National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR)
Health Economics Information Resources: A Self-Study Course
Module 2 - Sources and Characteristics of Information Relating to Health Care Financing in the US
OECD Health Data 2001
When you compare the U.S. health care system to that of other industrialized nations, you will see startling results not only in expenditures but also in outcomes. Data from OECD Health Data 2001 gives us comparative health status information on its 30 member countries.
These data show that, in spite of ranking at the top of the list for health expenditures, the U.S. falls into the mid-ranges for some broad measures, such as life expectancy and infant mortality.
World Health Report 2000, WHO
What does this table tell you?
See if you can select the correct answer before reading on
This table tells me that:
A. Oman spends more on health care than the United States per capita
The correct answer is B. The U.S. spends more on health care per capita - it is number 1 in spending - but ranks very low (37th) with respect to overall health system performance.
A Current Population Reports Special Study says it in a nutshell:
Source of Quotation: Population Profile of the United States 1999, Current Population Reports Special Study, March 2000.
It is important to remember that medical care is just one factor that determines health. Some of the others, such as heredity, lifestyle, and preferences - diet, exercise, use of tobacco and alcohol, to name a few - must also be taken into account.