Obesity and health care in the US

[abaris]

I'm ambivalent. This year my #1 spouse had a cardiac event. We're on the hook for US$11k out of pocket deductible out of a bill of US$35k, but got prompt treatment that was probably life saving. This puts me in another hated group, those who actually benefit from expensive treatments while more sensible preventative care goes unfunded. This entire scenario is an example of the effects of the Affordable Care Act as spouse would not have been likely eligible for insurance because the cardiac condition was pre-existing. The ACA is supposed to improve American health care and from my experience, it has. It remains to be seen if we'll be able to keep it.

All of the above goes without saying in European health care systems. You get immediate treatment when you need it and you don't have to pay an additional dime to what your social security provides. They also provide preventive care systems. That's one of the answers why the US doesn't rank that good when compared internationally. Availability of health care or lack thereoff. Another would be the overall high costs per capita. In France they spend an average of about 4000 Dollars per patient, in the US, as far as I'm informed it's about 8000 dollars. Other factors are the actual positive or negative outcomes of treatments and life expectancy. It's a bit lower in the US than it is for example in most European countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cou...expectancy

So obesity alone certainly doesn't explain it.