Threescore and 17.9: Longevity Rises
Death rates are at a record low and life expectancy is at a record high in the United States, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Age-adjusted death rates decreased significantly for 8 of the 15 leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, accidents, diabetes, influenza, high blood pressure and assaults.
The decreases in death rate held across all races and ethnicities, with black males showing the largest decrease — more than 4 percent. The drop occurred in all age groups except infants under 1 year old, where rates were unchanged.
Those of us who suffer from heart disease and cancer already outlive their counterparts in every other country in the world. Maybe we should think twice before we completely overhaul a system that is working fairly well, though imperfectly, lest we dis-incentivize those who are currently working so successfully to keep us alive longer every year.
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