Out of Control

From a new OECD report:

the percentage of the respondents in need of elective coronary bypass who had been waiting for more than three months was 0% in U.S., 18.2% in Sweden, 46.7% in Canada, and 88.9% in the United Kingdom.

Russell Roberts: “I guess one man's ‘elective’ is another man's ‘emergency.’”

The study’s conclusion:

The United States spends much more on health care compared to all other OECD countries. Although bed capacity is lower compared with countries without waiting times, day surgery capacity is probably comparable or higher. The majority of providers of surgery is private and is highly incentivised to meet demand by activity-related payments.

Ron Bailey on health care costs here.