Turns out, not so much:
"Americans, aged 65, can expect to live on average around three months longer than their equivalent retirees across the Atlantic."
Ooops.
This despite our (allegedly) higher rate of diabetes and cancer. The fact is, our system is much more adept at effectively treating these diseases, resulting in better outcomes across a broader spectrum. For those who think we're not getting our own money's worth, I give you Jim Smith, a senior economist at US-based think tank Rand Corporation:
"We are spending twice as much as England on health and we are getting the benefit of the extra years of life."
That is, until Mr Berwick gets through with us.
