France Has the Best Healthcare System in the World

As the United States struggles toward a system of universal health care, many have looked at the Canadian health care system as a model. Only a few have looked toward France. That's a mistake for at least 2 reasons.

First, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), France has the best health care system in the world . It has been widely reported that the WHO found the French system to be number 1 while the Canadian system is number 30 and the U.S. number 37.

It should be noted here that the WHO rankings actually contain multiple rankings and the numbers generally quoted are the ranking based on the measure that the WHO calls the OP ranking. OP is said to measure "overall performance" adjusted to reflect a country's performance based on how well it theoretically could have performed. When reporting the rankings of 1 for France, 30 for Canada and 37 for the United States, it is the OP ranking being used.

Why did the French system do so well in the WHO rankings? The French system excels in 4 areas:

It provides universal coverage
It has responsive health care providers
Patients have freedom of choice
The health and longevity of the population

Second, we should be looking more closely at the French system because it has more similarities with the U.S. system than either the Canadian or British system. Many Americans assume that the French system is like the system in Britain. Nothing could be further from the truth or more insulting to the French.

Exactly like the United States, the French system relies on both private insurance and government insurance. Also, just like in America, people generally get their insurance through their employer. What is different is that everyone in France has health insurance. Every legal resident of France has access to health care under the law of universal coverage called la Couverture maladie universelle.

Under the French system, health insurance is a branch of Social Security or the Sécurité Sociale. The system is funded primarily by taxing the salaries of workers. An employee in France will pay about 20% of their salary to fund the Sécurité Sociale. These taxes represent about 60% of the cost of the health insurance plan.

The balance of the funding comes from the self employed, who pay more than salaried workers, and by indirect Taxes on alcohol and tobacco. Finally, the additional taxes levied against other income, directly or indirectly.

The French share the same distaste for restrictions on patient choice as an American. The French system is based on autonomous private practitioners rather than a British-style National Health Service. The French are very negative attitude of the British system as "socialized medicine". Almost all physicians in France in the Nation's Public Healthinsurance, Sécurité Sociale.

Perhaps it's time for us to take a closer look at French ideas about health care reform.

France has the best health system in the world

While the U.S. is fighting against a system of universal health care, many considered the Canadian health care system as a model. Few have looked to France. This is a mistake for two reasons.

First, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), France has the best health system in the world. It 'been widely reported that the WHO found the French system, to be number 1, while the Canadian system is the number 30 and the number of U.S.37.

It should be noted that the WHO ranking actually contain multiple placements and the numbers in order, the ranking is based on the extent to which the WHO defines the list OP. OP is to measure "overall performance" with the performance of a country to reflect on how well they could theoretically have to do. In return the ranking of 1 for France, 30 for Canada and 37 for the United States, is the ranking OP is used.

Because theFrench system to do the WHO ranking of regions? The French system is characterized by 4:

It provides universal coverage
She said Health Services
Patients have free choice
The health and longevity of the population

Second, we should look more closely, the French system because it has more in common with the U.S. system than with the Canadian and British systems. Many Americans assume that the French system as the system in the United Kingdom.Nothing could be further from the truth, or more offensive to the French.

Just as the United States, the system relies on two private insurance and insurance of the French government. Moreover, as in America, people generally get their insurance through their employer. What is different is that everyone in France is health insurance. Every resident in France for medical treatment under the law of universal coverage access the call Couverture maladieUniversal.

According to the French system, health insurance, a field of social security and Social Security is. The system is mainly financed through taxation of employees' earnings. An employee in France pays about 20% of their salary to fund Social Security. These represent about 60% of the cost of health insurance.

The rest of the funding comes from self-employed workers pay more for workers, and indirectTaxes on alcohol and tobacco. Finally, the additional taxes levied against other income, directly or indirectly.

The French share the same distaste for restrictions on patient choice as an American. The French system is based on autonomous private practitioners rather than a British-style National Health Service. The French are very negative attitude of the British system as "socialized medicine". Almost all physicians in France in the Nation's Public HealthInsurance, Sécurité Sociale.

Maybe it's time for us to take a closer look at French ideas about healthcare reform.