Posted on 06/06/2017 1:56:49 PM PDT by deplorableindc
Americans spend more on healthcare than any other people in the world, yet U.S. life expectancy lags behind that in many a rich country. This discrepancy between expenditure and outcome, leftists at home and abroad argue, could be addressed by moving toward a single payer system, which would "save money, cover everyone and help us live longer." The U.S. healthcare system needs to be reformed, but is even more government intervention in our healthcare the answer? Let us first look at the data.
In 2014, Americans spent $9,400 per person in 2011 dollars adjusted for purchasing power. That's the most in the world. In second place came Monaco with $7,302. Scandinavian countries, which are often held up as examples to be emulated when it comes to life expectancy, spent less. In 2014, Denmark, Norway and Sweden spent $4,782, $6,350 and $5,218 per person respectively. In 2015, the average life expectancy in the three countries was 80.35 years, 81.66 years and 82.28 years respectively. In the United States, it was mere 79.16 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
Any time statistics concerning the population of the United States are compared to that of other countries, the numbers must be adjusted for demographics.
For example, the violent crime rate among Norwegian-Americans is similar to those in Norway.
I suspect health and life expectancy rates deserve similar scrutiny.
In 2001 life expectancy ranged from 71.7 years for non-Hispanic black males to 83.7 years for Hispanic females.
With only a few exceptions I'll bet that the people in my extended *American* family have lived longer than does the average citizen of Ireland,our ancestral homeland.
The US reports life expectancy and infant mortality far more honestly than any other nation. US life expectancy is skewed by a variety of factors, including reporting on every birth including prematures, whereas many countries don’t report deaths of full-term infants less than a couple of months old, or something to that effect.
We have very high levels of obesity here. The root of our health crisis is that most people here have bad dietary habits. The resulting chronic health issues are very profitable for drug companies.
Switzerland has a completely *private* healthcare system — unlike the hybrid system her in the US — and one of the longest life expectancies of any country. They spend less, too — just not as little as, say, the UK (which has a hybrid system — like the US, but with a stronger presence of the government sector.)
You can eat a lot of things and remain relatively healthy. You can't do that and remain sedentary and remain healthy. Calories in, calories burned, or stored in not so good ways.
Interesting graph.
Another factor not in the mix is the effect and damage FDA drugs do that cause health issues or cause another disease like CANCER or hasten death.
Why would I want to take a drug that causes A-Fib and has Bone Cancer as a side effect? Or destroys other organs? Or is ADDICTIVE like Lyrica?
When we reach a certain age joints wear out so they scream OA drugs which tear up the GASTRO TRACT. Then you need another med to fix that, pretty soon you are on 6 drugs to treat the side effects of the first 1 then 2 then others.
Seasonal allergies is a PIG PHARMA business, and your Primary is going to want you on those meds year round not seasonal. There is a full isle in the grocery store devoted to just Seasonal Allergies. From what once were script drugs and are now OTC, to nose strips to open up your nose. Next is the GERD/REFLUX isle. And the DRY EYE SYNDROME takes up half an isle. That one gets a lot of my non-covered $$. 2-3 bottles a month at $15 or more each. Dry Eye got so bad I had dry spots on both Corneas, and had to have the lower tear ducts cauterized closed, and possibly the upper left one as 4th cornea dry spot is now forming despite all the lubricant eye drops usage ever 30 mins. And it is a PAINFUL procedure getting a shot of Lidocaine in your tear ducts when it is not a very effective numbing agent for you.
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