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I think that the increased longevity you mention is not so much the result of better overall health as it is the result of being able to keep sicker people alive longer.

My father in law is a poster child for that comment. He’s also a poster child for why we are in a health care cost crisis. He’s now in his late 80’s, thanks to four or five visits to the emergency room and a hospital bed for a few days. And at least one surgery a year.

The country is keeping its old and infirm alive almost indefinitely and bankrupting itself doing it. The sad thing is that his body is completely breaking down - but his’s staying alive - and he just feels like a burden on everyone. He really WANTS to die, but it looks like they can just keep fixing or replacing parts to keep his body running indefinitely.

This has been going on for at least five years.