I discuss a recent New England Journal of Medicine study which showed that if you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (aka "AAA") in the US vs the UK, the UK patients have to wait longer for surgery, and the aneurysms don't get repaired until they are larger (and more at risk of rupture.)
The researchers conclude: "Rates of aneurysm rupture and aneurysm-related death were significantly higher in England than in the United States".
I also cover three natural follow-up questions:
1) Were US surgeons jeopardizing their patients by operating more aggressively than UK surgeons?
2) Did the UK nationalized health system contribute to the lower rates of appropriate surgery in the UK?
3) Will US government policies incentivize American surgeons towards more — or less — appropriate treatments?
For more details, read the full text of "Patients With Aortic Aneurysms More Likely To Die In The UK Than The US".
