The United States has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world, but it does not rank as high in terms of quality. According to a 2017 study by the Commonwealth Fund, the United States ranked 29th out of 31 developed countries in terms of overall healthcare system performance. The study looked at a variety of factors, including access to care, quality of care, efficiency, and equity.
The United States does have some of the best hospitals and medical technology in the world, but it also has a high rate of preventable deaths and a large number of people who are uninsured or underinsured. The high cost of healthcare in the United States can make it difficult for people to get the care they need, and this can lead to worse health outcomes.
Here are some specific ways in which the United States healthcare system compares to the rest of the world:
* Cost: The United States spends more on healthcare than any other country in the world. In 2018, the United States spent $3.6 trillion on healthcare, which accounted for 17.9% of its GDP. This is more than twice the average spending of other developed countries.
* Access to care: The United States has a high rate of uninsured and underinsured people. In 2018, 27.9 million people in the United States were uninsured, and 44 million were underinsured. This means that they have health insurance, but they have high deductibles or copays that make it difficult for them to get the care they need.
* Quality of care: The United States has some of the best hospitals and medical technology in the world, but it also has a high rate of preventable deaths and a large number of people who are misdiagnosed. In 2018, the United States ranked 29th out of 31 developed countries in terms of overall healthcare system performance.
* Efficiency: The United States healthcare system is not very efficient. It spends a lot of money on administrative costs, such as billing and paperwork, and it has a high rate of medical errors.
* Equity: The United States healthcare system is not very equitable. People with higher incomes have better access to care and better health outcomes than people with lower incomes.
The United States healthcare system is in need of reform. There are many ways to improve it, such as reducing the cost of care, expanding access to care, improving the quality of care, and making the system more equitable. By making these changes, the United States can improve the health of its population and reduce the cost of healthcare.