Higher Ligher Expectancies/Higher Infant Mortality Rates

[AlumniClub]

I just read an article regarding life expectancies in the United States. The average life expectancy for a child born in 1969 was 69.6 compared to 75.8 in 1995 and 77.8 in 2005. US ranks 42nd in the world. 41 countries live longer than we do.

Makes you wonder what the US is doing wrong, doesn't it?

Studying genealogy as I do, I have seen the trend. 150 years ago, my guess is life expectancy was closer to the 40-50 year range.

What surprised me most about the article is there is an increase in the U.S. infant mortality rate. Although slight from last year, it is much higher here than in many other rich countries.

I am usually not one to speak up against the government...but it makes you wonder why we spend so much money helping other countries, when we could be helping our own.

The article by Dick Eastman can be found here
Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter: We Live Longer Than Our Ancestors

[Kelly68]

Whatever my two cents is worth......here it is.

I think that insurance companies play a huge part in that too. They say what they will or will not cover. Example: my husband, to help him quit smoking, got a prescription for that new non smoking drug Chantix (spelling). In the long run it will help him physically, lower the blood pressure, etc. Problem is, insurance says no go..we don't cover that. So pharmacy says it will be $132 please. I have suffered from severe back pain. After a series of injections to find out where the pain is coming from they can do another procedure that will reduce my pain trememdously or even gone for up to 15 years. What does the mean..no more triple a week visits to the chiropractor, etc. What does the insurance company say? No because they still feel it is a experimental procedure.

All the stress we go through to get insurance companies to pay for stuff or deal with bill collectors has to take away a few years in life.

Again, just my opinion.

Kelly

[AlumniClub]

You have a good point.
I personally haven't had any problems with my insurance companies. But I have heard from others they have had problems.

Such as only approving payment on the generic drug, even though the generic drug makes them ill. Or not paying for an allergy med because there is over the counter drugs that might do the job...even though those were tried and didn't do the job.

I just wish something could interrupt the never ending circle between health care provider, patient and insurance company and cut down the costs.

Is it because we have bad doctors who make errors which drive up malpractice insurance costs which cause doctor rates to go up?

Should the pharmacist be talking to the doctors more? Instead of treating with the common drug used for an problem, should they be consulting a pharmacist for the right drug for this particular problem?

Are the drug companies charging too much driving up the cost of prescriptions?

Is it health insurance for trying to be the doctor and choose what care is acceptable or not?
Is it the patients who don't need doctor care that seek it anyway......or those that wait forever to go and their problem is more costly to treat.

So many questions...it just frustrates me.

[AlumniClub]

Originally Posted by Kelly68

Example: my husband, to help him quit smoking, got a prescription for that new non smoking drug Chantix (spelling). In the long run it will help him physically, lower the blood pressure, etc. Problem is, insurance says no go..we don't cover that.

If your husband went to the doctor and said he was depressed (not mentioning smoking at all), he'd likely get a prescription for an antidepressant like Wellbutrin in a snap. Wellbutrin is also used in smoking cessation, but good luck finding an insurance company to cover it for that. Sometimes you have to get creative with your reasons.

What I don't understand is why the insurance companies don't cover smoking cessation. If you're not smoking, your health would be better. It's just cheaper to let people die than it is to help them live a healthier life.