To: RetiredNow who wrote (543306 ) 1/12/2010 4:56:17 PM From: Brumar89 2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) | Respond to ....In their book “The Business of Health,” Robert Ohsfeldt and John Schneider explain that the U.S. homicide rate of 7.3 per 100,000 population is eight times the rate in France. The U.S. death rate from transportation accidents is also higher than in other countries. When life expectancy data are adjusted for differences in homicide and transportation death rates, U.S. life expectancy is slightly higher than for all other countries. cafehayek.com washingtonpost.com The United States counts all births as live if they show any sign of life, regardless of prematurity or size. This includes what many other countries report as stillbirths. In Austria and Germany, fetal weight must be at least 500 grams (1 pound) to count as a live birth; in other parts of Europe, such as Switzerland, the fetus must be at least 30 centimeters (12 inches) long. In Belgium and France, births at less than 26 weeks of pregnancy are registered as lifeless. And some countries don't reliably register babies who die within the first 24 hours of birth. Thus, the United States is sure to report higher INFANT MORTALITY rates. For this very reason, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which collects the European numbers, warns of head-to-head comparisons by country. health.usnews.com Message 25904054 The claim the US health care system is inferior to various more socialized systems (because we don't have a more socialized system) is wrong. In particular, life expectancy and infant mortality are cited as inferior in the US and this is blamed on our health care system. I've found that when information like that above is pointed out to liberals online, they tend to ignore it. And within a week, start repeating the same old claims.
