Where American Health Care Ranks in the World

The Facts About the United States Standing in World Health

Sep 21, 2009 Gerard Shea

The World Health Organization's annual report on the cost and performance of health care systems worldwide is out. Where does United States health care rank?

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva has just released its annual report tracking the costs and outcomes of the health care systems of its 193 member states. The report entitled "World Health Statistics 2009" is a good tool for putting the American health care system in context especially as President Obama continues to push his health care reform agenda.

Top 10 Spenders Per Capital

According to the WHO report the U.S. government ranks third in health care expenditures, spending $3,076 per capita. That number puts the American health care system behind only Luxembourg and Denmark. Here is a list of the top 10 countries in terms of health care costs per capita:

  1. Luxembourg ($4,992)
  2. Denmark ($3,239)
  3. United States ($3,076)
  4. Netherlands ($2,785)
  5. Austria ($2,737)
  6. France (2,727)
  7. Germany (2,664)
  8. Iceland ($2,628)
  9. Canada ($2,587)
  10. Sweden ($2,583)

Top 10 Spenders by GDP

Additionally, the report provides information on national health care spending as percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). The United States is number one when it comes to health care spending as percentage of GDP. Here are the top 10 countries:

  1. United States (15.8%)
  2. France (11.0%)
  3. Denmark (10.8%)
  4. Switzerland (10.8%)
  5. Germany (10.6%)
  6. Austria (10.2%)
  7. Canada (10.0%)
  8. Sweden (9.2%)
  9. Spain (8.4%)
  10. Japan (8.1%)

Health Care Outcomes Worldwide

One of the most important measures of health is life expectancy at birth. According to the CIA World Factbook the United States ranks 50th in life expectancy out of 224 countries. Here is a list of the top 10 countries:

  1. Macau (84.36)
  2. Andorra (82.51)
  3. Japan (82.12)
  4. Singapore (81.98)
  5. San Marino (81.97)
  6. Hong Kong (81.86)
  7. Australia (81.63)
  8. Canada (81.23)
  9. France (80.98)
  10. Sweden (80.86)

Hawaii Leads US

Hawaii's residents have a life expectancy of 80 years while the overall life expectancy for the United States is 78 years. One reason Hawaiians live longer might be the state's requirement that employers provide health insurance for all employees that work 20 hours a week or more. As a result nearly 90 percent of Hawaiians have health insurance.

How the United States Ranks Overall

The WHO ranks France as the best overall health care system in the world. The United States ranks 37th while Canada ranks 30th. The rankings for overall performance were determined in 2000, but governments still use the findings today. The WHO no longer ranks the overall performance of health care systems because of the complexity of the task. The following are the WHO rankings from 2000:

  1. France
  2. Italy
  3. San Marino
  4. Andorra
  5. Malta
  6. Singapore
  7. Spain
  8. Oman
  9. Austria
  10. Japan

First in Spending 37th in Overall Performance

The United States spends the most money in the world on its health care system, as a percentage of GDP, and ranks 37th in overall performance. The United States' life expectancy rate of 78-years-old is indicative of a good health care system. However, it is important to remember that although the U.S. spends more money than any other country, we are only ranked 50th in life expectancy. In general when the U.S. health care system is compared to other developed nations in Europe and Asia, it does not do as well as might be expected. France, for example, spends considerably less the United States on health care, and yet it is ranked the highest in the world for overall performance.

The copyright of the article Where American Health Care Ranks in the World in American Affairs is owned by Gerard Shea. Permission to republish Where American Health Care Ranks in the World in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Sep 25, 2009 12:34 AM
Guest :
~GODS AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAVE ABANDONED HIS FLOCK~

* THE FINE ART OF DENYING 45 MILLION AMERICANS HEALTH~CARE IN OUR JUDEO~CHRISTIAN NATION IS NOT RACIST AT ALL… IT’S JUST OUR BEHIND THE SCENE WEALTHY ELITE CITIZENS USING THEIR TREMENDOUS WEALTH TO DIRECTLY INFLUENCE OUR U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES IN KEEPING ALL THE little poor folk down *

AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS ALL ACROSS THE USA HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THEIR RELIGIOUS FLOCK TO CONTRIBUTE(TITHE)THEIR HARD EARNED MONIES TO THEIR MINISTRIES EVERY WEEK.

THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ATTENDING RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE U.S. ARE MIDDLE~CLASS AND WORKING POOR CITIZENS WHO NOW DESPERATELY NEED THE HELP AND SUPPORT FROM THESE SAME U.S.RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN LOBBYING THE U.S.CONGRESS TO PROVIDE PROPER HEALTH~CARE FOR ALL POORER AMERICANS.

***THERE ARE CURRENTLY AN ESTIMASTED 45 MILLION MEN WOMAN AND CHILDREN WITHOUT HEALTH~CARE IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD????

SILENT AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO ALL HAVE HEALTH~CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES IS MUCH MORE FRIGHTENING THEN THE POSSIBLE DENIAL OF A FUTURE HEALTH~CARE PLAN FOR ALL…

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS (424-247-2013)

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