Poorer Nations Push for Universal Health Coverage as U.S. Squabbles

Many other countries are moving full speed ahead to guarantee health care for all their citizens, not only because it is morally and ethically right but because it is a powerful economic development tool that will ensure these countries have healthy populations and an efficient and effective health care system.

Meanwhile, the U.S. seems stuck in a state of political paralysis and may soon move full speed astern. What explains this striking and unfortunate example of American exceptionalism?

I attribute it to motivators often used to explain the behavior of Wall Street: fear and greed.

I would also add a third: ignorance. There are those who still believe (or claim to), despite all the evidence to the contrary, that the U.S. has the best health care system in the world. This belief is demonstrably contradicted, both by the facts and everyday experience. We have the most expensive health care system in the world and some of the fanciest technology, but our arrangement for getting health services to our people ranks far down the scale, behind about 40 other countries.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/06/17-1