How long do U.S. citizens live? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not as long as they should.

How long do you have to live before you die?

Find out at The Internet Death Clock

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at HHS estimates the US will spend $2.39 Trillion for health care in 2008. As I write this, the US Census Bureau estimates US Population is a little over 305 million. After doing the math, it appears per capita expenditures for health care in 2008 will be $7.850.16 for every man, woman, and child in the US.

Historically, the US spends more money per capita than any other country in the world on its citizen’s health. Based on the most recent, reliable information I could find (i.e.- figures for the 30 most developed nations in the world) the US spent 48% more per capita than country #2 on the list (i.e.- Norway), and 147% more than the average for all 30 nations on health care [comparing Gross Domestic Products, the US spent 15.0% of its GDP versus the average of 8.4%].

With the huge amount spent, you’d think US citizens would be healthier and live longer than anyone else in the world. Yes Americans are living longer. A CDC press release June 11, 2008, trumpeted “US Mortality Drops Sharply in 2006” in announcing a record high average life expectancy at birth of 78.1 years. HOWEVER, if you check the CIA World Factbook (a US Government publication) you will discover the US is #46 on the world life expectancy at birth list. At the top of this list, citizens of Macau can expect to live to 84.3 years – over 6 years longer! Other countries ahead of the US on the list include Jordan, Bosnia, and Cyprus. Why?

Simply, the vaunted “American Way Of Life” is NOT the best way to live. Americans need to learn how to keep from killing themselves. Beginning with my next posts I’ll talk about “Mortality” (what diseases Americans are dying from) followed in subsequent posts by “Morbidity” (what diseases Americans are suffering from) and what I call “Toxic Lifestyle Choices” (what is really killing Americans).