A famous aphorism

There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.

The saying proves true, yet again. A number I have seen tossed about for weeks now in the hoopla about a documentary by a guy with an obvious agenda is that the US ranks 37th in "Quality of Health Care." What I assumed was that this was a measure of the quality of healthcare services provided. What I didn't know is that significant weight is placed on whether the payment system is "fair."

This is important, because it carries the implication that the best health-care provision MUST be done by the government. It specifically decries those that would charge those more at risk a higher rate for "insurance" (which removed from a risk context ceases to become insurance at all), and insists that the rich pay more than the poor.

I do not deny that these are worthwhile considerations - but I resent the WHO declaring what is fair and proper, and skewing their numbers to that effect.

Because the US is #1 in a category besides per-capita spending. It's also the most responsive health care system in the world - by the same report that names it the 37th best overall. It gets heavily dinged in the financial categories.

The actual report: (1.6 MB PDF). Check page 155. Compare the USA with the UAE. Compare where the US has better numbers, where the UAE has better numbers, and how they compare in the "overall" score.