We’ve argued here numerous times that the state of the US healthcare system is an outrage. We spend almost double per capita what every other developed country spends, except Switzerland, which comes in at 70% of our per capita spending. An NPR report this morning (3.29.2023) (‘Live free and die?’ The sad state of U.S. life expectancy) grinds through the numerous failings of American healthcare. The report reminds us that solutions are not a mystery. We can look around the developed world for numerous fixes that have a proven track record and cost much less. First we have to admit that we are not NUMBER ONE, except in spending.
We have to see the absolute truth that a market approach to health does not work, cannot work. Our present system is focused on profits not health. There is no conceivable market-based solution that will change this fundamental capitalist dynamic. Capitalists are only in the game to make money. One only has to look at the rush to consolidate healthcare companies to create an ever more monopolized system. Private equity and venture capital firms are busy everywhere in the healthcare system because they smell big profits. Our healthcare system takes up almost 19% of our GDP compared to half that for our developed country cohort.
The US is a leader in maternal mortality in the developed world, BY FAR…
This chart looks a lot like our record for incarceration. See this post >>>>.
Rural America Takes It On The Nose – on the way to the grave.
Living in rural America has probably never been the idyll portrayed in our national mythology. But it is getting worse.
Here are more of our posts on healthcare >>>>.
And a keynote essay here >>>>.