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Monday
Jun162008

International Health Care Data and Comparisons

By Clive Riddle

With this election year, health care is a central topic of discussion for Presidential and Congressional candidates. Inevitably, references are made inferring either superior or inferior performance of the U.S. health care system compared to various other countries.
So just what kind of current data is out there reflecting various attributes of international health care? Below is collection of selected international health care factoids, compiled by Global Health Resources this year:

Health Spending And Insurance Systems in Seven Countries, 2007

Australia

Canada

Germany

Netherlands

New Zealand

United Kingdom

United States

National health spending

Per capita (U.S. $PPP)*

$3,128

$3,326

$3,287

$3,094

$2,343

$2,724

$6,697

Percent of GDP*

9.5%

9.8%

10.7%

9.2%

9.0%

8.3%

16.0%

Percent of primary care practices with:

Any financial incentive for quality

72%

41%

43%

58%

79%

95%

30%

Electronic medical records

79%

23%

42%

98%

92%

89%

28%

Percent uninsured

0%

0%

<1%

<2%

0%

0%

16%

*PPP is purchasing power parity. GDP is gross domestic product

Source: Toward Higher-Performance Health Systems: Adults’ Health Care Experiences In Seven Countries, 2007
Health Affairs, October 2007
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/26/6/w717

Cost of Medical Procedures: United States and Abroad (in US dollars)

Procedure

United States

Costa Rica

Mexico

Korea

Heart bypass

$130,000

$24,000

$22,000

$34,150

Heart-valve replacement

$160,000

$15,000

$18,000

$29,500

Angioplasty

$57,000

$9,000

$13,800

$19,600

Hip replacement

$43,000

$12,000

$14,000

$11,400

Hysterectomy

$20,000

$4,000

$6,000

$12,700

Knee replacement

$40,000

$11,000

$12,000

$24,100

Spinal fusion

$62,000

$25,000

N/A

$3,311

Source: Medical Tourism Association, 2007 Survey

Procedure

United States

Costa Rica

Mexico

Korea

Heart bypass

$130,000

$24,000

$22,000

$34,150

Heart-valve replacement

$160,000

$15,000

$18,000

$29,500

Angioplasty

$57,000

$9,000

$13,800

$19,600

Hip replacement

$43,000

$12,000

$14,000

$11,400

Hysterectomy

$20,000

$4,000

$6,000

$12,700

Knee replacement

$40,000

$11,000

$12,000

$24,100

Spinal fusion

$62,000

$25,000

N/A

$3,311

Source: Medical Tourism Association, 2007 Survey

The Cost of Medical Procedures in Selected Countries (in US dollars)

Procedure

US Retail Price*

US Insurers' Cost*

India**

Thailand**

Singapore**

Angioplasty

$98,618

$44,268

$11,000

$13,000

$13,000

Heart bypass

$210,842

$94,277

$10,000

$12,000

$20,000

Heart-valve replacement (single)

$274,395

$122,969

$9,500

$10,500

$13,000

Hip replacement

$75,399

$31,485

$9,000

$12,000

$12,000

Knee replacement

$69,991

$30,358

$8,500

$10,000

$13,000

Gastric bypass

$82,646

$47,735

$11,000

$15,000

$15,000

Spinal fusion

$108,127

$43,576

$5,500

$7,000

$9,000

Mastectomy

$40,832

$16,833

$7,500

$9,000

$12,400

* Retail price and insurers' costs represent the mid-point between low and high ranges
** US rates include at least one day of hospitalization; international rates include airfare, hospital and hotel

Source: Medical Tourism: Global Competition in Health Care, National Center for Policy Analysis, November 2007
http://www.ncpa.org/pub/st/st304/st304.pdf

Wait Time to get an Appointment in Seven Countries

Percent of adults who waited 6+ days for an appointment to see regular medical doctor

Canada

30%

United States

20%

Germany

20%

United Kingdom

12%

Australia

10%

Netherlands

5%

New Zealand

4%

Source: Fixing the Foundation: An Update on Primary Health Care and Home Care Renewal in Canada, January 2008
http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/docs/rpts/2008/phc/HCC_PHC_Main_web_E.pdf

Percent of adults who waited 6+ days for an appointment to see regular medical doctor

Canada

30%

United States

20%

Germany

20%

United Kingdom

12%

Australia

10%

Netherlands

5%

New Zealand

4%

Source: Fixing the Foundation: An Update on Primary Health Care and Home Care Renewal in Canada, January 2008
http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/docs/rpts/2008/phc/HCC_PHC_Main_web_E.pdf

Access to “Medical home”* Among Adults in Seven Countries, 2007

Australia

Canada

Germany

Netherlands

New Zealand

United Kingdom

US

59%

48%

45%

47%

61%

47%

50%

*Medical Home: Has a regular doctor or place that is very/somewhat easy to contact by phone, always/often knows medical history, and always/often helps coordinate care

Source: Toward Higher-Performance Health Systems: Adults’ Health Care Experiences In Seven Countries, 2007
Health Affairs, October 2007
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/26/6/w717

Out-of-Pocket Expenses for Medical Bills in the Past Year in Seven Countries

(in U.S. $ equivalent)

Australia

Canada

Germany

Netherlands

New Zealand

United Kingdom

United States

None

13%

21%

9%

38%

12%

52%

10%

$1-$100

11%

17%

17%

15%

17%

12%

9%

More than $1,000

19%

12%

10%

5%

10%

4%

30%

Source: Toward Higher-Performance Health Systems: Adults’ Health Care Experiences In Seven Countries, 2007
Health Affairs, October 2007
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/26/6/w717

Mortality Amenable to Health Care in Selected Countries*

Deaths per 100,000 population

Country

1997-98

2002-03

France

76

65

Japan

81

71

Spain

84

74

Australia

88

71

Sweden

88

82

Italy

89

74

Canada

89

77

Netherlands

97

82

Greece

97

84

Norway

99

80

Germany

106

90

Austria

109

84

Denmark

113

101

New Zealand

115

96

United States

115

110

Finland

116

93

Portugal

128

104

United Kingdom

130

103

Ireland

134

103

*Deaths from certain causes before age 75 that are potentially preventable with timely and effective health care.
Source: Measuring the Health of Nations: Updating an Earlier Analysis, The Commonwealth Fund, January 2008
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/usr_doc/1090_Nolte_measuring_hlt_of_nations_
HA_01-2008_ITL(web).pdf?section=4039

 

Cost-Related Access Problems in Seven Countries, 2007

 

Australia

Canada

Germany

Netherlands

New Zealand

United Kingdom

United States

Percent in past year due to cost:

Did not fill prescription or skipped doses

13%

8%

11%

2%

10%

5%

23%

Had a medical problem but did not visit doctor

13

4

12

1

19

2

25

Skipped test, treatment or follow-up

17

5

8

2

13

3

23

Percent who said yes to at least one of the above

26

12

21

5

25

8

37

Source: Health Care: Solutions Without Borders, The Commonwealth Fund
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/aboutus/aboutus_show.htm?doc_id=597055

For More Information:

Global Health Resource
www.globalhealthresources.com

 

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