HEALTH WATCH -- The United States has the most expensive health care system in the world, but does the extra money provide superior care?
A team of Canadian and US researchers conducted a review of studies comparing American to Canadian health care.
The studies examined the end results for patients treated for different types of diseases, from kidney failure to cancer to various surgical procedures.
They found that the Canadian system provided JUST as good care at a fraction of the cost.
Canada may even have the edge in quality: 14 studies favored the Canadian system, and just 5 favored the United States. The remaining 19 studies found no overall difference.
But the United States far outstrips Canada on health care SPENDING -- U.S. per capita health care costs totaled over $7000 in 2006, more than double Canadian costs.
Canada also has universal healthcare, while the U.S. still has more than 45 million people without health insurance.
Researchers conclude that the Canadian system proves that high quality universal health care is possible for much less money than the United States currently spends.
