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US Life Expectancy, Health Costs Not a Pretty Picture

Viral graph shows better stats for numerous developed countries

By M. Morris,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 4, 2010 3:52 PM CST

(Newser) – A graphic that's gaining wide currency on the Internet paints a grim picture of the American health care system, which costs more than any other country's but results in an average life expectancy that's solidly middle-of-the-pack. The graph, originally posted on a National Geographic blog, wasn't clear enough for the mad geniuses at FiveThirtyEight.com, so Andrew Gelman offers a scatterpoint graph that makes the bad news even clearer.

This scatterplot graph shows life expectancy plotted against health care spending per person.
This scatterplot graph shows life expectancy plotted against health care spending per person.   (FiveThirtyEight.com)
Graph shows health care spending per person plotted against life expectancy.
Graph shows health care spending per person plotted against life expectancy.   (Oliver Uberti/National Geographic staff)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 44 comments
cornelison
Jan 7, 2010 6:44 AM CST
The biggest cost to health care occurs in the final stages of life when the patient is in the hospital. If politicians are looking to cut heal care costs then a living will should be part of the process for as many patients as possible. Unfortunately, Palin brought up "death panels" & she did damage to the debate. If she were serious about cutting spending then maybe she should stop creating needless fear. I have a living will & someone has power-of-attorney for me.
foodchain11
Jan 5, 2010 12:35 PM CST
Yes, Hopefully more people will be saddened and then we can hae action. Denial isn't helping anybody
Aaarrrggg
Jan 5, 2010 12:15 PM CST
Ergh what a shocking graph! I'm moving from the UK to the US soon and the one thing I'm not looking forward to is the change in healthcare. I have a diabetic friend who went dangerously low late on Christmas day. She swore she wasn't low so wouldn't have any sweets (the brain kind of shuts down when it happens so she wasn't thinking straight.) We called an ambulance and a couple of friendly chaps turned up and sorted her out. They stayed for 1/2hr then took her to the hospital where she stayed overnight. Its so great to be in a country where these things can happen without anyone needing to talk about money. If we'd been in the US I don't know how we would have handled it.

 
health care costs • life expectancy • statistics • health care reform • graphics

 
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