Study Group with Eric Hargan - Week 5

The United States vs. "Everyone Else:" How Does the U.S. Healthcare System Really Compare to Other Countries?

There is a common complaint lodged against the U.S. healthcare system: that it spends far more than any other country on healthcare, both in total, per capita and as a percentage of the economy, but its measurable results are comparatively mediocre at best. 

Is this true? Is the United States uniquely wasteful in healthcare? Does it provide substandard care, particularly compared to the other developed countries? If so, why? 

This session will consider the United States system versus other countries’ healthcare systems, looking at the U.S. statistics, longevity and disease survival rates, the types of healthcare challenges the U.S. and other countries face, and the potential effect of structural elements of different systems.

GUEST: Andrew Bremberg, President Emeritus of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, will join Eric Hargan in-person for the March 27 session.

AUDIENCE: These conversations are open to members of the Harvard community. Please RSVP with a valid Harvard email address. 

OFF-THE-RECORD: In keeping with our long tradition at the IOP to ensure honest and candid discussions of politics, all IOP study groups are off-the-record.