[quote name='trzy' timestamp='1304404158' post='4805823']
Life expectancy factors all of this into account, and the US may actually be leading there.
Does the U.S. Lead in Life Expectancy?
I pretty much agree with the rest of your post. But the point made above is key.
It might be key if you hadn't trotted out things like cancer survivorship rates, or if that regression were more definitive. [/quote]
Survival rates are a different matter but nevertheless a very important contributor to the United States' overall excellent life expectancy. Another factor you may want to look into is the infant mortality rate, which is computed differently (and, arguably, more accurately) by the United States, seemingly inflating the number.
The government aggressively regulates the price of medical procedures, which keeps the cost of most routine medical services extremely low, so while it's still a significant expenditure on the national level it's far less expense per patient than in the US (even with the government picking up ~70% of the tab in many situations).
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Reducing costs is never as simple as dictating price. Either quality is being sacrificed, or providers are finding ways to recoup the money elsewhere.
Japan does indeed have problems. As I noted above, doctors there are not pleased with their pay, especially because lower income makes it more difficult to offset the cost of medical school, as well as making going through that training less rewarding. Japan does have a very high debt-to-GDP ratio, but it's debatable how "crushing" that is for their economy.
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Time will tell but presently, Japan's lethargic economy is costing the younger generation income and opportunity. It can't go on forever.