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KiwiJohnno • yesterday at 6:20 AM • 3 replies • view on HN

I have read, but not verified the figures myself that if the United States had Australia's healthcare system - universal, government funded healthcare (excluding dental) then all US citizens would have near free healthcare, would not need costly insurance, and the government would spend a similar amount to what it does now

Replies

ckw • yesterday at 9:04 AM

According to O3 US public health spending (state + federal) is 8.6% of gdp. For perspective, here's a list of countries with universal systems which spend less (these numbers include private spending), and life expectancy (US is 78.4 for reference):

  Singapore: 5.6%, 82.9
  Israel: 7.2%, 83.2
  Estonia: 6.9%, 78.5
  Poland: 6.7, 78.5
  Luxembourg: 5.7%, 83.4
  Czech Republic: 8.1%, 79.9
and a couple which spend a bit more, though again, this includes private spending:

  France: 11.9%, 82.9
  Japan: 11.5%, 84
  Portugal: 10.5%, 82.3
  Spain: 10.7%, 83.9
So it seems like we could have universal coverage and higher life expectancy if the US government simply spent exactly what it is currently spending, but on everyone, rather than just the old, poor, and veterans.
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Workaccount2 • yesterday at 11:35 AM

There is a factor for the US effectively subsidizing these countries by having our current system. Healthcare companies make their bread in the US and get scraps elsewhere in the world.

This drives an enormous amount of innovation, and the near complete dominance of US healthcare companies in the west reflects that.

The US moving to a universal healthcare model would likely kill the lucrative US market, and while providing cheaper healthcare, it likely wouldn't make them dramatically cheaper while also having the effect of driving up costs in other western countries.

A bit like a balloon, where the profits are swelled in the US and limp elsewhere, squeezing the US will ha global effects.

latentsea • today at 1:54 AM

Anyone that lives in a country with universal healthcare only knows it's a no-brainer because they have the American nightmare of a health care system to compare it to. Seriously, I don't know how/why Americans put up with the stress of one serious medical event potentially financially ruining your life.