I can say almost the same thing about Albania. The Eastern European countries listed as the worst are anything but.
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100% Correct!
Not in the US.
FWIWâŚ
Quick AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.
Monaco has the highest life expectancy in the world, with an average of approximately 86.5 years .
The countries with the highest life expectancies generally include:
- Monaco : ~86.5 years
- San Marino : ~85.8 years
- Hong Kong : ~85.6 years
- Japan : ~84.8 years
- South Korea : ~84.4 years
These high rankings are often attributed to factors such as advanced healthcare systems, high income levels, and specific dietary habits prevalent in these regions.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.
U.S. life expectancy reached an all-time high of 79.0 years in 2024 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This represents a 0.6-year increase from 2023 and is the highest recorded level since data collection began in 1900.
Demographic Breakdown (2024):
- Females: 81.4 years
- Males: 76.5 years
- Gender Gap: 4.9 years
Geographic Variations: Life expectancy varies significantly by state, ranging from 80.0 years in Hawaii (highest) to 72.2 years in West Virginia (lowest). Top-performing states also include Massachusetts (79.8) and New Jersey (79.6).
International Context: Despite this record high, U.S. life expectancy remains 3.7 years below the average of comparable peer countries (82.7 years). The gap narrowed slightly from 4.1 years in 2023, driven by declines in mortality from COVID-19, unintentional injuries, and chronic diseases. Forecasts from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation suggest life expectancy will rise modestly to 80.4 years by 2050 .
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.
The only real issue is how long do you live.
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I appreciate the issue of cultural variance that you raise. Objectively, however, it is at the margin. Global experts, reasoning from inputs, processes, outcomes, impacts, and costs are in agreement that the US has the most dysfunctional health care system among advanced nations. To be clear, this system is not solely responsible for the low US life and healthspan statistics. It is in the mix but the primary cause is a dominant political mindset that has simultaneously created the greatest wealth on the planet wile also creating the greatest income inequality â where 1:5 children live in perpetual food insecurity. It is tremendously expensive in contrast to other nations but you can get good healthcare in the US â some of the best in the world â but only if you are solid middle-class or above. Even then, there limits on how much high quality health care you can obtain unless you are wealthy. Bottom line: there is little to defend, given who we are and what we have. Our politics have created a health care mess and our votes ensure that it remains that way.
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Let me pivot to better understand your view point.
Should transgender breast implants be covered for men transitioning to woman?
Obviously that is irrelevant to this discussion but who are you talking to?
I am still learning this forum but you can reply to a specific post and thus a specific person or you can do a generic reply - which you did.
I think there is broad disagreement here with you on the state of the US healthcare system or lack of a system. So it is unclear who you were referring to.
You can also privately reply if you think your question isnât really relevant for everyone. I still havenât figured that one out myself so I posted here.
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Iâm sorry. You lost me there @Eberkram. It sounds like some ideology is getting in the way of objective, scientifically founded analysis. If so, I have no interest it it whatsoever.
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To borrow a line from Attia, we want to major in the majors and minor in the minors. Given, this list of health care procedures which total to >99% of the expenditures will be helpful to some. If you donât see your pet concern in there, you are minoring in the minors, among the minors having virtually no aggregate impact on resources, the budget or health.
Breakdown of US Personal Health Care Expenditures by Category
| Rank | Disease / Procedure Category | Estimated % of Budget | Core Clinical Components & Representative Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiovascular & Circulatory Diseases | ~13.5% | Ischemic heart disease, stroke management, hypertension, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI/angioplasty), pacemaker implantations, and chronic heart failure monitoring. |
| 2 | Musculoskeletal & Connective Tissue Disorders | ~11.5% | Osteoarthritis, chronic back and neck pain, total knee and hip arthroplasty (joint replacements), physical/occupational therapy regimens, and systemic rheumatologic treatments. |
| 3 | Endocrine, Metabolic, & Nutritional (Diabetes) | ~9.5% | Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus management, continuous glucose monitoring integration, diabetic retinopathy/neuropathy treatments, insulin therapies, and bariatric metabolic interventions. |
| 4 | Respiratory & Pulmonary Diseases | ~8.5% | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute asthma exacerbations, chronic bronchitis, mechanical ventilation, sleep apnea diagnostics (CPAP titration), and long-term oxygen therapy. |
| 5 | Mental, Behavioral, & Substance Use Disorders | ~8.0% | Major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, inpatient psychiatric stabilization, and intensive substance use disorder rehabilitation/pharmacotherapy. |
| 6 | Neoplasms (Oncology & Cancer Care) | ~7.5% | Chemotherapy administration, targeted immunotherapies, external beam radiation therapy, surgical tumor resections, and complex oncological staging/biopsies. |
| 7 | Neurological & Cerebrovascular Decompositions | ~7.0% | Alzheimerâs disease and related dementias (long-term clinical/nursing care), epilepsy monitoring, Parkinsonâs disease management, and neurodegenerative supportive care. |
| 8 | Infectious & Parasitic Diseases | ~5.5% | Inpatient sepsis protocols, pneumonia management, antiretroviral therapies for HIV/AIDS, and intensive viral/bacterial pathogen treatments. |
| 9 | Genitourinary & Renal Diseases | ~5.0% | Chronic kidney disease (CKD), End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) management, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis procedures, and urological surgical interventions. |
| 10 | Digestive & Gastrointestinal Diseases | ~4.5% | Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cholecystectomies, appendectomies, diagnostic/therapeutic colonoscopies, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) biologic therapies. |
| 11 | Trauma, Mechanical Injuries, & Poisonings | ~4.5% | Emergency orthopedic fracture reductions, trauma surgeries, acute wound care, burn management, and poison control interventions. |
| 12 | Dental & Oral Health Services | ~4.0% | Routine prophylactic cleanings, endodontic therapy (root canals), periodontic surgeries, and prosthodontic restorations. |
| 13 | Maternal, Neonatal, & Reproductive Care | ~3.5% | Uncomplicated labor and delivery, Cesarean sections, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hospitalizations, and routine prenatal/postnatal obstetric care. |
| 14 | Sensory Organ & Dermatological Disorders | ~3.0% | Cataract extractions, macular degeneration intravitreal injections, severe psoriasis biologic management, and advanced dermatological lesion excisions. |
| 15 | Well-Care, Screening, & Non-Condition Specific | ~3.5% | Preventive physical examinations, immunizations, diagnostic imaging without definitive findings, and general administrative symptom evaluation. |
I wonder how those percentages change on the hospital/insurance side. I imagine CVD would take a much higher percentage for them.
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A reminder that we spend 18% of a very large economy on healthcare.
What could we do if we just got down to our peers at 9%
Basically free gym memberships for everyone, free fruits and vegetables for everyone. GLP1s free for all.
Probably all that and pay off the deficit. And provide care for everyone.
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I doubt free gym will do much. After all gym memberships are dirt cheap from $15 to planet fitness to $30 for LA fitness and still not many people go. GLP1âs for obese only, yes but I think youâd get more bang for the buck with free SGLT2i and free Ezetimibe and statin for everyone over the age of 35.