Ailing Americans' Abysmal Health Care & Lousy Life Expectancy Expose...

Even as old Brits long used to wondering why & how in the world our American cousins can't (even in this the 21st century), come up with some sort of civilised National Health Service similar to ours, an absolutely amazing report in today's 'Guardian' took us completely by surprise.

In fact, to say it came as a truly terrible shock to us, is in all probability one of our understatements of the year decade.



How's this for a horror story?

US tumbles down the world ratings list for life expectancy

Ewen MacAskill in Washington and agencies
Monday August 13, 2007
The Guardian

A combination of expensive health insurance and an ever-increasing rate of obesity appear to be behind a startling fall by the US in the world rankings of life expectancy.

Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, America has dropped from 11th to 42nd place in 20 years, according to official US figures.

Dr Christopher Murray, head of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said: "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."

Read the rest of this report re: the 'shock & awe' state of the increasingly, sickly United States.