Right wing pundits continue to insist that there’s nothing much wrong with the American health care system. A recent survey by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that focuses on health care issues, says differently. According to the survey of adults living in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Americans report problems with their health care much more frequently than people in other countries.
- Americans reported a higher rate of medical errors than survey participants from the other countries.
- Americans reported having to skip taking medications, avoid seeing a physician or neglect to obtain suggested therapies because of lack of money more often than people from the other countries.
- One fifth of American respondents reported having trouble paying medical bills, a higher rate than in any other country surveyed.
- When asked about what should be done with their health care system, 37 percent of Americans said that the system needs to be completely rebuilt. More Americans called for complete reform than did respondents from any of the other countries.
What makes the difference? The United States does not have universal health care. All the other countries surveyed do.
(Source: Commonwealth Fund, November 1, 2007)
I’m waiting for Gary F. and all his other dittohead friends to come on and say that the problems with the American health care system are all due to single mothers.