Jerusalem – A new report released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reveals encouraging figures about the health care situation in Israel.
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Israeli life expectancy is among the highest in the world, and fifth among OECD countries, infant mortality rate is among the lowest in the world, and a significant improvement has been recorded in the treatment of chronic diseases.
Israel has one of the world’s highest life expectancies, standing at 81.6 years in 2009 – about two years more than the OECD average of 79.5. Japan had the highest life expectancy in 2009 – 83 years.
A significant drop has been found in mortality from heart disease. A drop was also recorded in mortality from stroke.
Additional encouraging figures can be found in cancer survival rates, thanks to early diagnoses and improved treatment over the years.
An improvement has also been recorded in the treatment of diabetes
Nonetheless, the report’s authors rebuke all countries, including Israel, for the community treatment of different chronic diseases like asthma. Hospital admission rates for asthma in Israel are even higher, standing at 68 per 100,000 adults. Hospital admission rates for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are also higher in Israel, standing at 229 per 100,000 adults compared to the OECD average of 198.
When it comes to obesity, Israelis have a reason to be proud. According to the report, obesity rates have doubled and even tripled in many countries since 1980. In more than half of the countries, more than half of the population is overweight, with the United States ranking first.
The lowest obesity rates were recorded in Japan and Korea, while the Israeli average stood at 14% in 2009 – lower than the world average of 17%.
In light of the encouraging figures on life expectancy and mortality from diseases in Israel, the public and private spending on healthcare make comes as a surprise. The country with the highest healthcare spending in 2009 was the US, with $7,960 per capita, 2.5 more than the OECD average.
In Israel, on the other hand, healthcare spending per capita is 30% lower than the OECD average, totaling $2,164 in 2009. In addition, the per capita spending in fixed prices from 2000 to 2009 increased by only 1.5%, less than the average growth of 4% in OECD countries.
The national healthcare spending in Israel was also relatively low in 2009, totaling 79% of the GDP, compared to a 9.6% average in OECD countries. The highest rates were in the US (17.4%), Holland (12%) and France (11.8%).
According to the report, only 58% of healthcare spending in 2009 was financed by the State – lower than the OECD average of 72% that year.
Avira D’Eretz Yisrael. Ki Ani Hashem Rof’echa. If you exclude the Arabs which have a lower life expectancy then it’s even higher b”h.
Another shorter way of reporting this same news story is: Israelis treat their aged patents with respect, value their lives and advocate for their best care. Many Israelis smoke or inhale second hand smoke. Cost of living is high and many Israelis cannot afford to splurge on food excess beyond the basics.
The Israeli motto of הכל בסדר is the secret of a healthy and longer life.
the holy torah states it explicity – lemaan yirbu yemeichem veyemei veneychem al haadamah -ISRAEL- no where else !
people with no “daagos” live longer.
i find this interesting because u dont see too many handicapped accessability ramps.i just read an article saying that they now have to think what to do with the elderly. Our remaining holocaust survivors arent able to do what they did in the past. Israel is still a young nation, and geared for the youth.
I guess this proves that government health care is a failure and high cost lol
Am yisroel chai
its a gemara that rabbi yochenen wondered: ickeh sabeh bebuvel? is there an old man in chutz leuretz? the torah says lemaan yirbu yemeichem al huadumu?!?!
To #2 - You stated that “Israelis treated aging patients with respect”. If that was true, why did the Government of Israel refuse to pay for nursing home care to treat an Alzheimer’s patient? Who was the patient-none other than former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir. It is a shanda that EY refused to pay for his care. Their reasoning was that it would “set a bad precedent, as the Government would then be obligated to pay for nursing home care of other Prime Ministers”. The latter shows how compassionate the Government is.
In short, the US system is the least efficient, most expensive, and the life expectancy is poor compared to other OECD countries.
Yet most people on this site are blind to these facts and continue to insist government medicine is a disaster, when in fact the private insurance system is the most expensive with overall poor results.