Healthcare study ranks Australia second best in developed world, while US comes in last

Australia's healthcare system has been ranked among the best in the developed world by a team of American researchers who have ranked their own country's system the worst.

In their study of 11 different national health care models, researchers at the New York-based Commonwealth Fund ranked Australia's mixed public-private system second best.

They concluded the United Kingdom's National Health Service was the best system overall, followed by Australia, then the Netherlands, with Norway and New Zealand sharing fourth place.

Comparing Australia and the other countries to their homeland, the authors said: "The US performs relatively poorly on population health outcomes, such as infant mortality and life expectancy at age 60."

"The US has the highest rate of mortality amenable to health care and has experienced the smallest reduction in that measure during the past decade.

"Despite spending nearly twice as much as several other countries, the country's performance is lacklustre."

The publication of the study's conclusions have come as US President Donald Trump puts pressure on Republican senators to repeal his predecessor Barack Obama's healthcare reforms.

In May, House Republicans narrowly voted through the Obamacare repeal bill, and their counterparts in the Senate are due to vote on the repeal in the next few weeks.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/8716572-4x3-940x705.png

Speaking over the weekend, Mr Trump said his reforms would make America's healthcare system work better, even though two senators from the President's own party have declared they cannot vote for it.

Mr Trump has since been pushing them to change their minds.

"The Senate is going to vote on legislation to save Americans from the Obamacare disaster," Mr Trump said.

"Obamacare has wreaked havoc on American lives, and if we don't replace it the calamity will only get worse, and I mean get worse by a lot."

In May, Mr Trump used a press conference alongside Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in New York to suggest Australia's system was better than his country's.

"We have a failing healthcare," he said.

"And I shouldn't say this to our great gentleman and my friend from Australia, because you have better healthcare than we do."

The comments were met with confusion in the US, where Democrats pointed out Australia's system included a publicly funded Medicare system that was more comprehensive than America's.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-17/australian-healthcare-ranked-second-best-in-developed-world/8716326


I know it's not perfect, but anyone who complains about our health system needs to travel more ....  they have no idea how lucky we are.

Now lets just hope the libs don't to much more damage to it in their remaining time.

I'm always praising our health system.

We are very, very lucky.

I feel sorry for those poor people who have to live under the bloated orange douche-bag's system.

The fact that this study was made by USA 'experts' from a poorly rated Medical Industry - just goes to show how highly inaccurate the study is.

Its common knowledge in the Australian Medical Industry that the UK is NOWHERE near as good as the German or other 'mainland' Medical Industries.

Can you honestly believe that nations that are apt at winning wars provide good Medical industry?  ::)

Australia's only respectable asset is that it is a leader in 'Research' only.
The fact that it offers a FREE public service that is constantly SUED by the ungrateful that exploit it.
The fact that it incorporates the USA 'privatised' scam that rips patients off.

Ask any Australian in the Medical Industry and they will tell you that New Zealand offers a better system both for worker and patient.

What a laugh this study is!!!
Typical USA  :P

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Millions of dead patients voted?

I have no problem with the claims made in the posted article.

On a comparative scale, we probably are 2nd best.....given the health system within a global context is well and truly ferked.

Trumpcare is far worse than Obamacare. And Trump promised affordable healthcare for everybody, better than Obamacare he said!

Of course, American healthcare isn't all bad. If you need a cutting edge drug, medical test or medical device you will get it in the USA first. The rest of the countries on that list will have to wait 2-3 years at least.

It depends what you mean by the health system.

I've no doubt our Medicare is world leading when it comes to general practice but as far as hospital treatment I think we are slipping.
So many of the necessary hospital treatments are now defined as elective surgery with the result that many thousands of people are waiting months, perhaps even 2 years for treatment.
Unless of course they are privately insured and then miraculously you can have the treatment in a couple of weeks.

The same goes for the dental system which us a vital part of healthcare. If you have the money no problem. If you don't, big problem.

So there are a whole lot of issues in judging systems.

But as far as the UK being no 1, if you follow the UK newspapers regularly it's plain there are big and systemic problems there.

bogarde73 wrote on Jul 18^th, 2017 at 8:01am:

It depends what you mean by the health system.

for me, outcomes is the most important one

For me, people getting a whole range of health services when they need them is the issue.

Just another thought, we've got 6 states and 2 territories and they each have some variation in overall healthcare. Similarly with the 4 nations of the UK.
Imagine what a nightmare it must be in America.

bogarde73 wrote on Jul 18^th, 2017 at 8:22am:

For me, people getting a whole range of health services when they need them is the issue.

no good speeding up the path to your death. Better to go slower and live. ;)