Comments on: Chile: The One Country That Was Prepared for the Financial Crisis

By: How the Woes of the Wealthy Can Guide You to Global Investing Profits

How the Woes of the Wealthy Can Guide You to Global Investing Profits — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:02:16 +0000

[...] investments in politically and economically stable Latin American countries such as Colombia, Chile and Mexico may be [...]

By: Why Dividends and Gold Are the Keys to Permanent Wealth

Why Dividends and Gold Are the Keys to Permanent Wealth — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:52:54 +0000

[...] beforehand – so can afford it). In Latin America, that’s the well-run countries – Brazil, Chile and [...]

By: Chile: The One Country That Was Prepared for the Financial Crisis

Chile: The One Country That Was Prepared for the Financial Crisis — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:12:50 +0000

[...] By Martin Hutchinson Editor, Permanent Wealth Investor Money Morning, Investment News [...]

By: Jack Outhier

Jack Outhier — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:43:21 +0000

Chile was prepared this time because they have already seen the other side of the picture. They were in crisis when I was there in the late 80’s through early 90’s with inflation so bad taxi fares changed several times daily. At one point they changed their currency, simply striking three zeros to change the prices on everything. I have seen armed guards on every street to quell the public outrage at grocery stores that were empty even in the capital.

So, are they a good model today? Perhaps so, considering the lessons they had to learn the hard way. Unfortunately, it appears we may have to learn some difficult economic lessons the hard way as well.

By: Martin Paul

Martin Paul — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:07:21 +0000

great article and discussion. We here is Australia have a universal health care system, and we know everyone will get treated. We also have a private “top-up” system, which adds greater choice to the consumer. we are constantly amazed at this ultra private approach to medicine, to the detriment of the populace. we have had one quarter of negative growth, (second one coming soon I guess) but at this stage not in a recession. I can only hope the US policy makers put pride aside, realise they are not the only ones in the world, and learn from other strong economies such as Chile, Canada and Australia.

By: CJF

CJF — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:19:39 +0000

This is contradicted by the readily verifiable fact that nearly 50 cents of every dollar spent on health care in the US is disbursed by the public sector.

By: Mike O'Connor

Mike O'Connor — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 21:30:38 +0000

The Chilean government steals a large slice of copper revenues each year and you cheer that on?

By: Frank Hendriksen

Frank Hendriksen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:01:39 +0000

Dr. Robert Buckman, a renowned oncologist, moved to Canada and not the US from Britain exactly for that reason. Every year, many Canadian doctors actually move back. The US spends 17% of GDP or almost double that of most western countries (Canada is around 10%). Yet more than 1/3 of Americans have no insurance, many who do cannot change jobs because they cannot afford to lose their private insurance and the US has insurance companies who employ doctors whose only job is to deny benefits to policy holders (hoping claimants will die before they have to pay out). America can clearly not afford this health care system. No matter, they just keep borrowing from the rest of the world….

By: Miguel Q

Miguel Q — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:39:18 +0000

One thing that is very important to clarify Mr Frank Hendriksen.
When the author says “and hired a bunch of advisors from the University of Chicago”, he does not mention that those were Chileans that went to get MBAs and PHDs to the U of Chicago, the so called “Chicago Boys”.

By: Ken Johnston

Ken Johnston — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:56:09 +0000

Its always fascinating to hear Canucks and Yanks arguing over which health care system is better-according to the last study that I am aware of Canada was 27 out of 28 in terms of efficency-can you guess who we beat? Yeah-our neighbours. In North America we have the two extremes in healthcare-cradle to grave government care up north and total laissez-faire capitalism down south. Neither works.
There are dozens upon dozens of national health systems around the world that are a mix of private and public care. The one thing that they all have in common is that they deliver care more efficently than either “pure” model.