Sunday, December 27, 2009

Health Care Reform: Guess Who Is Beating Us?

Every member of the US Congress, political parties not withstanding, should feel shame that they have been bested by Mexico.

clinicmex Which is more apt to achieve the lofty political goal of universal health care coverage?

ObamaCare? Or CalderonCare?

If it's a race, Mexico has a serious head start. Felipe Calderon entered his presidency with an eye on expanding health care, just like someone else we know.

Mexico's version of Kathleen Sebelius visited Kansas City on Friday, signing agreements on research, training and care with Children's Mercy Hospital and the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Most of us last saw Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos, Mexico's secretary of health, with a blue mask hanging from his neck as he released the latest news about the swine flu outbreak in his country.

But there is different health news from below our border these days. While our Congress struggles over bills that would not take effect for years, Mexico’s goal is comprehensive care for all by 2011.

The goal got pushed back a year, but it’s still a tall order. According to Cordova, before 2004, only half of Mexico’s population was covered either by private insurance or the government. Mexico's poorest had to seek help at public hospitals and were expected to pay.

Seguro Popular was the first step. That insurance now protects more than 10 million families that are not enrolled in other health care programs.

More recently, Healthy Pregnancy care has expanded to 400,000 mothers and their children. With Medical Insurance for a New Generation, coverage has been extended to 2.2 million children and their families.

Mexico's mortality rate for children younger than 5 has been dropping. The admirable focus on its youngest citizens explains Cordova's presence at Children’s Mercy. The hospital has partnerships with a children's hospital in Panama City, Panama, and one in Quanzhou, China, but the deal with Mexico is the first with another country… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <McClatchy DC>

And our wealthy nation can’t beat Mexico?!

I’m sorry that this is all I have for you today.  Yesterday was incredibly slow for news.  I have a couple editorials percolating between my ears, but they aren’t fully formed yet.

10 comments:

tinaglenn6 said...

Thanks. Seems like a call to action for all to step it up.

the walking man said...

I am thinking here Tom but I am wondering in that thinking that just how much of the massive trade imbalances the rest of the world runs with the US economy goes to fund their health care.

I am beginning to see there is much more at play on the table then just they have what we don't and why. There is more at work than just the US citizen being a profit stream for corporations. (which MUST be regulated)

Vigilante said...

Hey Tom! How many troops does Mexico have in Afghanistan? Huh?

Leslie Parsley said...

Vigi: None because they have more sense than to go there.

"And our wealthy nation can’t beat Mexico?!"

Well, it does take a certain amount of humanity - something not included in their dictionary. Wonder why so many U.S. citizens go south of the border for their meds?

TomCat said...

Welcome Tina. I'm always making calls to step it up? Did Gwendolyn refer you? She's also into aromatherapy.

Mark, there could be. What are you thinking here?

Vig, you raise a valid point, but what we spend on Afghanistan is a drop in the bucket compared to the massively obscene profits of Big Healthcare and the banksters.

Leslie, many go south, because they can buy meds there at a fraction of the cost of what they coat here.

Sue said...

there I am again! I made the li-iiist, I made the li-iiiiist, nah nah nah nah nah!!

Hope you had a nice Christmas Tom!

Anonymous said...

And people wonder why retires are rushing south of the border as fast as they can.

Leslie Parsley said...

TomCat: Should have mentioned the lower costs of meds in Old Mexico. Retirees I've talked to who live there think the medical care is even better than here - not because our doctors are bad but because they are caught up in a HC system that's broken.

Lisa G. said...

If a crappy poor country like Mexico (and I'm not saying Mexico is crappy because I've had some very nice vacations there) can do better than us on healthcare, that's really saying how bought off our politicians are. No wonder so many people go there for meds and/or surgery!

TomCat said...

You sure did, Sue. And if things stay this dead, that will be the end for the year.

Are people doing it in addition to frogs, Kvatch? ;-)

That wouldn't surprise me, Leslie. We've lost the human touch here.

Lisa we have the best politicians money can buy. Mexico has their share of corruption, but there it's bottom up. Here it's top down.