English die earlier than US
Researchers at the US-based Rand Corporation and Britain’s Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found while Americans aged 55 and older have higher rates of chronic disease, they live longer than elderly people who get ill in England.
“If you get sick at older ages, you will die sooner in England than in the United States,” said James Smith, an economist with Rand who co-authored the study.
“It appears that at least in terms of survival at older ages with chronic disease, the medical system in the US may be better than the system in England.”
But that edge comes at a price. OECD data shows the US spends more on healthcare than any other nation. James Banks of the IFS said spending on healthcare for the elderly in the US is almost double that in England.
