Stephen Skeap

Well, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest calculations put America's life expectancy at 77 and a half years. And that's quite low compared to the life expectancy for countries like Canada and Japan and Australia. The average for high income countries is 80 years. So at 77 and a half years, American life expectancy is on par with countries like Ecuador and Croatia.

Well, life expectancy isn't just do elderly people live to 77 or 80, just a few years difference. It really captures people dying at all stages of life. And in the U.S., there are a few things that researchers say pull our life expectancy numbers down.

Well, life expectancy isn't just do elderly people live to 77 or 80, just a few years difference. It really captures people dying at all stages of life. And in the U.S., there are a few things that researchers say pull our life expectancy numbers down.

Well, life expectancy isn't just do elderly people live to 77 or 80, just a few years difference. It really captures people dying at all stages of life. And in the U.S., there are a few things that researchers say pull our life expectancy numbers down.

All of the problems everybody knows about, about how expensive and fragmented and frustrating our health care system is, that contributes, but it is not the whole story. Here is Dr. Stephen Wolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, who's written a lot on this topic.

All of the problems everybody knows about, about how expensive and fragmented and frustrating our health care system is, that contributes, but it is not the whole story. Here is Dr. Stephen Wolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, who's written a lot on this topic.

All of the problems everybody knows about, about how expensive and fragmented and frustrating our health care system is, that contributes, but it is not the whole story. Here is Dr. Stephen Wolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, who's written a lot on this topic.

Research shows that about 10 to 20 percent of health outcomes are attributable to health care. So the majority of the reason for poor life expectancy in the United States exists outside of the health care space.

Research shows that about 10 to 20 percent of health outcomes are attributable to health care. So the majority of the reason for poor life expectancy in the United States exists outside of the health care space.

Research shows that about 10 to 20 percent of health outcomes are attributable to health care. So the majority of the reason for poor life expectancy in the United States exists outside of the health care space.

Well, there's everything from poor diet and physical inactivity to child poverty to traffic fatalities. It would be nice if there was just one simple answer, but the truth is it's really complicated. Wolf worked on a landmark report about 10 years ago on this. It's 400 pages long. It's called Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. He says public policies also play a role.

Well, there's everything from poor diet and physical inactivity to child poverty to traffic fatalities. It would be nice if there was just one simple answer, but the truth is it's really complicated. Wolf worked on a landmark report about 10 years ago on this. It's 400 pages long. It's called Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. He says public policies also play a role.

Well, there's everything from poor diet and physical inactivity to child poverty to traffic fatalities. It would be nice if there was just one simple answer, but the truth is it's really complicated. Wolf worked on a landmark report about 10 years ago on this. It's 400 pages long. It's called Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. He says public policies also play a role.

For example, lax regulation of industries and products can lead to health problems.

For example, lax regulation of industries and products can lead to health problems.

For example, lax regulation of industries and products can lead to health problems.

We see it in the food industry. We see it in the firearm industry. The opioid epidemic began with the licensing of OxyContin, a drug that other countries throughout Europe and elsewhere would not approve.

We see it in the food industry. We see it in the firearm industry. The opioid epidemic began with the licensing of OxyContin, a drug that other countries throughout Europe and elsewhere would not approve.

We see it in the food industry. We see it in the firearm industry. The opioid epidemic began with the licensing of OxyContin, a drug that other countries throughout Europe and elsewhere would not approve.

Drug overdoses account for many deaths of young people, people in their prime. And that is one thing that drives U.S. life expectancy down compared to countries that don't have an opioid epidemic.