Healthcare Debate Focuses On Global Health Ranking

by Mike Smith · 2009-10-23 18:53:00 UTC
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Healthcare debate constantly refers to the U.S's lowly ranking in global health — it comes in at 37th in the international table. The rankings refer to a World Health Organization study done at the start of the decade and the WSJ thinks it unfairly represents the strengths of the US healthcare system.

They explain "some researchers say that factors beyond the control of the health-care system are to blame, such as dietary habits." But diet is a crucial global health issue: whether it's hunger and malnutrition or obesity in developed countries — both of which present tremendous problems.

Christopher Murray, who oversaw the report, believes the original report achieved its intent of stimulating debate and focus on health systems. But a rank of 15th is presented as a more realistic assessment when you leave out just how much each country spends — the U.S. ranks first in spending, so the failure of that spend to match health drags it down to 37th. And so it should, below Morocco and Costa Rica who all get better bang-for-their-buck.

As a bang-for-buck ranking, it works, and quite simply this isn't a ranking intended to tell the U.S. how healthy it is. This isn't all about the U.S. This is seems to be a ranking to allow the world to see who's money goes the furthest. And the U.S's investment doesn't seem to be going far enough.

Photo credit: Brykmantra

Mike Smith
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