Health Spending

[cannon_fodder]

I just came across an interesting fact that I though ti would share.

The United State spends more public money PER CAPITA on health care coverage than Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Cuba, Ireland, Italy, Japan...


Source: http://puck.sourceoecd.org/vl=829434/cl=21/nw=1/rpsv/factbook/11-01-04.htm

That's crazy.  How can we spend so much more than everyone else and still rank lower in the world.  Guess we are really just that much unhealthy than most other places.

For reference, here is the life expectancy chart:
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_lif_exp_at_bir_yea_tot_pop-expectancy-birth-years-total-population

American's, Cuban's and Danes all live to 77.  Most the top notch nations are at 80.  Given how crappy our lifestyle is I guess I'll take that as a "W."

Anyway, kind of sticks a wrench in the socialized health care debate, looks like we already have it.

[bokworker]

"I'll take it as  "W""....


CF, is that a "W" as in it's all "W"'s fault?

[cannon_fodder]

lol, for as much as there is to blame Bush for (ongoing failure of war policy, retarded budget deficits, intrusion of government into personal freedoms)... there is no need to invent more.  I merely meant that fat assed American's living to an average age of 77 is a win. [:X]

[YoungTulsan]

If you took out smokers and obese people, and made a "normal health" average, I wonder what it would be?  I'd guess about 90.  We're in great health so long as we stay away from the smokes, and eat the McDonalds in moderation.

Too bad most people are completely ignorant about nutrition and how it is the cause of just about every medical "condition" or "disease".  But there is no money in forcing nutrition education to be dispersed through the education systems and other outlets.  Money is in treating sickness, and selling drugs.

The health care dillema shouldn't be about how much money we are putting into the system.  It shouldn't be about how to subsidize these expensive costs to make it affordable to the lower and middle classes.  It should be about PREVENTING the need for all of these costs with EDUCATION, nutrition, and exercise.  We should by all means spend a LOT more money on HEALTH, right now we are only spending it on sickness.

[aoxamaxoa]

"That's crazy. How can we spend so much more than everyone else and still rank lower in the world. Guess we are really just that much unhealthy than most other places."

Pharmaceuticals...