U.S. vs. Other Countries on Chronic Illness

According to a study published by healthaffaris.org, the U.S. is drastically lagging behind other countries in care for the chronically ill. Chronically ill patients in eight different nations including Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, and the U.S. were asked about their experiences with healthcare in their country. Patients surveyed had conditions including cancer, diabetes, depression, and heart disease.

Chronically ill U.S. patients have the most complaints about their healthcare system. Over half claimed to abstain from some form of medical treatment or care due to the high-cost of care in the U.S., and over 40 percent spent more than $1,000 out of pocket on healthcare needs in the last year. In addition, 1/3 of patients claimed that they received delayed test results, incorrect diagnoses, or the wrong medication. Compared to other countries in the survey, the U.S. is far behind on treatment for the chronically ill.

The rise in U.S. healthcare costs and the decline of quality care is providing more reason for Americans to consider medical travel. Healthcare in the U.S. for chronically ill patients is much worse than other nations with similar economic status, and this is pushing Americans to look towards medical travel as a solution.

References:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4AC10720081113