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Another week, another study, used by "socialists" trying to re-establish long-debunked correlation of "average" life longevity to the [lack of] "free and universal / single-payer" and, obviously, the "socialism."
As usual, trying to pick and choose small samples of disparate facts to establish "correlation," let alone causation, fails even slightly more rigorous tests, and usually serves only people trying to convince themselves (time and again, with every new "study") that what they've been told "forever" and sincerely believe is true... or just used to influence younger audience, not well versed in statistics and fallacies.
This study itself immediately debunks the thesis of such "correlation" because there is big difference in longevity between the states, yet obviously, no difference between the "healthcare system" in Massachusetts's, Hawaii, Mississippi, Alabama and other states, since it's the same. So the differences or correlations are in many other variables; e.g., a lot closer to levels of education, wealth and income, diet, demographics and genetics (age, race, etc.), crime and suicides etc., and has nothing to do with the "healthcare system."
en.wikipedia.org - States ranked by median household/per capita income
Much better correlation to average lifespan in states?!
If "universal / single-payer healthcare system" were really cheaper, "true blue" states would jump on it... but apparently it's not the case, since Bernie Sanders' VT, CO and CA couldn't afford it, and there is no objective evidence that it's better anywhere else, e.g., in UK, just because some people in some of "new socialism" countries supposedly "like" their "no bills" system for which they "invisibly" pay in much higher income and sales / GST taxes.
TANSTAAFL!
en.wikipedia.org - Vermont health care reform
www.latimes.com - Single-payer healthcare meets its fate again in the face of California's massive budget deficit - LAT, 2024-05-16
www.vox.com - Colorado single-payer initiative failure - 2017-09-14
www.pacificresearch.org - What's Wrong With Single-Payer? Ask Vermont. - 2025-07-02
|------- Everywhere it's tried, universal health care leads to higher costs for taxpayers.
... Colorado can learn from Vermont - and from its own experience. In 2016, nearly 80% of Colorado voters rejected an amendment to establish universal health coverage through "ColoradoCare." To fund the program ... "state would have had to raise taxes, cut services, raise copayments, lower health care provider payments, or some combination of all to cover the difference." -------|
|-------... cost of [Colorado] Amendment 69 was estimated at $36 billion per year, more than the entire state budget. ... "An insurance card doesn't necessarily guarantee you access either" -------|
"Socialism" for many has bizarrely become a shorthand for fuzzy whatever is "not capitalism"... just as "America First" is a slogan / shorthand for fuzzy whatever MAGA's grand poohbah says is "not woke"... or "6-7!" ?
Or just like Trump who, once convinced of something, keeps repeating it despite the facts showing exactly the opposite.
No worries, another study will come along soon, for same people to mangle selective statistics to "prove" whatever they believe.
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