Money Can Not Buy Health or a Longer Life

The World Health Organization, (WHO) released figures on health and life expectancy as reported by Reuters on June 4 2000. In this release the United States was shown to be the biggest spender at around $3700 per person per year. With those numbers you might expect the US to do well as compared to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the US came in a disappointing 24th compared with the rest of the world.

Japan had the longest life expectancy at 74.5 years. Overall, Japan, Australia, France, Sweden, Spain and Italy enjoy the longest, healthiest lives. In comparison, the Middle Eastern country of Oman spends only $330 per person on health, but ranks a high eighth on the list. Christopher Murray, director of WHOs Global Program on Evidence for Health Policy sums it up by saying "It is not more money for health, it is more health for the money."