Ireland in top 25 globally in league of health and wealthy efficiency

Health and wealth: Ireland in top 25 as Hong Kong and Singapore lead way for efficiency Fifty-six countries around the world ranked based on health spending and life expectancy data for 2015

WANT medical care without quickly draining your fortune? Try Singapore or Hong Kong as your healthy havens.

The US will cost you the most for treatment, while life expectancy of Americans – about 79 years – was exceeded by more than 25 countries and territories, according to an annual Bloomberg analysis in almost 200 economies.

A health-efficiency index was then created to rank those with average lifespans of at least 70 years, GDP per-capita exceeding $5,000 (€4,255) and a minimum population of five million. Costa Rica, Ireland, Lebanon and New Zealand were added to the final index this year, having reached the population threshold – all now ranking among the top 25.

Americans aren’t getting their medical money’s worth, according to each of the categories. The US had the second-highest per-capita spending on health care at $9,536. Switzerland’s average based on gross domestic product was $9,818. But that $282 supplement helped deliver an extra 4.2 years of life – with the average Swiss lifespan of almost 83.

Compared to residents of the Czech Republic – which had an average life expectancy almost at parity with the US – Americans spent more than double on health care relative to GDP, 16.8pc versus 7.3pc.

The latest reading of the Bloomberg index reflects the second full year of Obamacare, which expanded access to health insurance and provided payment subsidies starting on January

1, 2014. The latest health-efficiency gauge used 2015 data, as that’s the most-recent for most economies from the World Health Organisation.

That lag time also puts the spotlight on the UK, which fell out of Europe’s top 10 in the health ranking based on

2015 data. The nation voted for Brexit the following year, with costs and efficiency of the NHS a key issue for British voters.

Spain’s health system efficiency ranked third behind Hong Kong and Singapore, followed by that of Italy.

Italy ranked as the world’s healthiest country in a separate Bloomberg gauge.

Thailand moved up 14 places to 27, the biggest annual improvement, as per-capita spending declined 40pc to $219 only while life expectancy advanced to 75.1 years. Medical tourism industry is one of Thailand’s fastest-growing industries.

Chile, highest-ranked from Latin America last year, tumbled 23 positions, out of the top 10 to 31st, well behind Mexico and Costa Rica. The Chilean government spent 28 basis points more on health expenditure relative to annual GDP, while longevity of its citizens fell more than two years.

Rankings can change substantially year-over-year because of things such as recession, currency fluctuations and volatile spending patterns relative to the slow pace of improvement in life expectancy.

Americans aren’t getting their medical money’s worth