NPR: Health care lessons from France

[antigop]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92419273

In 2000, health care experts for the World Health Organization tried to do a statistical ranking of the world's health care systems. They studied 191 countries and ranked them on things like the number of years people lived in good health and whether everyone had access to good health care. France came in first. The United States ranked 37th.

Some researchers, however, said that study was flawed, arguing that there might be things other than a country's health care system that determined factors like longevity. So this year, two researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine measured something called the "amenable mortality." Basically, it's a measure of deaths that could have been prevented with good health care. The researchers looked at health care in 19 industrialized nations. Again, France came in first. The United States was last.

French Lessons

Now some American experts say there's a lot Americans can learn from the French.

For starters, the French system is not what most Americans imagine, says historian Paul Dutton at Northern Arizona University, author of Differential Diagnoses: A Comparative History of Health Care Problems and Solutions in the United States and France.

"Americans assume that if it's in Europe, which France is, that it's socialized medicine," he says. "The French don't consider their system socialized. In fact, they detest socialized medicine. For the French, that's the British, that's the Canadians. It's not the French system."

Other links:

France's Model Health care for New Mothers:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92116914

France at forefront of free, innovative cancer care
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92362918

[gateley]

1. K&R --

[Crazy Dave]

2. K&R

I'm surprised more people haven't seen Michael Moore's SiCKO and I'm assuming they haven't because of the lack of outrage as is typical. Most Americans have been so brainwashed into thinking that people in France and Canada have such a terrible "socialized" health care system. As Hannity and Limbaugh always tell their listeners, "You have to wait seven months to even get a CAT scan", etc.

You wait even longer here in the US, maybe even the rest of your life if you don't have insurance and even if you do they may not even pay for it.

[kimmerspixelated]

3. Not only that

but I recently read that their(Europe's) dentistry system is different, in that instead of drilling, they treat the bad part of the tooth with something that addresses the problem. Probably more holistic, I'm thinking, which of course, the US would never even consider, unfortunately-even if effective, or especially if effective! Sorry no link!

[Indenturedebtor]

6. Well we do have the best teeth in the world here no?

Dental care is pretty cheap here if you don't need a whole new set of teeth!

[Crazy Dave]

10. I forget what oral surgery my mom had once

But I do know it wasn't for a whole new set of teeth and she still had to pay $300 for whatever part of her surgery that her insurance wouldn't pay for and her co-pay on top of that.

Cheap my ass!

[Indenturedebtor]

13. There are a lot of differences in plans I guess

Our Dental is really good, but my wife works for the University here and they give decent benefits.

[Crazy Dave]

14. Now you are talking about plans, not affordability or access to care

A lot of folks who have things pretty good automatically think things are good for everybody else. I had a poster tell me last week on DU that things aren't as bad as we think because he's making good money now had two good job offers in the past month. Another person with the "mental recession" attitude, right here on DU, not Faux News.

Anyway, with that said, you jumped into the conversation by saying dental care is cheap but tell that to somebody making $8 an hour with no dental insurance and even if he/she did, how easy is it for them (making $8 an hour w/$4 gl. gas, etc.) to come up with the $300 that the insurance won't pay.

I know, I know....you and your wife have good insurance, so it's not as bad as I say it is and it's not your problem.

[Indenturedebtor]

15. Actually I haven't had my teeth cleaned in 4 years

Because I can't afford the 50 bucks. I could I suppose but I don't want to give up other things like paying on debt.

Don't lump me in with other people that have pissed you off without asking questions first.

Overall we have great dental care here in the states... Americans are known worldwide for their shiny perfect teeth. That's kind of hard to argue with.

[Lars39]

16. Teeth cleaning, no x-rays, costs $125 where I live, with no dental ins.

[Crazy Dave]

17. That's still great and cheap according to Indenturedebtor

Even if you're un-employed

[Crazy Dave]

18. "Overall" is a joke and a new right-wing talking point

Not saying you are a right winger but you sound just like one of those very same people who have "pissed me off" with their "overall" mentality. You probably haven't noticed but "overall" is the new keyword that people like Gramm, Hannity and Limbaugh use in their defense of why we're all a bunch of "whiners". And don't forget it was "you" who got into the conversation by saying how cheap dental work was and how great your insurance was, etc. It's not up to me or others to ask you specific questions if you inject comments like that into a conversation. Maybe you should have added those details in the first place eh?

62,000 US jobs lost this past June, 440,000 lost since the beginning of this year but "overall" unemployment is only at 5.5% so things aren't that bad I've heard several right-wing talking heads say

50 million of Americans have no health insurance but "overall" 253 million do they also say

Over half a million Americans have lost their homes since the beginning of the year but "overall" most Americans do own a home

"Overall" is why there's never anything done and it's never a priority

[Indenturedebtor]

19. Oh sorry instead of trying to engage you in a discussion

I should have thrown a molotov cocktail at a federal building and sworn my undying allegiance to the party.

If you make everything a priority you make nothing a priority.

Or more famously put "He who defends everything, defends nothing."

I personally would be happy to see universal dental care as part of a universal healthcare plan. Or how about vision coverage since I can only afford to get new glasses every 5 years or so. But I think it's more important to focus on keeping people alive than making sure they have pretty teeth and perfect vision.

Good job though, you really do give off the impression of being holier than myself :eyes:

[IronLionZion]

5. Uninsured Americans can only wish they could get a CAT scan

at some point in their short unhealthy lives and would gladly wait 7 months because that's better than not getting it all.

[enid602]

4. oh no!

B-b-b-buttt France has a multi-payer system administered by private insurance companies, just like you-know-who advocated. We can't have that!!!!!!!

[elehhhhna]

8. betcha the admin costs are low though and they're regulated

price & cherry-picking-wise up the wingwang, tho.

[Stevepol]

7. Sounds like France's system is the best for the US to emulate.

We need to start some place. Where we are is terrible and unworthy of a civilized country.

[quidam56]

9. This is what is deemed 'Acceptable Standards of Care' in Virginia and Tennessee

http://www.wisecountyissues.com

[many a good man]

11. Workers pay 21% of their income for health care?

Gasp! Yet per person spending is half what US spends. One of those figures must be wrong....

[warren pease]

12. 22,000 died in the US from lack of insurance in 2006...

Probably more these days. See this study for details.


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