A number of years ago I wrote about our broke health care system. Since then, I continue to be amazed at people making comments about how we live in a country with the best health care in the world. I’m not sure if they are dealing with old information or if they have bought into the health insurance industry propaganda.

Here are the facts (source Time Magazine 12/1/08):

1) The U.S. spends far more on health care than any other nation.

2) Yet the U.S. is not healthier for the money. We live shorter lives and have a higher infant-mortality rate than many other developed nations.

3) Although smoking has been in the the decline, Americans still don’t live healthy lives.

4) The good news is that more Americans and better treatments are curbing America’s top killers.

5) Millions of Americans are at risk because they don’t have insurance or easy access to a doctor.

Many times I have heard stories about how hard it is to get health care in the UK or Canada. I’ll bet that not one person personally knows if any of the stories are true. They merely heard Rush Limbaugh say it is true. If other countries health care is so bad, why is it that Americans living near the Mexican border see Mexican doctors and dentists? Why is it that Americans who live near the Canadian border see Canadian doctors and dentists? Why is it that Americans travel to Europe and Asia to receive health care and especially surgeries?

Health care in this country is broke.