2 a) Relative quality of health care We have the best healthcare system in the world, don’t we? Would you believe that we are # 37th according to the world health organization, behind such countries as Costa Rica & Chile. The following from:                    Source: WHO World Health Report – The World Health Organization’s ranking of the world’s health systems.                                 The following is in rank order, the best to worst. 1 France                       2 Italy                        3 San Marino                    4 Andorra                                           5 Malta                         6 Singapore            7 Spain                               8 Oman                                                9 Austria                     10 Japan                  11Norway                         12 Portugal                                    13 Monaco                 14 Greece                15 Iceland                         16 Luxembourg                       17 Netherlands        18United  Kingdom 19 Ireland                     20 Switzerland                                21 Belgium                 22 Colombia           23 Sweden                       24 Cyprus                                  25 Germany               26 Saudi Arabia      27 United  Arab  Emirates  28Israel                                    29 Morocco                 30 Canada               31Finland                      32 Australia                                           33 Chile                        34 Denmark            35 Dominica                   36 Costa Rica                           37 The United States                                                                                                                                                        

Relative Quality of Life As far as healthy life expectancy goes, a quality of life factor, The US ranks 24^th. Following was taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy                                     –

HEALTHY LIFE EXPECTANCY (HALE)   Health attainment, level and distribution in all Member States

Disability-adjusted life expectancy at birth (years) Adjusted for years spent in disability                                                                                                                                                    

Rank      Member State                         Population      Males              Females                      1              Japan                                                   74.5                  71.9                 77.2                                      2             Australia                                              73.2                  70.8                 75.5                                     3              France                                                 73.1                  69.3                 76.9                                      4              Sweden                                               73.0                  71.2                 74.9                                      5               Spain                                                   72.8                  69.8                 75.7                                     6               Italy                                                      72.7                  70.0                 75.4                                      7               Greece                                                 72.5                  70.5                 74.6                                    8             Switzerland                                         72.5                  69.5                 75.5                                    9               Monaco                                               72.4                  68.5                 76.3                                 10             Andorra                                              72.3                  69.3                 75.2                                      11            San Marino                                        72.3                  69.5                 75.0                                      12             Canada                                               72.0                  70.0                 74.0                                  13            Netherlands                                       72.0                  69.6                 74.4                                 14            United Kingdom                               71.7                  69.7                 73.7                               15             Norway                                                71.7                  68.8                 74.6                                16             Belgium                                               71.6                  68.7                 74.6                                 17             Austria                                                 71.6                  68.8                 74.4                                18            Luxembourg                                      71.1                  68.0                 74.2                                    19             Iceland                                                70.8                  69.2                 72.3                                      20             Finland                                                70.5                  67.2                 73.7                                      21             Malta                                                    70.5                  68.4                 72.5                                      22             Germany                                            70.4                  67.4                 73.5                                   23             Israel                                                    70.4                  69.2                 71.6                               24             United States                                   70.0                  67.5                 72.6                                And yet our per capita healthcare costs are the 2nd highest among all countries.

One additional site to visit on this topic: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/new-health-rankings-of-17-nations-us-is-dead-last/267045/