Costly U.S. health system delivers uneven care: OECD

**LAM** · 11-23-2011, 06:56 PM

Costly U.S. health system delivers uneven care: OECD
By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. healthcare system is more effective at delivering high costs than quality care, according to a new study that found first-rate treatment for cancer but insufficient primary care for other ailments.

The study, released on Wednesday by the 34-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, said Americans pay more than $7,900 per person for healthcare each year -- far more than any other OECD country -- but still die earlier than their peers in the industrialized world.

The cost of healthcare in the United States is 62 percent higher than that in Switzerland, which has a similar per capita income and also relies substantially on private health insurance.

Meanwhile, Americans receive comparatively little actual care, despite sky-high prices driven by expensive tests and procedures. They also spend more tax money on healthcare than most other countries, the study showed.

An "underdeveloped" U.S. primary care system is plagued by shortages of family doctors and high rates of avoidable hospital admissions for people with asthma, lung disease, diabetes, hypertension and other common illnesses.

U.S. survival rates are the world's highest among breast cancer patients and the second highest, after Japan, for people with colorectal cancer - due in part to effective early screening, the study showed. The study also said Americans experience generally good acute hospital care.

"It's a very, very mixed pattern," said Mark Pearson, head of the OECD health division. "You get a very high quality of care for your money in some areas. Very poor quality, compared to other countries, in other areas."

The quality and cost of the $2.6 trillion U.S. healthcare system are at the forefront of a rancorous national political debate over how to regulate and pay for treatment, particularly for the poor and elderly.

The 2010 U.S. healthcare reform law, which seeks to control costs over time by altering incentives for doctors and other providers, faces a constitutional challenge in the Supreme Court, and Republican presidential candidates on the campaign trail have called for its repeal.

LESS CARE, MORE MONEY

Federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid, the government programs for the elderly and the poor, is also a leading target of efforts to narrow the yawning U.S. fiscal deficit.

The OECD said U.S. public spending on healthcare reached 8 percent of the economy versus a 7 percent OECD average in 2009, the latest year for which comparison figures are available.

A forum of developed nations set up to foster global development, the OECD said U.S. life expectancy of 78.2 years ranked 28th - just behind Chile's and well below the average of 79.5 years among member nations.

The growth in U.S. life expectancy over the past half century is also below average, gaining only 8.3 years since 1960 compared with an 11.2-year OECD average.

The United States was ranked fourth from the bottom for premature mortality, which focuses on deaths among younger people. The measure, which reflects dangers posed by violence, accidents and environmental hazards, puts America behind all others save Hungary, Mexico and Russia.

Pearson said researchers believe national mortality rates increasingly reflect the quality of healthcare, though more than half of the equation is still believed to lie with other indicators including lifestyle and diet.

Americans have fewer doctors and hospital beds, make fewer doctor visits, go to the hospital less often and stay for shorter lengths of time than about three-quarters of the other OECD countries.

But the United States is at the front of the pack when it comes to costly medical procedures including knee replacements, MRI and CT scans and tonsillectomies.

And it is consistently at the top of the cost chart for a number of procedures including caesarean sections, which are almost twice as expensive in the United States as in Germany.

Pharmaceuticals also cost about 60 percent more than in a range of European countries.

Pearson said one reason prices are higher in the United States is that the healthcare system lacks what other countries have: an effective government mechanism that acts to keep prices down.

"That's simply not there in the U.S. system. So it's a structural defect," he said.

Health at a Glance 2011: OECD Indicators
KEY FINDINGS: UNITED STATES
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/12/58/49084319.pdf

WHY IS HEALTH SPENDING IN THE UNITED STATES SO HIGH?
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/12/16/49084355.pdf

**ALBOB** · 11-23-2011, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by LAM

WHY IS HEALTH SPENDING IN THE UNITED STATES SO HIGH?
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/12/16/49084355.pdf

"Leaving aside spending on administration, the high level of spending in the United States may be due to:
 The cost (or price) of health care being higher in the United States than elsewhere
 The United States providing more health care – more doctors’ appointments, more surgery, more
drugs, more diagnostic tests, longer stays in hospital – than in other countries
 Some combination of the two."

"The high level of spending on health care MAY be due to the cost of health care being high."

Did any of these geniuses think to do a root cause analysis and see why the costs are so high? How's about we look at all the malpractice insurance that doctors have to pay just to break even.

**squigader** · 11-23-2011, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

"Leaving aside spending on administration, the high level of spending in the United States may be due to:
 The cost (or price) of health care being higher in the United States than elsewhere
 The United States providing more health care – more doctors’ appointments, more surgery, more
drugs, more diagnostic tests, longer stays in hospital – than in other countries
 Some combination of the two."

"The high level of spending on health care MAY be due to the cost of health care being high."

Did any of these geniuses think to do a root cause analysis and see why the costs are so high? How's about we look at all the malpractice insurance that doctors have to pay just to break even.

Profit is a big part of it. Health insurance companies need a cut. Enough of a cut to fund the entire corporation. Stupid fucking middlemen. In an ideal world, we'd have a perfect government as a middleman who could ensure good standards for us without making a profit.

**Prince** · 11-23-2011, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

Did any of these geniuses think to do a root cause analysis and see why the costs are so high? How's about we look at all the malpractice insurance that doctors have to pay just to break even.

the problem with your opinion on any matters like this is you're BIASED, you spent your career in the military, and from what I remember as a civilian you also work for the government, so you have no complaints, your health coverage is covered 100%.

What about the rest of us???

**LAM** · 11-23-2011, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

Did any of these geniuses think to do a root cause analysis and see why the costs are so high? How's about we look at all the malpractice insurance that doctors have to pay just to break even.

"Role of Malpractice Litigation
Another commonly cited contention is that medical malpractice litigation is driving up U.S. health spending. The authors compared malpractice claims data from the U.S., Australia, Canada, and the U.K., using information from national reports and databases. While the U.S. had 50 percent more malpractice claims filed per 1,000 population than the U.K. and Australia, and 350 percent more than Canada, payments were lower, on average, than those in Canada and the U.K. More important, average payments per capita were only $16 in the U.S. in 2001, compared with $12 in the U.K., $10 in Australia, and $4 in Canada. Including awards, legal fees, and underwriting costs, the total amount spent defending U.S. malpractice claims was an estimated $6.5 billion in 2001, or 0.46 percent of total health spending.

Defensive medicine could contribute more to health spending than malpractice payments do, but it is difficult to measure and estimates vary widely, say the authors. Even the upper estimate—9 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—would explain only part of the higher U.S. health spending, they say."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

* From what I have found in other papers on this topic (US health spending) the main reasons why US healthcare is so expensive is mainly due to:

* there is less Dr's and hospital beds per 1,000 people in the US as compared to other wealthy OECD country's at 2.4 physicians per 1,000 population. France and Germany had 3.3, and Switzerland had 3.5. (on avg US Dr's make 3x more than their counterparts in other countries because of this)

"The American Medical Association (AMA) responded by trying to control the
supply of doctors, claiming there was a “doctor glut.” In 1997 the U.S. government’s Federal Health Care Financing Administration responded by paying some medical schools not to produce doctors."

- having a low number of Dr's keeps that profession very "prestigious" and with a high salary. this industry is protected by the gov, no outsourcing, high unemployment or low wages for them. in many countries being a medical Dr is no more prestigious than being a engineer, professor, etc. take India for example they have extreme excess of medical doctors, to the point where it is more profitable to man a phone on a help desk taking calls from the US.

* high cost of medical school (this discourages many)
* administrative costs (inefficient payment methods)
* frequent testing using expensive machines (MRI's, etc.) when those tests are not needed.
* high costs of prescription medicines (60% higher than the OECD average)

in the US malpractice insurance averages about 17% of the mean net income of 207K and increases at the same rate as their incomes at about 1-2% a year.

**Big Smoothy** · 11-23-2011, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

Did any of these geniuses think to do a root cause analysis and see why the costs are so high? How's about we look at all the malpractice insurance that doctors have to pay just to break even.

2 other main causes for the high cost of US medical care:

1. Insurance coverage

2. Medicare

**LAM** · 11-24-2011, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by Big Smoothy

2. Medicare

whose costs have increased at almost 400% since 1970 as compared to 700% for private premiums due to a lack of cost controls.

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

the problem with your opinion on any matters like this is you're BIASED, you spent your career in the military, and from what I remember as a civilian you also work for the government, so you have no complaints, your health coverage is covered 100%.

What about the rest of us???

You're right, I have great coverage. So what? How does my coverage in any way affect what I said???

**Zaphod** · 11-24-2011, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

the problem with your opinion on any matters like this is you're BIASED, you spent your career in the military, and from what I remember as a civilian you also work for the government, so you have no complaints, your health coverage is covered 100%.

What about the rest of us???

He's taken care of so fuck everybody else.

**Prince** · 11-24-2011, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

You're right, I have great coverage. So what? How does my coverage in any way affect what I said???

Answer me this, why should "government workers" get 100% health coverage (paid by our tax dollars) and those that work in the private sector are now getting royally fucked? I am self insured and I am paying $600/month to cover my family and we still have to meet an annual deductible of $2500 EACH before the insurance kicks in. Only in America.

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Zaphod

He's taken care of so fuck everybody else.

No, not everybody else, just you.

If you had the reading comprehension skills of a toad you MIGHT be able to understand that what I posted was an example of why health care costs so much. Fix it and costs will go down. So dipshit, tell me again how I'm saying "fuck everbody else".

**Prince** · 11-24-2011, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

No, not everybody else, just you.

If you had the reading comprehension skills of a toad you MIGHT be able to understand that what I posted was an example of why health care costs so much. Fix it and costs will go down. So dipshit, tell me again how I'm saying "fuck everbody else".

no, we don't need to fix it, we need to make it fair for everyone.

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

Answer me this, why should "government workers" get 100% health coverage (paid by our tax dollars) and those that work in the private sector are now getting royally fucked? I am self insured and I am paying $600/month to cover my family and we still have to meet an annual deductible of $2500 each before the insurance kicks in. Only in America.

Beats me, I wouldn't know. I don't get 100% health coverage. My wife and I do pay substantially less than you but, that's because I'm retired Air Force and we pay for Tricare. You were offered that but chose not to take it.

As far as my current job, I'm not employed by the government. I'm employed by a private company that's a contractor to the DoE. If I wanted health insurance through my company I'd pay aboujt the same as you.

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

no, we don't need to fix it, we need to make it fair for everyone.

You don't see those as being the same thing???

**LAM** · 11-24-2011, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

No, not everybody else, just you.

If you had the reading comprehension skills of a toad you MIGHT be able to understand that what I posted was an example of why health care costs so much. Fix it and costs will go down. So dipshit, tell me again how I'm saying "fuck everbody else".

insurance is not the reason, there are tons of studies on this topic globally. along with the fact that they are deductible at 100% for most small businesses.

**Prince** · 11-24-2011, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

You don't see those as being the same thing???

I think our government has showed us time and time again that they cannot fix a fucking thing. So no I really don't see them as being the same in this particular situation, lets just make it fair and let American have the same (as in equal) access to health coverage. I am not talking charity I am saying we should all get the same opportunities. I am a tax paying citizen just like you or a member of Congress or any other fucking person. Inmates in prison have access to more health care than the average American. Just because someone works for the government should not give them better or less expensive healthcare, we are the one's paying for it yet we get fucked in the end.

Why don't my tax dollars give me the same benefits as a government worker?

**Zaphod** · 11-24-2011, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

No, not everybody else, just you.

If you had the reading comprehension skills of a toad you MIGHT be able to understand that what I posted was an example of why health care costs so much. Fix it and costs will go down. So dipshit, tell me again how I'm saying "fuck everbody else".

It's your fuck everybody else attitude, fuckface. That plain and simple enough for your sperm encrusted brain to comprehend?

You want to get into insults you're already fucked.

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Prince

I think our government has showed us time and time again that they cannot fix a fucking thing. So no I really don't see them as being the same in this particular situation, lets just make it fair and let American have the same (as in equal) access to health coverage. I am not talking charity I am saying we should all get the same opportunities. I am a tax paying citizen just like you or a member of Congress or any other fucking person. Inmates in prison have access to more health care than the average American. Just because someone works for the government should not give them better or less expensive healthcare, we are the one's paying for it yet we get fucked in the end.

Why don't my tax dollars give me the same benefits as a government worker?

Yet people are screaming for the government to fix this problem. That seems very contradictory to me.

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by Zaphod

It's your fuck everybody else attitude, fuckface. That plain and simple enough for your sperm encrusted brain to comprehend?

You want to get into insults you're already fucked.

And once again YOU are the one proving you don't have the I.Q. of a flea. Show me one example of my fuck everybody else attitude. I pointed out what I think is a problem with the system and how fixing it would HELP everybody.

How are you even alive since you don't seem to have the brain power to operate your lungs?

**Dark Geared God** · 11-24-2011, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Prince

the problem with your opinion on any matters like this is you're BIASED, you spent your career in the military, and from what I remember as a civilian you also work for the government, so you have no complaints, your health coverage is covered 100%.

What about the rest of us???

GTCH

And F the rest if they wnt coverage join the service..

i was told this as a kid life isn't fair it was never ment to be fair.I was told this when my friend told me i have a lot and i ask my parents wahy he didn't have as much

**Zaphod** · 11-24-2011, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

And once again YOU are the one proving you don't have the I.Q. of a flea. Show me one example of my fuck everybody else attitude. I pointed out what I think is a problem with the system and how fixing it would HELP everybody.

How are you even alive since you don't seem to have the brain power to operate your lungs?

It's been pointed out that you are wrong on the malpractice front. Or is that just a fact that's inconvenient so you ignore it? You're so insulated from the real world with a cushy, freeloading government job you haven't a clue what is actually wrong.

Get a real job. Quit being a leach on society. Clearly you're overpaid and overcompensated. It's mighty scary having to pay your own way through the healthcare industry.

Next time try using something above your medula oblongata to think. If your brainstem goes that far.

**LAM** · 11-24-2011, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

Yet people are screaming for the government to fix this problem. That seems very contradictory to me.

gov has the means to fix it just not the US gov, it is to entrenched in the markets at this point they both rely on each other. governments in many other country's have taken steps to reduce health spending which is increasing at much slower rates across the OECD.

then just stand around with the thumb up the ass until health spending accounts for 50% of US GDP decades down the road? healthcare costs increase at the rate of 4% a year, which is far more than real GDP growth at 2.5%, and substantially more than real income growth at 1-2% for the "lucky" ones. Americans could be using those monies on other things, savings & investments, paying for the child education, etc. the things the middle class used to be able to do.

if these specific problems were naturally occurring to that industry then they would be observed in other OECD countries, which they are not. this tells us that is it a function of the industry in the US.

**Dark Geared God** · 11-24-2011, 02:46 PM

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Zaphod

It's been pointed out that you are wrong on the malpractice front. Or is that just a fact that's inconvenient so you ignore it? You're so insulated from the real world with a cushy, freeloading government job you haven't a clue what is actually wrong.

Get a real job. Quit being a leach on society. Clearly you're overpaid and overcompensated. It's mighty scary having to pay your own way through the healthcare industry. .

Next time try using something above your medula oblongata to think. If your brainstem goes that far.

When I said you had the I.Q. of a flea it seems I was insulting fleas. Here, I'll post my reply to Prince again. Maybe you can have someone with better than a kindergarten education to read it to you.

"Beats me, I wouldn't know. I don't get 100% health coverage. My wife and I do pay substantially less than you but, that's because I'm retired Air Force and we pay for Tricare. You were offered that but chose not to take it.

As far as my current job, I'm not employed by the government. I'm employed by a private company that's a contractor to the DoE. If I wanted health insurance through my company I'd pay aboujt the same as you."

**Dark Geared God** · 11-24-2011, 05:25 PM

**Prince** · 11-24-2011, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by ALBOB

Yet people are screaming for the government to fix this problem. That seems very contradictory to me.

I want the government to do what it's supposed to do, represent the people, remember this "of the people, by the people, for the people".
Do you really think that our current government is representing the people?

**ALBOB** · 11-24-2011, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Prince

I want the government to do what it's supposed to do, represent the people, remember this "of the people, by the people, for the people".
Do you really think that our current government is representing the people?

Nope, I sure don't. THAT is one thing you and I have always and WILL always agree on. I think the only difference you and I have is exactly how we want them to go about doing it. And even in that I don't think we're very far apart.

**Prince** · 11-24-2011, 08:10 PM

fair enough.

**irish_2003** · 11-24-2011, 08:24 PM

we all think and act like we're worth more than we actually are compared to people in other countries.....

**Prince** · 11-24-2011, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by irish_2003

we all think and act like we're worth more than we actually are compared to people in other countries.....

what do u mean?

Thread: Costly U.S. health system delivers uneven care: OECD

Thread Tools

Display

Costly U.S. health system delivers uneven care: OECD

Similar Threads

Why Weight Lifting Is An Exercise That Delivers Top Health Benefits

Why Weight Lifting Is An Exercise That Delivers Top Health Benefits

Barrys Health Care

free our health care now

Health Care

Posting Permissions