A recent report has ranked the United States 49th in life expectancy. This is lower than 12 developed countries studied by Columbia University in New York.
“But what really surprised us was that all of the usual suspects—smoking, obesity, traffic accidents, and homicides—are not the culprits,” Peter Meunnig, leader of the study, said in a statement.
The perpetrator is the system under which 15 percent of the population lives their lives without any health insurance and many others have coverage that is inadequate.
The United States is falling behind in improvements in life expectancy compared with other countries that provide health care for everyone. While the U.S. spends more on health care per person, $7,290 per year, we lack in providing it for everyone, get lower quality and continue to be less efficient under the current system.
The system of for-profit health insurance for the general public, to be reinforced by the health care “reform” passed in March, has proven to be unhealthy for all but the very wealthy.
