I was interested to see recently that the CDC proudly trumpeted “Life Expectancy Rises to New High of 75.3 for Men and 80.4 for Women” which works out at an average “all-time high” of 77.85. Interestingly enough the CIA’s website shows the average male/female life expectancy as 78.11. I’m not sure where they got that figure from, do they know something the CDC doesn’t?
I guess this is good news if you’re American. Many other countries wouldn’t be so happy if their life expectancy suddenly dropped to that level.
I was also somewhat perturbed at the naivite and lack of world knowledge of some Americans in the blog that followed the article when such comments as…
Well, it’s probably because the U.S. has the best health care in the world? I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
… appeared. Yes… Of Course America has the best health profit system in the world. Oh, and while I’m at it that hoary old chestnut about America subsidizing the rest of the world also surfaced. Ye gods. I really can’t believe that anyone here still falls for that one as the reason for the highest medical costs in the world. That particular little factoid has been debunked so many times it’s beyond a joke.
Anyway, for all my American friends here is a league table of the top 50 countries life expectancy rates. So before you get too excited at the extra time you now have, take a look and see where you rank.
1 Macau 84.36
2 Andorra 82.51
3 Japan 82.12
4 Singapore 81.98
5 San Marino 81.97
6 Hong Kong 81.86
7 Australia 81.63
8 Canada 81.23
9 France 80.98
10 Sweden 80.86
11 Switzerland 80.85
12 Guernsey 80.77
13 Israel 80.73
14 Iceland 80.67
15 Anguilla 80.65
16 Cayman Islands 80.44
17 Bermuda 80.43
18 New Zealand 80.36
19 Italy 80.20
20 Gibraltar 80.19
21 Monaco 80.09
22 Liechtenstein 80.06
23 Spain 80.05
24 Norway 79.95
25 Jersey 79.75
26 Greece 79.66
27 Austria 79.50
28 Faroe Islands 79.44
29 Malta 79.44
30 Netherlands 79.40
31 Luxembourg 79.33
32 Germany 79.26
33 Belgium 79.22
34 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 79.07
35 Virgin Islands 79.05
36 United Kingdom 79.01
37 Finland 78.97
38 Jordan 78.87
39 Isle of Man 78.82
40 Korea, South 78.72
41 European Union 78.67
42 Puerto Rico 78.53
43 Bosnia and Herzegovina 78.50
44 Saint Helena 78.44
45 Cyprus 78.33
46 Denmark 78.30
47 Ireland 78.24
48 Portugal 78.21
49 Wallis and Futuna 78.20
50 United States 78.11
Now if you’re not quite so happy with your new life expectancy as you were before, do a little research and see how many countries above you have universal health care. You know… countries where health care is a right and not a privilege.
And by the way… the US only made it to #50 because the CIA’s figures were higher than the CDC’c.
Well put. I have to say I have been really depressed, annoyed, and shocked at the attitudes of my fellow Americans regarding this proposed health care reform. I guess a few million more are going to have to die and or be bankrupted before people “get it.” Just a cursory glance at the comments on the Wall Street Journal’s coverage will tell you that there’s next to no hope for meaningful health reform in this country anytime soon. Hate to be a pessimist, but there you have it.
The “we’re number one” ‘merkins nauseate me, quite frankly. Nope, “we’re number fifty,” on a good day. sigh.
I had to laugh at your usage of Georgie Boy’s pronunciation of American. Did you know that a merkin is a pubic wig originally worn by prostitutes after shaving their genitalia? Goes back to the 17th century I believe.