Health care gap - Americans dying younger despite spending: Letter to the Editor

The Nov. 16 Plain Dealer article, “ More Americans are dying before they turn 65 ,” is a sad commentary on our health care system and society. The article is based on a study showing that premature deaths among people 18-64 rose by 27% from 2012 to 2022. In contrast, life expectancy continues to increase in most other advanced countries, even though they spend far less per person on health care than the United States.

There are many reasons why Americans die younger than people in other wealthy countries. But one of the biggest is that, unlike the U.S., other countries make affordable health insurance available to everyone, regardless of income, race, or anything else. This means people in those countries can obtain medical care, especially preventive care, far easier than many American