We Do Not Have the Best Health Care System In the World

TW: Americans like to think of ourselves as the best in the world at just about everything (but for soccer). This is in many ways a great attitude. But the line between arrogance and confidence is always narrow and frequently counter-productive. Our cellular and broadband services suck compared to most of the rest of the world. Entrenched interests and legacy systems mean our cell coverage and internet speeds are borderline embarrassing.

As this piece frames, one of the problems with the health care debate is getting Americans to face up to our health care system being deeply flawed compared to many alternative developed nation systems. Most Western Europeans, Japanese and Canadians are far happier with the net results from their systems than Americans are. As you know by now we spend 2X compared to them on health care with only marginally better care (for those with coverage).

But no American politician can campaign on "the foreigners have it better than us", we have become so insular and arrogant that the thought of someone doing something better than us is borderline unpatriotic.

From Economist:
WHATEVER happened to "greatest healthcare system in the world"? This used to be a shibboleth of those opposed to reform, as in 1994: we already are "the greatest", and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Today, it seems I don't hear it as much. I Googled the phrase to see if I could find anyone using it recently. Sure enough, the phrase is not dead, but apparently limited to the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity.

I hope this means that this trope is no longer a staple in the more responsible quarters of the debate. (Commentators, let me know if you've seen more centrist figures use it.) The fact is that "the greatest" could apply in one area, and one only: expensive, high-tech care. It's true that people don't flock from America to elsewhere to get higher-quality care.

But it also seems true that pro-reform types have successfully steered the debate to a correct focus on the system's flaws, not its "greatness". You can't call it the greatest "system" if millions are uninsured, and if overall, other countries see far better health results. Nobody flocks from America for higher-quality care, but hundreds of thousands do flock from it to get the same services cheaper. It's not an easy tack to take, but Barack Obama has gently made clear that we're spending more and getting less than other countries. He doesn't line up countries side-by-side, of course. It still would be political suicide to be seen saying "France is better than America" in any regard. But it's true, and he's getting that across quietly, to judge from the dearth of voices saying "it ain't broke".

... 82% of Canadians prefer their system to ours, because their system works. America may have the greatest care at the top, but the system is a flaming mess. It's hard to make that point without denigrating America at the expense of foreigners, something American presidents may never, ever do. But that doesn't change the facts."