Top 10 Countries for the Best Healthcare in the World
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When you think about which countries have world-class healthcare, Americans tend to assume that the United States is leading the pack. However, according to a recent analysis by Statista, the U.S. actually ranks 69th worldwide in terms of the quality of our healthcare system.
This is a big problem for anyone, but what if you’re approaching the age where you expect your healthcare needs to increase? If quality and cost are important to you, it might be time to pull up stake and head for greener pastures where you don’t have to spend as much “green” on your health.
As a relocation consultant who’s helped people move to 37 countries, in this video, I’m sharing with you the top 10 best countries for healthcare.
Along the way, I’ll provide some important information about each places and what visas you might consider when moving there.
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48 Comments
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I work in the US system. It's a mess on many levels. Thanks for this tremendous report.
Malaysia and Thailand didn't make the list? Odd.
Great video! I'd love to see a follow-up video showcasing some of the better Healthcare systems in the Caribbean and Latin American cities. Love your content – thanks for posting !
Thanks for another great video. This is so useful and important.
Actually the USA scores very well on most of the metrics in HC evaluations. Where if falls badly is the cost. However most of the places you mentioned have much higher federal income tax rates. When people say HC here or there is FREE it is simply a false statement. Also stating that HC is better outside of the USA is making it sound like you're only talking about quality which is simply false. The quality is very good in the USA and frankly a lot of places outside of the USA benefit from the USA's progress and education. Also Americans complain about the price of everything so when you get a bill it's in your face vs it being deducted from your paycheck every 2 weeks in the form of higher taxes
I was just sick in Sweden and France. The long wait times you mentioned for Sweden were certainly true in my case, as it took the better part of a day. In addition, the doctor told me that they don’t test for COVID anymore; and she refused to give me an antibiotic for my bronchitis, even though I have a history of developing secondary bacterial infections, telling me she could lose her license. As a US citizen, the visit cost me $200. It would have cost $170 more, but I requested to skip the X-ray.
I continued to get more and more sick as we traveled to France, struggling to breathe. In France, I waited 10 minutes to see a doctor, paid 30€, and left with a prescription for an antibiotic. My ability to breathe returned to normal within 48 hours. Based on this experience, France is the clear winner for me. Of course, it’s just one sample; but it was enough for me to decide I’ll never move to Sweden, even though it’s a beautiful country with great people.
Luxembourg has a good health care system
Great content.
I need to travel for Medical Tourism … was thinking about Malaysia? I noticed it did not make the list and I wondered why? Was it close … like # 11.
Over 55 million people enrolled in Medicare. 92 million enrolled in Medicaid / CHIP. 10 million enrolled in VA HC. That’s 157 million people, or nearly 48 % of the US population, receiving government sponsored health care at a total cost $1.8 Trillion (give or take) for 2023 or 30% of all federal spending (2023 total federal spending = $6.2 Trillion funded by $4.5 Trillion in tax revenue and $1.7 Trillion debt, of which $658 Billion was used to pay interest on previously existing debt). Good times!
Great! Kristin, be careful down there, stay away from the malls where the space aliens have been spotted. They might bite!😂
What about Thailand?
Wow, I did not realize how well built you are up top!
Excellent review of health care coverage/expediency around the world. Younger Americans/usa should heed your words re: availability of excellent care that is not cost prohibitive. Too late for we older adults…but smart younger generations should seriously consider dual citizenship to cya while you can. I have no faith in the usa system anymore. Example…my clinic charged me $340 for a simple covid test..not covered by Medicare. We are sol…younger people need to plan now.
Well done Kristin.
everything she mentioned here is not holistic doctors.. it all institutionalized healthcare
health care might seem "free" in many places but it clearly is not. Taxes are pretty high, like the US is high for the higher earners but in many of the countries with "free" healthcare the very high tax rates start at pretty low income levels.
Australia, for example, at $18,200 you are paying 16%. Then at $45,000 those dollars are taxed at 30%. At $135,000 you are now paying 37% and at $190,000+ you are paying 45%.
Medicare levy of 2% is NOT included in the above nor are any other taxes (such as an territorial, city, wealth, etc).
But agreed on the US health care. Way too much regulation and so much cost, time, labor, infrastructure, etc. has to be devoted to regulation, insurance complexity and paper shuffling. So sad that healthcare in the US is more time and cost being spent on back-office rather than actual healthcare and allowing the Doctors to do the work.
Hey Kristin! Glad to see you’re still making move-abroad content even though you’re stateside. I’m living in France and one thing that’s crucial to know for foreigners wanting to relocate is that while medical care here is high quality, there are “medical deserts” where few doctors are taking new patients, and waits for specialists are very long. It’s also rare, even in a big city like Paris, to find doctors who can speak English. So if you hope to relocate to France in the hope of more affordable medical care, research the area well, and plan to ramp up your French quickly.
Another great video! So interesting. Thanks for the useful info. Looking forward to future videos on these topics.
FYI I was told Paracetamol=Tylenol
the US healthcare system is trash
What about Thailand? 😮
Shocked and actually disappointed that you would leave Thailand off a list like this.
Yet you include Korea?! if not for wealthy folks going for cosmetic surgery it would not be on a list for medical tourism. 😐
Quality and expertise in Thailand is world-class, it's significantly cheaper than most countries you listed, and the range of visa options and low cost healthcare insurance for non-citizens is broad. 🙏 please do a one off video just on Thailand healthcare options. Thank you!
Very informative. Good job.
Clean water in the USA lol
Switzerland has far better health care
I had a friend who badly sprained her ankle in Paris and when to the hospital for treatment and she got a bill for 40.00. Dam* that "socialism". French doctors don't cater to you in the same way as we expect to be coddled over here AND there is a lot of treatments dispensed at the pharmacies that you can only do t the doctor's office here OR you need a prescription for the medication.
I live in Taiwan and have been here for the last eight years. I am from the US. Regarding the two items you mentioned as issues in Taiwan – overcrowding of the public hospitals and English capability…I have found the healthcare system here to be the most accessible, most affordable, and most efficient delivery of healthcare IN THE WORLD. I have been in hospitals and used healthcare in the EU, SE Asia, China, Japan, Canada, and the US. Taiwan blows all of the them away for the things I called out.
As to the overcrowding and English capability – in the government hospitals, it will shock you at how many people might be there on any given day – Saturdays can be busy. However, the registration system, the capability of the nurses and staff, and the willingness of the doctors to "stay until done" make it actually quite efficient and effective. It's not uncommon to see 100 patients registered for any particular doctor, but they manage to get through them all and I've never had a poor experience in terms of talking to a doctor (in English BTW) and getting progress on my situation. The visit INCLUDES any prescription (there are a few exceptions where the Rx costs more, but in general, around 400 NTD (~13 USD) gets you the doctor and the RX. If you need an xray, MRI, etc, that will be covered as well in that fee. My monthly insurance is around 800 NTD or around 27 USD.
i have never had an issue with communication – the doctors are all very capable in English (I believe the medical training is all in English with Chinese translations). In the government hospitals, they have helpers that will get you what you need in the language you speak. English is very common in that regard. Taiwan has immigrants from all around SE Asia so you might see signs in Vietnamese, Thai, English, etc.. as well but the staff can almost always speak enough English to help you out.
The care is top notch – you get a diagnosis, the meds (if needed) and the testing required to solve the issue – plain and simple. It could be the model by which others deliver healthcare. It's really amazing.
US helps Ukraine n Eesraeel with billions so they can have free education n free health care.
Sorry kido
Come to Malaysia 🇲🇾
Good video but as many have mentioned, no Thailand or Malaysia? I look forward to your follow up videos but even Nomad Capitalist raves about Malaysian healthcare, which is cheap as chips 🥳🥳
The healthcare isn’t FREE anywhere.
Somebody pays for it and that’s usually through HIGH TAXES!!
I’ve lived in countries with
so-called “free” healthcare and most of the time it’s substandard.
And it’s NEVER FREE! 😮
My father has a business in Vietnam and is retired in Vietnam and he's telling me Donald Trump will cut the double taxation for Americans living overseas. You have know how happy he was to hear that. Hes currently taxed for taking out social security and he has to pay taxes to the USA on his business in Vietnam and another tax to the Vietnam government. I can totally understand why hes happy to hear that tax cut.
Nothing is free.
Why is malaysia not included?.
Hi Kristin. Thanks for this video about the countries with the best health care systems. You're looking so pretty 👌 😊
France, Iceland, Dutch, Switzerland, Norway, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore
Very true, US health care ranks low. Health care is never Free!! Somebody is paying taxes for health care.
This was so incredibly well-researched and thorough. Thanks for taking the time to put all this info together!
WHO 🤮
The US health care system is a total mess but you have cancer or a heart attack or stroke I much rather be here. People are dying in Europe waiting for help on their socialized systems. Doctors work minimal hours in parts of Europe because of lack of incentives. We need to improve but we do have the best critical care in the world.
Singapore! My favorite city. Unfortunately, they don't want me. I'm retired and idle. They only want productive people, and I'm not willing to go back to work just to get in.😂
Healthcare in the USA is a mafia/big pharma!!
Just a friendly observation, freedom in the USA, I don’t think so and clean water most of the countries in the world have it.
I visit France almost yearly, and have a good friend who lives in Paris. One thing I don’t understand is if healthcare in France is “almost free”, then why do some French citizens have private healthcare?
BTW, France is not a single payer country. Its healthcare system is divided into Regions.
The cost of pharma meds in Singapore is 5 X that of Taiwan.
Edit: South Korea is NOT in SouthEast Asia, lol
Having lived in South Korea for 5 years and now an immigrant in France……… I will take the healthcare in Korea over France ANYDAY!!!!! the prices are comparable even for out of pocket, but the actual care itself is better. And you don't need a referral for any specialist, and many clinics take walk-ins
Then why is it that the wealthiest Top 10% come to the United States for medical treatment?
Thanks for sharing
I live in the Netherlands and I can tell you they don’t have good health care at all! Have gone twice abroad for a treatment that is not possible in the Netherlands