What Country Has Best Health Insurance Program?

I heard one broker say that "health reform" doesn't go after the root problem, i.e. hospitals overcharging, drug companies doing 1000% mark-ups and lawyers driving malpractice insurance through the roof with frivolous claims.

So I'm wondering if any other nation has a system that works and that we should consider emulating. UK? Canada? Singapore?

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are on this
 
I heard one broker say that "health reform" doesn't go after the root problem, i.e. hospitals overcharging, drug companies doing 1000% mark-ups and lawyers driving malpractice insurance through the roof with frivolous claims.

So I'm wondering if any other nation has a system that works and that we should consider emulating. UK? Canada? Singapore?

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are on this

The UK has three tax rates (20%, 40% and 45%). They also have a 20% VAT. It takes 31,866 pounds to be in the 40% tax bracket. While the pound is at a higher value than the dollar, the cost of living in the UK is also higher. Imagine those in the U.S. earning $31,866 being in a 40% tax bracket and also paying 20% tax on many of the things we buy. That wouldn't go over too well.

Canada has a lower federal tax rate (top is 29%), but they also have provincial/territorial taxes as high as 21%. Add to that their VAT of 5%-15% and they are pretty heavily taxed. In addition, there are many stories about people from Canada opting to come to the U.S. for treatment.

I won't bother researching Singapore. Needless to say, "free" isn't really free. Nor do I want the government dictating what doctors can earn (of course we're getting closer to that with more and more on Medicare and Medicaid). I have no problem with a doctor being profit driven as long as they are also results driven. I want the best of the best for my care. There's a reason we have so many foreign doctors here in the states. Sure some of it is money motivated. But a lot of it is because we have the best care and technology in the world. And before anyone starts throwing out life expectancy stats, keep in mind we are also the fattest and laziest nation on earth. Our population as a whole would just prefer to take a pill for whatever the issue is as opposed to changing their lifestyle.
 
Singapore actually has a very interesting health care system. It is kind of a quasi universal healthcare system. They have universal health insurance that acts similar to a HSA. No care is received free, all care requires cost sharing by the patient. The cost to the patient depends on the type of care and their tax bracket (highest bracket in Singapore is 20%).

The system focuses on reducing overutilization. Each health plan earns credits that roll over from year to year. So if you dont use all of your credits you just bank them up for when you need them. It is the best example of universal healthcare currently in the world imo. The US could actually learn a thing or two from Singapore when it comes to the health care system. HSAs and co-insurance for everybody is not a bad idea...
 
Ben Carson nailed it yesterday about HSA's

Voters First Forum: Ben Carson on healthcare, Planned Parenthood | Politics - WMUR Home

Now Ducey in AZ wants to do it for certain medicaid recipients:
Gov. Doug Ducey

I was at a charity banquet a couple of years ago and Ben Carson was the keynote speaker. He stated then that he felt the best way to go for our insurance is using a high deductible plan with an HSA. While he may have had political aspirations way back then, I don't believe he was making a political statement at the time.
 
USA has the best health care system by far, but it was better a few years ago.

39 million people would have disagreed with you---you know, the ones without health care.

And, since the U.S. healthcare is dominated by HMOs, is it really the best?
I am in an HMO and I can't see a nationally-recognized specialist if he is not part of the HMO network.

U.S. healthcare is the best system FOR THE RICH. The U.S. spends twice as much $ on healthcare as any other country. If Britain or Canada doubled their expenditures, they would have twice the doctors, nurses, clinics, surgeons & hospitals. Canada's drug prices are much lower than the U.S. because of government involvement--they negotiated lower rates, which is what people are asking Medicare to do.
 
And, since the U.S. healthcare is dominated by HMOs, is it really the best?
I am in an HMO and I can't see a nationally-recognized specialist if he is not part of the HMO network.

They dont dominate the group market.

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39 million people would have disagreed with you---you know, the ones without health care.

They had access to health care, they just did not have health insurance. There is a big difference between the two.
 
Ben Carson nailed it yesterday about HSA's

If he doesn't get elected to the POTUS position, I'm hoping that Carson is at least going to be put in charge of Health and Human Services. Anyway, not to digress into politics necessarily, but I like that idea of HSA. He explains it so lucidly
 
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