OECD report finds U.S. pays more by far for health care

In most cases, those higher costs don't translate into better outcomes, says report comparing 34 nations.

Reuters: Costly U.S. Health System Delivers Uneven Care: OECD
The U.S. healthcare system is more effective at delivering high costs than quality care, according to a new study that found first-rate treatment for cancer but insufficient primary care for other ailments. The study, released on Wednesday by the 34-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, said Americans pay more than $7,900 per person for healthcare each year -- far more than any other OECD country -- but still die earlier than their peers in the industrialized world (Morgan, 11/23).

National Journal: For Health Care, Americans Pay More And Get Less
By every measure, the U.S. pays more for its medical system-;more dollars per person, a greater percentage of GDP, and higher prices for doctors, hospitals, administrative costs, and drugs. Total health care spending costs about $8,000 per person here, compared with the second-biggest spender, Norway, which spends less than $5,500 per person. "The U.S. is just this astonishing outlier compared to everyone else," said Mark Pearson, the head of the social policy division of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which produced the study of 34 countries (Sanger-Katz, 11/23).

Kaiser Health News: Report: U.S. Outspends Other Countries On Health Care 
The U.S. has the best five-year survival rate for breast cancer and comes in second, behind Japan, in terms of colorectal cancer survival.  But the U.S. ranks 27th in life expectancy at birth, 31st in premature mortality, and 25th in the rate of cardiovascular mortality. The U.S. has the second worst rate of adult diabetes, behind Mexico, and has the highest rate of adult obesity, at 34 percent (Appleby, 11/23).