As the U.S. pushes to increase the number of Americans with health insurance, this morning’s WSJ looks at France, which offers universal coverage — and where the national health plan is running large deficits. That’s led France to begin implementing some U.S.-style efforts to control costs, such as co-pays to reduce prescription-drug costs, notes the WSJ. Here’s a quick look at what’s been happening in a few other countries around the world, as everybody tries to figure out how to provide health care without going broke: Switzerland and the Netherlands both mandate that all adults must buy their own insurance or pay a penalty . That’s the same model that the state of Massachusetts has incorporated in its reform efforts as well. Earlier this year, China decided to reform

its health-care system . It plans to spend a lot of money building new hospitals and clinics, and will offer state subsidies for premium insurance with a goal of providing basic coverage to 90% of the country’s population within three years. And in India, families earning less than a particular amount per year and meet other criteria get a “smart card” as part of the National Health Insurance Program , which people can take to the provider of their choice. The plan costs families the equivalent of just one day of a day laborer’s wages and is designed to encourage private insurers and hospitals to join in to market themselves and increase their patient base.

Read the rest here:
Health Reform: A Quick World Tour