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 Paying More and Dying SoonerPosted on Nov 13, 2007WASHINGTON—It turns out that Rudy Giuliani knows even less about health care than I thought. Not only are his figures about prostate cancer survival rates in the United States and Britain wildly misleading, but he’s also wrong on his general point: that a single-payer system, of the kind that Republicans call “socialized” medicine, inevitably would deliver inferior care. Untrue, according to a major study conducted earlier this year by the Commonwealth Fund, a respected New York foundation with a track record in health care stretching back to 1918. Not that candidate Giuliani is likely to pay attention—he won’t even back down from his ridiculous assertion that he was nearly twice as likely to survive his bout with prostate cancer in the U.S. than he would have been in the UK, despite the fact that death rates from the disease in the two countries are basically the same. For Giuliani, it appears, all that’s needed to establish truth is a simple assertion: “Because I said so.” The Commonwealth Fund and Harris Interactive surveyed adults in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Britain—all of which have single-payer health care systems—and the United States. The methodology appears sound, the margin of error is less than 3 percent and the results are striking. Respondents in the United States were less likely than those in any of the other countries to say their health care system “works well”—and much more likely to see a need for “fundamental” change or a total overhaul. With 47 million Americans lacking health insurance, I suppose that shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Advertisement OK, but what about the long waits for treatment under single-payer systems? The survey found that 49 percent of Americans said they could get a same-day or next-day doctor’s appointment when they were sick—as opposed to 75 percent of respondents in New Zealand, 65 percent in Germany, 58 percent in Great Britain, and so on. Only in Canada was it more difficult to get in to see the doctor within 48 hours. It’s true that in the United States, the wait for elective surgery is likely to be shorter than in the other countries (except Germany, which has the shortest wait of all). But onerous delays of six months or more were significantly more common only in Australia, Canada and Britain. When you look at overall costs and outcomes, meanwhile, there’s no contest. The United States spends $6,697 per capita annually on health care, according to the survey—more than twice as much as any of the other countries surveyed. Americans were much more likely than any other national group to have spent at least $1,000 out of pocket on medical expenses over the past year. And, of course, 16 percent of Americans reported being uninsured, as opposed to essentially none in the other countries. It makes sense, then, that far more Americans than respondents in the other countries reported that in the past year they had failed to fill a prescription or skipped doses, experienced a medical problem but decided not to go to the doctor, or skipped a prescribed test, treatment or follow-up. And here’s the bottom line: The United States ranks dead last in life expectancy, at 77.9 years, among the countries surveyed. Britain is next-to-last at 78.7, while Australia is first at 80.6. The United States also has the worst infant mortality by far, at 6.89 per 1,000 live births; second-worst is New Zealand at 5.7. We’re paying more and dying more, or at least sooner. American doctors do tend to give patients more information, and thus involve them more meaningfully in their own care. That’s a good thing, and I’d hate to give it up. In fact, I didn’t set out to write a brief for a single-payer health care system. I lived for a while in London, and felt that the UK’s National Health Service had pluses and minuses. I agree with Giuliani that if I had a life-threatening illness, I’d rather be treated here. But I have health insurance. Millions of Americans don’t. Eugene Robinson’s e-mail address is eugenerobinson(at)washpost.com. © 2007, Washington Post Writers Group Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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Obama’s Job Approval Slips Below 50 Percent
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By NancyStill, May 30 at 8:53 pm #
Thank you so much for your comment Hawkeye. I read this 3 days ago and have been in a numb and thoughtful thoughts inbetween my discomfort. I became feeling like goosebumps seemed close when I started reading your comment, and being thoughtful, I looked at the date on this it floored me mentally. After the last few weeks It seemed it made me premeditation for what I said on here. You see I almost died a few weeks ago. I’ve experienced bad stuff with gov. insurance and addict doctors and hell, they tried to block the doors when I was trying to leave there. In fact; ask the front nurses who helped me leave when I wasn’t gonna stop talking about the need to leave…but GOD made sure I got back, he brought me and had serious conversation with. The main thing he told me was that there was more things I need to do and he’d always be around me. His voice was undesribale. Beautiful, different….no in no man or woman tone to it…totally all above with the words….it was amazing. The nurses were shocked at the rate I came back and a lot of other people. One of my nephews and his family came to see me and told me after his research that a person returning to themselves was at a small 15 percent. I’ve had a lot of pain and discomfort in body and feeling while I’m waiting to heal from the surgery line on my head where they shaved a spot bald.
It was a vein bleeding by my brain. My family said the doctors acted extremely nervous and told me about the surgery and would I sign…they didn’t think I could ever write then and asked mom…I did it perfectly family said and after writing my name on the paper told them GOD was there looking out after me. I have still never remember saying that or that day. Of course it was bad for me they gave me the most horrible drug I’ve ever taken in my life. I will if possible REFUSE to let any doc. Give it to some family or to me. It’s exactly like a bad trip on LSD. No kidding. They should be sued to another world to punish them for that. I noticed a lot of dying people who are being given that cold-blooded stuff. They tried to give it to my two passed away Uncles.
Family said then it became calm and serene and before surgery they had radiated for six hours in 3 days. Surgeon tried to file me with another woman doctor, one more just for her to look at me and one for more radiation with a cat scan when I called them about the pain pills that was givin to me when I left and needed something better….THE DOCTOR REFUSED. She was very angy on the phone ‘cause when I said I wanted all appointments canceled and talked about how the doctor acted uncaring like an atheist…WAS SHE? After I said I don’t respect any doctor that pushes patients in pain to go buy illegal drugs for drugs on my worst drug selling place, somebody slammed the phone during talking to her secretary. I’m almost certain that it was her listening. The biggest things was a ‘money’ making things.
What I think is that if you can’t find a doctor that is compassion and caring and providing comfort from pain, those WERE our doctors in history when I was younger.
Now I’m required to go find funds to pay for stuff emergency insurance didn’t pay. Just another work day, huh?
Well; thXs I could exhale this. 2 years ago I knew too much or somebody deliberately instigated this to me. Guess I’ll hear some answer or way to find out, but this medical put me in serious times. Maybe GOD will have something to tell me…I think he wanted you to make a comment too.
Report thisGOD Bless Hawkeye. Thanks again.
By Hawkeye, May 28 at 3:50 am #
REF: NANCY
I am in complete agreement with you. I know what you mean. I will not enumerate what I have experienced. Treated like a lab rat by snarky doctors and only one good nurse, probably, save me from the arrogant SOBs.
The thing is, I don’t think doctors of earlier generations were not like these people. I am reminded of the ignored old say, “Do no harm.”
I believe they finished off one uncle, one aunt and, possibly, my dear old grandmother. This current generation of doctors are a health hazard, yet, most rake in the green.
Report thisBy Nancy, November 15, 2007 at 3:39 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
They tried to give me drugs that were killing people and a known danger on public relief….
Report thisBy GW=MCHammered, November 14, 2007 at 11:03 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Not to mention the more than one hundred thousand per year the US medical industry <u>admits</u> accidentally killing.
Missed kidney disease, diagnosed and treated but missing mental illness, caused two-month long psychosis, another repeatedly caused mania by misprescription, overlooked cancer, missed torn biceps, medical burn due to misprescribing, are just a few of my family’s experience with American health care. Would have been better off without insurance and guess what? Now we don’t have it!
The past 50 years demonstrated one of the greatest economic rises in human history and we end up like this? GOP & DEMS perpetuate societal problems, not fix them. Expect the status quo from either party. It’s time to change course - expel both ruinous parties.
Report thisBy Nancy, November 14, 2007 at 7:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Greedy rich doctors scare the hell out of me. Maybe I should refuse ANY health-care that they offer me…it’s profits; not Americans that seem to matter these days….
Report thisBy Pacrat, November 13, 2007 at 1:37 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Guliani is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier!
Why does anyone expect Rudy to be factual or even care about it. His life is a fiction except for the fact that he was indeed the mayor of NYC.
And, if elected to the presidency (God forbid) he would surround himself with other dummies, loyal to him and not to the country.
If he is the favorite of a lackluster group of republican nominees, may God bless America and save us from people like him!
Report thisBy thomas billis, November 13, 2007 at 1:00 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Mr Robinson it warms the cockles of my heart that you have had your eureka moment.The logic of they live longer in other countries and if you had a life threatening problem you would rather be treated here baffles me.They must know something because people are living longer.What you have discovered was true when Truman proposed national health care and it was equally as true when Hillary did.It is the the dumb American public instead of reading the facts listens to two morons talking in an advertisement how bad universal health care is.Forget about the uninsured.What a shock many of the insured are in for when they have problems that require the okay of the insurance companies.The ww3 Bush talks about will be like a walk in the park.
Report thisBy anonymous, November 13, 2007 at 12:20 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
“American doctors do tend to give patients more information, and thus involve them more meaningfully in their own care. Thats a good thing, and Id hate to give it up.”
failed to mention that with a single payer system, he would not have to—are Medicare patients given less information?
“I agree with Giuliani that if I had a life-threatening illness, Id rather be treated here.”
nobody’s suggesting we send patients to the UK. you’re gonna be treated here under any plan.
“But I have health insurance. Millions of Americans dont. “
quit bragging!
Report thisBy G.Anderson, November 13, 2007 at 12:05 pm #
Unfortunately, any system of health care that is brought forward will not provide much.
That’s is because the infrastructure of our health system is nearing collapse.
Ever wonder why you can’t pronounce your Dr.‘s Name?
It’s because has been the only driving force for the industry for the last several years.
Try finding an MD who is not retiring or on the verge of bankrupcy, in Rural California.
Single payor, indeed any reform, unless it addresses infrastructure needs will not solve any problems.
Report thisBy mary, November 13, 2007 at 11:43 am #
The only way we will get to a single payer system is when we vote out every incumbent in office today. These people are far to indebted to the insurance and pharma industries to ever do the right thing. Everytime I think about how our tax dollars are treated like corp profits for the DCers to use as they want, I feel like punching someone in the nose. It’s clear Sen Clinton will not do the right thing if elected, she’s too worried about re-election already! My money is still with John Edwards. He seems to see the political advantage to a single payer system, as well as doing away with the strangle hold insurance cos have on our health. Too bad we can’t get the media to push all the candidates for their solutions to this huge problem. Let rudy keep on spewing the crap he keeps throwing up, Ameicans actually get it. I would love to see the media made irrelevant in this process. Maybe then they will decide to actually produce real news, just like the old days…....
Report thisBy waxman, November 13, 2007 at 11:04 am #
HOW DARE YOU SAY RUDY KNOWS LESS THAN YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HEALTH CARE !!!! RUDY NOWS JUST ABOUT 9-11 EVERYTHING ABOUT 9-11 ANYTHING IN THE 9-11 WORLD 9-11 ..WHAT HE DOSEN’T 9-11 KNOW, HIS ADVERTISING AGENT 9-11 SEAN HANNITY KNOWS BECAUSE HIS SISTER IS A NURSE AND HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW IS A DOCTOR…WHAT A GREAT PAIR OF LIARS THEY MAKE…IN DRAG RUDY LOOKS A LOT LIKE ANN COULTER DOSEN’ T HE ???
Report thisBy KISS, November 13, 2007 at 11:01 am #
While comparisons make for good reading, there is no reason ” Single Payer” insurance could not be better here in the US than anywhere else. We do not need to emulate the worst of the other systems, we have an advantage to take the best parts and build on them. 47 million Americans would accept the worst of any system over what they have now, and that is nothing.
Report this“Sicko” points out the fallacy of our system, but Insurance and Big Pharma’s don’t want us to know the truth.
When are the dimmos ready to tackle this problem in the sun-light?