Universal Health Care

U.S. slipping in life expectancy ratings.

"Americans are living longer than ever, but not as long as people in 41 other countries.

For decades, the United States has been slipping in international rankings of life expectancy, as other countries improve health care, nutrition and lifestyles.

Countries that surpass the U.S. include Japan and most of Europe, as well as Jordan, Guam and the Cayman Islands.

"Something's wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the one that spends the most on health care, is not able to keep up with other countries," said Dr. Christopher Murray, head of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington."

"Researchers said several factors have contributed to the United States falling behind other industrialized nations. A major one is that 45 million Americans lack health insurance, while Canada and many European countries have universal health care, they say."

"A relatively high percentage of babies born in the U.S. die before their first birthday, compared with other industrialized nations." (THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!) "Forty countries, including Cuba, Taiwan and most of Europe had lower infant mortality rates than the U.S. in 2004. The U.S. rate was 6.8 deaths for every 1,000 live births. It was 13.7 for Black Americans, the same as Saudi Arabia."

"Murray, from the University of Washington, said improved access to health insurance could increase life expectancy. But, he predicted, the U.S. won't move up in the world rankings as long as the health care debate is limited to insurance."

 

Part of the reason that our life expectancy is declining is because we are a bunch of fat asses. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services,

So, I'm not sure how socialized medicine is going to help. Maybe we should just have the government outlaw all fast food joints.

Source: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/mar2005/nia-16.htm

According to health care experts, there is no simple explanation for the increase in U.S. infant mortality.

So, at least some of the increase in the infant mortality rate in the US is attributable to advances in medicine which allow women to have babies which would not have been able to get pregnant before.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/GlobalHealth/story?id=1266515