Mexico appears to be pulling ahead of the United States in offering care for its poorest citizens, leaving only Turkey and the US. Now, all but two OECD nations offer a universal health plan that doesn't allow millions to fall through the cracks. Most OECD nations pay for health care through taxes and offer healthcare in such a way that end users are NEVER hit with large, unweildly bills. Most have completely eliminated medical bankruptcy. Almost all have limits on uncovered medical bills that don't end abruptly at an arbitrarily low cutoff level.
Watch Frontline's Sick Around The World special, The show examines health care systems in six other developed nations - looking at their strengths and weaknesses. We could learn a LOT from these 6 other nations!
They clearly have high quality, far more affordable health care delivery systems than our own.
China, not an OECD nation, but the largest nation in the world, with 1.6 billion people, is also beginning a transition to a national health service, they "hope" to complete a program of providing access to the most populated and urbanized coastal areas by 2012-2013 and the entire country by 2020
It appears that the United States is becoming increasingly isolated in its clinging to the use of free market based, high cost often low coverage group and individual health policies.
MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's Health Department says it will launch a pilot program to encourage migrants working in the United States to sign up their families in Mexico for the Mexican government's low-income health insurance program.
The department says the program will start in the state of Colorado, and will eventually be extended to other states, mainly through Mexican consulate.
The "Seguro Popular" insurance program offers low-cost coverage to people not covered by other plans.
The department said in a statement Friday the program was part of a plan to achieve full health coverage for Mexicans by 2012.
Nearly 12 million Mexicans live in the United States.