You are correct, if you use the statistical averages. However, USA is an unequal society, and I will bet some money on, that the top 60% have as good or better outcomes as in Canada. The health care available to people of means is excellent in USA.
What drags the average down on USA, is the lower 40% who has very questionable access to health care.
PS: I use 60/40 as an example, the reality may be 80/20 or some other numbers.
I have no doubt that what you say is true. I'm quite sure that it applies to education as well and possibly housing. The US is a country of extremes.
I am content with my use of the overall averages of the countries and emphasize that the US spends more than Canada yet their life expectancy is lower. To me that sounds like a better system when you look at it as I do. It's more objective and easier to compare.
One question is what is a better parameter with which to judge systems, access to health care or life expectancy. IMO, I'd choose life expectancy. It's literally a matter of life or death and there are no ways to nuance the numbers, so it is a cut and dried situation. If you're "talking access to health" I think that there are many different ways with which to measure and define access, which means that there are inherent discrepancies when one wants to judge 2 different systems. It's not as clear cut. Life expectancy or access? Which parameter?
As I said, I personally prefer life expectancy but, for the sake of argument, if one chooses access, what do you feel is a better system? An egalitarian system where everybody gets good care, Canada or a system where 66.66% get excellent care yet 33.33% get substandard care, the US. Which do you feel is better and we must keep in mind that the US is spending more and those 33% still get stiffed. I posit that Canada's is a better system and I'd say that, even if it's only 20% that get stiffed. That is still 70 million Americans with questionable access to healthcare and the overall life expectancy is worse than that of Canada. And worse than 40 other countries, most of whom have socialized medicine.
Not that they just spend more but the US is "the greatest country in the world" and with their ingenuity, can do things that no other country can. But somehow they can't seem to figure out how to get their populace to live longer. There is something wrong there, and clearly it is the health care model/system they are using. It's the only conclusion that makes sense.
