“America has the Best Health Care System in the World!”
Okay, when you stop gasping and/or laughing, let’s talk about this falsehood that we still hear from medical pundits, ignorant politicians, and, of course, the talking heads at FOX News.
I recall during the initial healthcare reform debate, similar accolades were spewed by people who simply did not know the facts, which is why I wrote, Healthcare Reform or Revolution.
Here is one excerpt:
It would seem logical if Americans spend the most on healthcare that we would have the healthiest citizens and best healthcare system in the world, but we do not. According to the World Health Organization, in 2000 the USA ranked #1 in cost, #72nd in population health, #37th in healthcare delivery and the fact that 48 million Americans have no coverage. [11]
In contrast, France ranked #4, #4, and #1, with only 1% uninsured.[12] Obviously the French are getting more bang for their francs than we are getting for our dollars despite the fear-mongering in the media about socialized medicine.
Furthermore, Americans lead the industrialized world in every category of chronic degenerative disease such as cancer, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, back pain, diabetes, yet the pro-AMA voices still contend we have an excellent medical system that also is the second leading cause of bankruptcy other than losing a job. American women are second to last in longevity and men are dead last (no pun intended).
Regrettably, regressive forces in our country prefer the old medical monopoly just the way it is with HMO CEOs making $10-14 million annually in salaries, Bid Pharma executives averaging $20 million, and hospital CEOs averaging a mere $600,000, but if a med school is associated with the hospital, that jumps to $1.6 million.
Of course, the surgical device manufacturers, MRI center owners, and surgeons are reaping much more than they sow. Indeed, as they say Down South, the medical cartel is living high on the hog.
Certainly it is understandable why the medical cartel opposes Obamacare or any effort to reform our expensive but ineffective system. Sadly, the media has yet to tell the truth to the public as it continues to disseminate the old party line that “America has the best healthcare system in the world” despite the facts to the contrary.
As long as Big Pharma foots the bills at CNN, FOX, and all the other mainstream media news programs, Americans will never hear the truth about our failing medical system. Call me cynical, but most people understand the present system profits more by having a sick society than a healthy one, which explains why chiropractic and other CAM professions are sorely missing in the media as well as in Hollywood movies.
However, on March 6, 2014, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart bravely exposed much of this nonsense about America having best healthcare system in the world. Aasif Mandvi highlights the “quality of the best health care system in the world” by visiting a clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee.
On one hand, I admire this “fake news” comedian for probing into this issue, but on the other hand, find it odd that the mainstream media has not ventured into this important topic.
Again, what influence do you think sponsors have on content in the media? No doubt the Big Pharma advertisements have a lot to do with the lack of criticism by the lame stream media?
Nonetheless, take six minutes to view this enlightening and humorous look at the spokesman for the medical cartel as he trips over his own words in the segment: Third World Health Care – Knoxville, Tennessee Edition.