[Lemmo]

(03-05-2013 08:48 PM)A CLOCKWORK TRADER Wrote:  

(03-05-2013 08:38 PM)Lemmo Wrote:  

(03-05-2013 08:24 PM)A CLOCKWORK TRADER Wrote:  

(03-05-2013 08:21 PM)Lemmo Wrote:  

PNHP is a lobbying group for national healthcare and the authors of the study cited also make clear they have an agenda. Not exactly objective sources. But I'd settle for anecdotal evidence - a couple of examples of people dying due to lack of health insurance.

The article is talking about a Harvard University study. You can google the study itself or find articles from every major news publication talking about it. Take your pick.

Oh well, if it is from Harvard it must be true. No one there has an agenda. Seriously, a quick search shows that the authors have ties to PNHP. In any case even they come up with a fairly small number of deaths relative to the population and even for these there is a dubious link between lack of health care and the death (i.e., we can assume this is a top of the range estimate). Obviously, any country can reduce its death rate by increasing health care. The goal is to design a system that provides maximum access at the lowest price - an efficient allocation of resources.

In any case, I'm not arguing in favor of the US system or the healthy lifestyles of Americans. I'm just disputing your argument that the UK system can be a model or is obviously superior to the US model. Here is an article describing avoidable deaths resulting from the crappy care provided in the UK - arguably an unavoidable result of an inefficient national system. http://rt.com/news/hospital-cover-up-uk-190/ (excess deaths of 1,000 in Stafford alone).

You're obviously not reading my posts in its entirety. When did I say it the NHS can be a model for us? How it can be superior to our model when we have no model to compare to? And talking about agendas then posting an RT link. Come on....

Well, you said the US was 65 years behind the UK. And the rest of your posts also imply the UK system is superior. And to say the US has no model is obviously nonsensical. Even if it was entirely a free market system (it is actually one of the most regulated industries) that would still be a system. Here is the BBC reporting on the same issue of excess deaths if that is more to your liking http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21668229