...Thomas Roy Reid III (click here) grew up
in Michigan and went to Princeton before joining the Navy, later
starting a freelance writing career in Japan that would lead to work at
the Washington Post and a stint as the paper's London bureau chief. He
never expected to become a voice shaming a society that doesn't provide
universal, affordable health care, even to the most needy.
"I
got into it because my other books were flops," Reid joked. "Actually,
we had experiences overseas while raising our family in which my wife
and I realized there was a much, much better way for advanced nations to
provide health care to everyone."...
...After only four days in London, a daughter got an ear infection and was
treated quickly and efficiently at a "casualty center," the equivalent
of a UK emergency room. When he tried to pay, he soon found out that the
cost was nothing.
"Back home, it would have been $500 minimum," Reid said. "That's when my wife and I knew there was a better system."
Reid's
book, documentary and lectures explain how four different health care
systems work around the world, and how the United States' system has a
little, but not necessarily the best, of each.
"Other
advanced countries have universal care at a reasonable cost," Reid
said. "They actually spend less and often have better outcomes. And
that's what our country can provide.
"I know we can do it."
Every other First World nations started somewhere to provide universal health coverage.
...When you graph it out, (click here) clusters appear. Rich, East-Asian countries like
Korea and Japan have 80+ life expectancies with below-average spending.
Western Europe clogs the middle, with Sweden and Switzerland enjoying
the longest lives (Sweden relies on public insurance, while Switzerland
relies heavily on private insurance). The U.S., however, barely fits on
the map....
