Which Country Has the World’s Best Health Care?

Oncologist and bioethicist Emanuel has worked extensively in the fields of U.S. health care ethics and public policy. Here he collects, collates, and analyzes specific data to answer the popular question of who has the best health care. He acknowledges similar ranking exercises done by others, but notes that many have been unsuccessful and are now dated. Countries considered include the United States, UK, Taiwan, Switzerland, Canada, China, Norway, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Australia. Each country is evaluated by the history of its health care system, current coverage model, financing, payment processes, delivery of services, pharmaceutical coverage and price controls, human resources, and challenges. Yet arguably, there can be no overall best—each area of comparison is not consistently measured, and areas of priority are different in each country; better or worse, or rather best for whom, would be preferable. There are also six tips for improving the U.S. health care system, and a last-minute COVID-19 coda.