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World’s Best Health Care - Ranking of Health Care by Countries – and Healthy Life Expectancy by Country

Updated on June 26, 2011

World’s Best Health Care Provider

The World’s best health care provider is France. France spends about $4000 per person per year on health care. France, with a population of 64 million is spending more than US$250 billions of government expenditure on the health care of its people.

Compulsory Health Insurance

France has a compulsory health insurance for each citizen. It works like this: you pay 5.25% of your salary or any earned income to the non profit health insurance fund. The rate is 3.95% on pensions and benefits such as allowances. The non profit health insurance fund will then negotiate with the government so that the government can offset the shortfall from its expenditure.

National Insurance Fund

When you get sick, you go to a doctor who charges you, say $1000. You pay the doctor $1000 and then you go to health insurance fund that refunds 75% ($750) of what you spent on your doctor. This means that for every $1000 you spend on doctor's or dentist's fee, you pay $250 from your pocket and $750 is paid from the national insurance fund and government funding. If you have a private health insurance policy with an insurance company, then you can still go ahead and claim the $250 you paid out of your pocket.

Pay First and Then Claim Latter

You as the patient have to pay first and then claim. This means you have the freedom to choose the hospital, the doctor, the dentist or the specialist. If you are poor, you are unlikely to seek treatment from expensive hospitals (read good treatment) because the requirement is that you have to pay first from your pocket and then seek reimbursement from the insurance fund. The hospital beds are in the ratio of 65% for public hospitals, 15% private but non profit making groups and the remaining 20% of beds are provided by profit hungry companies.

The More You Earn the More You Pay

The French health care system is social insurance model of finance which means the more you earn the more you pay. This does not mean that the more you pay the more you receive. But the rich people can afford to go to expensive hospitals where they are charged more for a better service and in return they claim 75% of the bigger medical bill. This may in a way translate to ‘the more your bill the more you can claim’.

Integrity of the Citizens

This social health insurance model that France uses has made France the World’s best health care provider.  This social health insurance model is just a simple arrangement that can be copied by any other country. The fact that it has been successful in France does not mean it has to be successful in another country. A lot of success depends on the management of the fund, the integrity of the citizens and the political support the government receives from its people.

Healthy Life Expectancy

France has a healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth of 73.1 years and a life expectancy of 81.5 years. That is a difference of 8.4 years of ‘less than full health’ where a person will need frequent medical attention.

Healthy Life Expectancy (HALE) is the average number of years that a person is expected to live in "full health" by taking into consideration the years that person will live in ‘less than full health’ due to diseases and injuries.

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth is the probable number of years one is expected to live after birth. The country with the highest life expectancy is Japan at 82.6 years, the country with the lowest life expectancy is Swaziland at 39.6 years and the country with the lowest healthy life expectancy is Niger at 29.1 years. But do not worry about life expectancy numbers because these are just figures. For example: a man is 71 years old and a child is 1 year old, if the child dies, the life expectancy is (71+1)/2 equals 36 years. If more children and young people in a country are dying at an early age, then the life expectancy of that country will drop substantially.

France In Comparison To the United States

In comparison to the United States, France spends about $4,000 per person on health care whilst US spends about $7,500 per person.  With that money, France has 3.4 physicians and 7.7 nurses for every 1,000 people whilst US has 2.4 physicians and 10.6 nurses for every 1,000 people. This means France has more physicians per person than US whilst US has more nurses per person than France. With such good health care in both of the two countries, France come up with a very low infant mortality rate of 4 infants per every 1,000 infants born whilst the United States has an infant mortality rate 6.7 infants for every 1,000 infants.

Niger is a Country in Africa

In the meantime, Niger is a country neighbouring Nigeria in West Africa. The population of Niger is 85% Muslims, therefore HIV – AIDS is not a big problem there. Niger has a poor health care system which lack resources and with a small number of health providers. The words ‘health care insurance’ is a vocabulary not to be found in Niger’s dictionaries. Niger spends only $5 per person per year on health care. Niger has 0.03 physicians and 0.22 nurses for every 1,000 people.

Healthy Children of Niger - Nature has it that because of the high child mortality, the women of Niger are blessed with the worlds highest fertility rate
Healthy Children of Niger - Nature has it that because of the high child mortality, the women of Niger are blessed with the worlds highest fertility rate

World's Highest Infant Mortality Rate

Niger has a child mortality rate of 248 for every 1,000 children. This is the world's highest infant mortality rate.  The child mortality rate is high in Niger because of poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition for children. But Nature has it that because of the high child mortality, the women of Niger are blessed with the world’s highest fertility rate. Each woman in Niger is giving birth to an average of 7.2 children – if you have been thinking they can get finished, they will not.

Main Cause of Deaths

In the developed countries like France, the main cause of death is the following:

1. Car accidents

2. Cerebrovascular diseases

3. Suicides

4. Stomach cancer

5. Lung cancer

6. Ischaemic heart disease (coronary artery disease)

Contrast that with the cause of death in developing countries like Niger and Swaziland where the main cause of deaths is the following:

1. Tuberculosis

2. Malaria

3. Diarrhea

4. HIV-AIDS

5. Ischaemic heart disease (coronary artery disease)

Bill and Melinda Gates

Over the past few years, Bill and Melinda Gates have spent more than $20 billion of their hard earned money to develop vaccines against malaria, HIV-AIDS, in trying to create genetically modified mosquitoes, in purchase of millions of mosquito nets, in purchase of drugs to fight HIV-AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis for the poor countries in Africa. Some people are critical of what Bill Gates is doing arguing that his foundation should spend the huge amount of money in improving the major problem in these developing countries which is actually poverty and poor living conditions rather than trying to give free drugs and mosquito nets.

Bill and Melinda Gates - All lives have equal value. Bill and Melinda Gates' donations are awesome and no doubt they are highly appreciated by the poor people who receive them.
Bill and Melinda Gates - All lives have equal value. Bill and Melinda Gates' donations are awesome and no doubt they are highly appreciated by the poor people who receive them.

Bill Gates is a Generous Man

Bill Gates is a good man. At the first level, the problem of HIV-AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis is to have the diseases managed today and not wait for tomorrow when the living condition of the people is imagined to improve. The truth is that only those who have suffered, either directly or indirectly, from HIV-AIDS, Malaria or Tuberculosis, will agree with Bill and Melinda Gates.

Gates' Donations Are Awesome

Indeed, Bill and Melinda Gates' donations are awesome and no doubt they are highly appreciated by the poor people who receive them. The millions of free mosquito nets and drugs that Bill and Melinda Gates' foundation have funded is indeed the best gift for Africa in improving the lower Healthy Life Expectancy.

Ranking of Health Care by Countries

Below is the Ranking of Health Care by Countries together with the corresponding Healthy Life Expectancy and life expectancy at birth by country.

Rank
Country
Healthy Life Expectancy (Years)
Actual Life Expectancy (Years)
% Healthy Life Expectancy to Actual Life Expectancy
1
France
73.1
81.5
89.7
2
Italy
72.7
81.9
88.8
3
San Marino
72.3
82.2
88
4
Andorra
72.3
82.5
87.6
5
Malta
70.5
79.4
88.8
6
Singapore
69.3
80
86.6
7
Spain
72.8
80.9
90
8
Oman
60.3
75.6
79.8
9
Austria
71.6
79.8
89.7
10
Japan
74.5
82.6
90.2
11
Norway
71.7
80.2
89.4
12
Portugal
69.3
78.1
88.7
13
Monaco
72.4
79
91.6
14
Greece
72.5
79.5
91.2
15
Iceland
70.8
81.8
86.6
16
Luxembourg
71.1
78.7
90.3
17
Netherlands
72
79.8
90.2
18
United Kingdom
71.7
79.4
90.3
19
Ireland
69.6
78.9
88.2
20
Switzerland
72.5
81.7
88.7
21
Belgium
71.6
79.4
90.2
22
Colombia
62.9
72.9
86.3
23
Sweden
73
80.9
90.2
24
Cyprus
69.8
79
88.4
25
Germany
70.4
79.4
88.7
26
Saudi Arabia
64.5
72.8
88.6
27
United Arab Emirates
65.4
78.7
83.1
28
Israel
70.4
80.7
87.2
29
Morocco
59.1
71.2
83
30
Canada
72
80.7
89.2
31
Finland
70.5
79.3
88.9
32
Australia
73.2
81.2
90.1
33
Chile
68.6
78.6
87.3
34
Denmark
69.4
78.3
88.6
35
Dominica
69.8
72.2
96.7
36
Costa Rica
66.7
78.8
84.6
37
United States of America
70
78.2
89.5
38
Slovenia
68.4
77.9
87.8
39
Brunei
64.4
77.1
83.5
40
New Zealand
69.2
80.2
86.3
41
Bahrain
64.4
75.6
85.2
42
Croatia
68.4
75.7
90.4
43
Qatar
63.5
75.6
84
44
Kuwait
63.2
77.6
81.4
45
Barbados
65
77.3
84.1
46
Thailand
60.2
70.6
85.3
47
Czech Republic
68
76.5
88.9
48
Malaysia
61.4
74.2
82.7
49
Poland
66.2
75.6
87.6
50
Dominican Republic
62.5
72.6
86.1
51
Tunisia
61.4
73.9
83.1
52
Jamaica
67.3
72.6
92.7
53
Venezuela
65
73.7
88.2
54
Albania
60
76.4
78.5
55
Seychelles
59.3
73.2
81
56
Paraguay
63
71.8
87.7
57
South Korea
65.1
78.6
82.8
58
Senegal
44.6
63.1
70.7
59
Philippines
58.9
71.7
82.1
60
Mexico
65
76.2
85.3
61
Slovakia
66.6
74.7
89.2
62
Egypt
58.5
71.3
82
63
Kazakhstan
56.4
67
84.2
64
Uruguay
67
76.4
87.7
65
Hungary
64.1
73.3
87.4
66
Trinidad and Tobago
64.6
69.8
92.6
67
Saint Lucia
65
73.7
88.2
68
Belize
60.9
76.1
80
69
Turkey
62.9
71.8
87.6
70
Nicaragua
58.1
72.9
79.7
71
Belarus
61.7
69
89.4
72
Lithuania
64.1
73
87.8
73
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
66.4
71.6
92.7
74
Argentina
66.7
75.3
88.6
75
Sri Lanka
62.8
72.4
86.7
76
Estonia
63.1
71.4
88.4
77
Guatemala
54.3
70.3
77.2
78
Ukraine
63
67.9
92.8
79
Solomon Islands
54.9
63.6
86.3
80
Algeria
61.6
72.3
85.2
81
Palau
59
69.1
85.4
82
Jordan
60
72.5
82.8
83
Mauritius
62.7
72.8
86.1
84
Grenada
65.5
68.7
95.3
85
Antigua and Barbuda
65.8
75.3
87.4
86
Libya
59.3
74
80.1
87
Bangladesh
49.9
64.1
77.8
88
Macedonia
63.2
74.2
85.2
89
Bosnia-Herzegovina
64.9
74.9
86.6
90
Lebanon
60.6
72
84.2
91
Indonesia
59.7
70.7
84.4
92
Iran
60.5
71
85.2
93
Bahamas
59.1
73.5
80.4
94
Panama
66
75.5
87.4
95
Fiji
59.4
68.8
86.3
96
Benin
44.2
56.7
78
97
Nauru
52.5
58
90.5
98
Romania
62.3
72.5
85.9

World’s Best Health Care - Ranking of Health Care by Countries – and Healthy Life Expectancy by Country

Rank
Country
Healthy Life Expectancy (Years)
Actual Life Expectancy (Years)
% Healthy Life Expectancy to Actual Life Expectancy
99
Saint Kitts and Nevis
61.6
71.3
86.4
100
Moldova
61.5
68.9
89.3
101
Bulgaria
64.4
73
88.2
102
Iraq
55.3
59.5
92.9
103
Armenia
66.7
72
92.6
104
Latvia
62.2
72.7
85.6
105
Cook Islands
63.4
70.6
89.8
106
Syria
58.8
74.1
79.4
107
Azerbaijan
63.7
67.5
94.4
108
Suriname
62.7
70.2
89.3
109
Ecuador
61
75
81.3
110
India
53.2
64.7
82.2
111
Cape Verde
57.6
71.7
80.3
112
Georgia
66.3
71
93.4
113
El Salvador
61.5
71.9
85.5
114
Tonga
62.9
73.3
85.8
115
Uzbekistan
60.2
67.2
89.6
116
Comoros
46.8
65.2
71.8
117
Samoa
60.5
71.5
84.6
118
Yemen
49.7
62.7
79.3
119
Niue
61.6
70.5
87.4
120
Pakistan
55.9
65.5
85.3
121
Micronesia
59.6
68.9
86.5
122
Bhutan
51.8
65.6
79
123
Brazil
59.1
72.4
81.6
124
Bolivia
53.3
65.6
81.3
125
Vanuatu
52.8
70
75.4
126
Guyana
60.2
66.8
90.1
127
Peru
59.4
71.4
83.2
128
Russia
61.3
67.8
90.4
129
Honduras
61.1
70.2
87
130
Burkina Faso
35.5
52.3
67.9
131
Sao Tome and Principe
53.5
65.5
81.7
132
Sudan
43
58.6
73.4
133
Ghana
45.5
60
75.8
134
Tuvalu
57.4
69.6
82.5
135
Ivory Coast
42.8
48.3
88.6
136
Haiti
43.8
60.9
71.9
137
Gabon
47.8
56.7
84.3
138
Kenya
39.3
54.1
72.6
139
Marshall Islands
56.8
65.2
87.1
140
Kiribati
55.3
60.9
90.8
141
Burundi
34.6
49.6
69.8
142
China
62.3
73
85.3
143
Mongolia
53.8
66.6
80.8
144
Gambia
48.3
59.4
81.3
145
Maldives
53.9
68.5
78.7
146
Papua New Guinea
47
57.2
82.2
147
Uganda
32.7
51.5
63.5
148
Nepal
49.5
63.8
77.6
149
Kyrgystan
56.3
65.9
85.4
150
Togo
40.7
58.4
69.7
151
Turkmenistan
54.3
63.2
85.9
152
Tajikistan
57.3
66.7
85.9
153
Zimbabwe
32.9
43.5
75.6
154
Tanzania
36
52.5
68.6
155
Djibouti
37.9
54.8
69.2
156
Eritrea
37.7
58
65
157
Madagascar
36.6
59.4
61.6
158
Vietnam
58.2
74.2
78.4
159
Guinea
37.8
56
67.5
160
Mauritania
41.4
64.2
64.5
161
Mali
33.1
54.5
60.7
162
Cameroon
45.7
50.4
90.7
163
Laos
46.1
64.4
71.6
164
Congo
45.1
53.6
84.1
165
North Korea
62.3
67.3
92.6
166
Namibia
35.6
52.9
67.3
167
Botswana
32.3
50.7
63.7
168
Niger
29.1
56.9
51.1
169
Equatorial Guinea
44.1
51.6
85.5
170
Rwanda
32.8
46.2
71
171
Afghanistan
37.7
43.8
86.1
172
Cambodia
42.8
59.7
71.7
173
South Africa
39.8
49.3
80.7
174
Guinea-Bissau
37.2
46.4
80.2
175
Swaziland
38.1
39.6
96.2
176
Chad
39.4
50.6
77.9
177
Somalia
36.4
48.2
75.5
178
Ethiopia
33.5
52.9
63.3
179
Angola
38
47
80.9
180
Zambia
30.3
42.4
71.5
181
Lesotho
36.9
42.6
86.6
182
Mozambique
34.4
42.1
81.7
183
Malawi
29.4
48.3
60.9
184
Liberia
34
45.7
74.4
185
Nigeria
38.3
46.9
81.7
186
Democratic Republic of the Congo
36.3
46.5
78.1
187
Central African Republic
35
44.7
78.3
188
Myanmar
51.6
62.1
83.1

World’s Best Health Care - Ranking of Health Care by Countries – and Healthy Life Expectancy by Country

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