Does Socialism Work? Debunking the Myths PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Strom   
Tuesday, 27 November 2007 10:24

Proponents of Canadian-style universal health care say that Canadian life expectancy is two years longer than ours, implying that the health care systems of the two countries have something to do with that result. Yet doctors don't control our overeating, overdrinking, etc. Where doctors do make a difference, the comparison does not favor Canada. In an NBER study, David and June O'Neill draw on a large US/Canadian patient survey to show that:

  • The percent of middle-aged Canadian women who have never had a mammogram is double the US rate.
  • The percent of Canadian women who have never had a pap smear is triple the US rate.
  • More than 8 in 10 Canadian males have never had a PSA test, compared with less than half of US males.
  • More than 9 in 10 Canadians have never had a colonoscopy, compared with 7 in 10 in the US.

These differences in screening may explain why US cancer patients do better than their Canadian counterparts. For example:

  • The mortality rate for breast cancer is 25% higher in Canada.
  • The mortality rate for prostate cancer is 18% higher in Canada.
  • The mortality rate for colorectal cancer among Canadian men and women is about 13% higher than in the US.

Cross-posted at Minnesota Free Market Institute

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Source: “Does Socialism Work? Debunking the Myths.” John Goodman Health Blog at the National Center for Policy Analysis web site

See also: “If better health for children is the issue, let insurers compete.” Minnesota Free Market Institute Commentary