 300.00 for the tests which came back clear. So the only thing we can do is file a grievance and hope the panel believes us over the doctor....how messed up is that?????????

In San Fransicko general-area, that is no surprise. I once had a physical done (at the request of my sister--I really didn't want to do it due to the gross inconvenience, such as having to fast till 14:00) and was billed $295.00 on-spot which I paid and got a receipt. Later, they sent me a bill for $160.00--to which I sent them a xerox of the receipt and told them THEY owed ME money (they claimed they received NO payment on that bill). Never once did that hospital acknowledge their error!

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Actually, MIT is a technology oriented school. WTH would they know about fixing health care?

The health care in this country is great, it's just not affordable.

We should just copy OZ!