Countries with the Best Health Care Systems in the World
Wondering which country has the best healthcare plan? The UK, Australia, and the Netherlands rank at the top of the list. …and surprise! The USA is 11th!!
According to a 2017 publication from the Commonwealth Fund, The USA is ranked last out of 11 Countries.
“Among the 11 nations studied in this report – Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States—the U.S. ranks last, as it did in 2010, 2007, 2006, and 2014”
Living Abroad? Find International Health Insurance or Expat Insurance for international citizens.
They go on to report on each country:
“Most troubling, the U.S. Healthcare System fails to achieve better health outcomes than the other countries, and as shown in the earlier editions, the U.S. is last or near last on dimensions of access, efficiency, and equity.”
You can read the full report here: Commonwealth Fund Report (Update. According to 2017, the USA still ranks 11th)
Health Care System Performance Rankings
Source: Commonwealth Fund analysis
Key findings: The U.S. ranked last on performance overall and ranked last or near last on the Access, Administrative Efficiency, Equity, and Health Care Outcomes domains. The top-ranked countries overall were the U.K., Australia, and the Netherlands. Based on a broad range of indicators, the U.S. health system is an outlier, spending far more but falling short of the performance achieved by other high-income countries. The results suggest the U.S. health care system should look at other countries’ approaches if it wants to achieve an affordable high-performing health care system that serves all Americans.
Related:
- Best International Health Insurance Companies
- Healthiest Countries to Live In
- Best Travel Insurance Companies
Best Healthcare Systems in the World 2020
“This (2020) report examines and compares aspects of health systems around the world. It provides conceptual insights into the complex factors that explain how health systems perform and offers practical advice on how to assess performance and achieve improvements with available resources.”
Best Healthcare in the World
- Healthcare System in France
- Italian Healthcare System
- San Marino
- Andorra
- Malta
- Singapore Healthcare System
- Spain Healthcare System
- Oman
- Austria
- Japanese Healthcare System
- Norway
- Healthcare System in Portugal
- Monaco
- Greece
- Iceland
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- UK Healthcare System
- Healthcare System in Ireland
- Switzerland Healthcare System
- Belgium
- Colombia
- Swedish Healthcare System
- Cyprus
- German Healthcare System
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates – Dubai Healthcare System
- Israel
- Morocco
- Canada Healthcare
- Finland
- Australian Healthcare
- Chile
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Costa Rica Health
- US HealthCare System
- Slovenia
- Cuba
- Brunei
- Healthcare System in New Zealand
- Bahrain
- Croatia
- Qatar
- Kuwait
- Barbados
- Healthcare System in Thailand
- Czech Republic
- Malaysia
- Poland
- Dominican Republic
- Tunisia
- Jamaica
- Venezuela
- Albania
- Seychelles
- Paraguay
- South Korea
- Senegal
- Philippines Healthcare System
- Mexico Healthcare System
- Slovakia
- Egypt
- Kazakhstan
- Uruguay
- Hungary’s Healthcare System
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Saint Lucia
- Belize
- Turkey
- Nicaragua
- Belarus
- Lithuania
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Argentina
- Sri Lanka
- Estonia
- Guatemala
- Ukraine
- Solomon Islands
- Algeria
- Palau
- Jordan
- Mauritius
- Grenada
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Libya
- Bangladesh
- Macedonia
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Lebanon
- Indonesia’s Healthcare
- Iran
- Bahamas
- Panama Healthcare System
- Fiji
- Benin
- Nauru
- Romania
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
Source: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/best-healthcare-in-the-world#dataTable
What Country Has the Best Healthcare System in Europe?
Europe has 5 of the top 10 countries ranked by their healthcare systems. France, Italy, Malta, Spain, and Austria offer the best healthcare systems in Europe. Most other countries in Europe have excellent health care for their citizens. The biggest factors in driving their top rankings are affordability and access. The systems are typically heavily subsidized by the government and, as a result, are very affordable. At the same time, there are often long wait times and restrictions limiting choice in these countries – so none of these systems are perfect.
Which States in the US Have the Best Healthcare?
The Commonwealth Fund’s 2019 Scorecard on State Health System Performance reveals that most states are losing ground on key measures related to life expectancy as premature deaths from suicide, alcohol, and drug overdose continue to increase.
The States With the Best Healthcare Systems in the USA
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Iowa
- Connecticut
US States That Have the Worst-Rated Healthcare Systems
- West Virginia
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi
Source: https://2020scorecard.commonwealthfund.org/
Which Countries Have the Worst Healthcare
According to the World Health Organization, the following countries have the worst healthcare in the world:
- Angola
- Zambia
- Lesotho
- Mozambique
- Malawi
- Liberia
- Nigeria
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Central African Republic
- Myanmar
Source: https://www.who.int/whr/en/
International Health Insurance Plans Abroad
When living abroad, ensure access to the best health care and coverage for your medical expenses.

Cigna Global Insurance Plan
- The flexibility to tailor a plan to suit your individual needs
- Access to Cigna Global’s trusted network of hospitals and doctors
- The convenience and confidence of 24/7/365 customer service

Xplorer Worldwide Medical Plan
- Premium Benefits, Coverage and Service
- Define your deductible and prescription benefits
- For Foreigners in the US or US citizens abroad

William Russell Health Insurance
- William Russell plans cover you internationally, both in the country you reside in and wherever you are traveling to (addons required for USA)
- Their network includes 40,000 hospitals around the world.
- Plans have comprehensive cancer coverage, including genome testing.
Searching for the Best International Medical Insurance? Visit: Compare Global Medical Plans
Best International Health Plans Based on Where You Will Be Living
Guides to the best health insurance for international citizens or expatriates living in specific countries based on the top destination countries of people living abroad.
Read:
- Cost of HealthCare in the USA
- Countries Offering Free or Universal Health Care
- Understanding South Africa’s Healthcare System
- India’s Healthcare System
Written by Joe Cronin, the Founder and President of International Citizens Insurance. Mr. Cronin is an authority in the areas of global health, life, and travel insurance, with expertise in advising individuals and groups on benefits for today's global workforce . Follow him @Joe_Cronin_Jr