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Why does healthcare in the United States rank 37th in the world?

I would expect it to be in the top 15. Costa Rica and Chile have better healthcare than the US, and there 2nd world countries. Hospitals and medical facilities in the US use some of the most modern equipment. I know a lot of Americans are uninsured, is that why? And also when the world health organization rates countries healthcare system, what do they base it on?

Public Comments

1. kjkjkjkjkjk
2. obama is a little preoccupied right now, with that whole economy thing going on...
3. Because having the best medical care doesn't equate with a population of fat overfed heart attacks with feet. We are pretty freakin unhealthy as a whole.
4. i'd say cuz your country is really big it's impossible that all of the USA has modern hospitals and technologies, you can't afford that..
5. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvtcIaa8CdPqR.9kJOMCwH7sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090508142706AA4mCfa
6. its privatized here, that ranking is based off what governments do for health care. the united states has some of the best doctors in the world. that ranking is FUBAR EDIT: FYI you can get medical coverage by working 30 hours a week busing tables at a Chevy's. health care is easy to come by if you're not lazy and stupid.
7. Because of Health Insurance companies and the cluster f*ck they create within the system, not to mention their unfair practices. The biggest rip-off in the history of the United States.
8. We don't really have good healthcare here. We have great surgeons, but when it comes to general care, we suck. Basically in this country we are given a pill for EVERYTHING, and those pills cause side-effects which means we need another pill, and it just never ends. Diet exercise and some lifestyle changes, and this country would be in much better shape, and we wouldn't need to be on so many friggin pills, so we would probably rank better. Also, it's EXPENSIVE as hell to see a damn doctor for a simple check-up.
9. i don't know do you want to debate it when you have a heart attack..if push came to shove and I needed to be in the ER like 5 minutes ago. i'd pray to be in the US.. Good point/good question asked..
10. because you have to pay for your healthcare in the states, unlike in canada and the UK where healthcare is free
11. Because in America health care belongs to those that can afford it, we have the best health care money can buy, and if you got the money, you're covered, if not, you can crawl off and die. America is the only country in the world with medical bankruptcy, all it takes is one illness or accident and you can lose every thing you've spent your whole life working for, and that's even if you have insurance.
12. Because people do not want to pay higher taxes to provide healthcare we have to get taxed at a rate of 37% to afford tax for everyone. Secondly we live in a capitalist country and want to reap those benefits as opposed to the losses of socialist country we are at the top of food chain for a reason.
13. Too many people in the US health system aspire to having a mansion in the Hamptons (or elsewhere) rather than helping to bring all American citizens affordable preventative medicines and treatment and insurance.
14. They base it on average life expectancy, percentage of newborns that survive, and a number of other factors. The health care system in the United States is so bad because of insurance companies. Insurance companies aren't created to help people, they're created to make money. Medco, Cigna, and all those other health insurance companies are businesses. They're goal is to make as much money as possible, and to spend as little as possible. Most other countries have nationalized health insurance. You basically pay a tax, and everything is free. When Bill Clinton was president, Hillary proposed the idea, but all those lobbyists for those health insurance companies freaked out because they want to continue to make their money. Health insurance companies give money to senators who oppose the idea of nationalized health insurance. They basically bribe them.
15. Its because it is so expensive here. My mother in law had a heart attack and the health care costs were over $1,000,000.00!! $10,000 a day just for the hospital bed! So, needless to say, if you don't have insurance you're pretty much screwed.