Unhealthy habits are what's killing us?

David Frum seems to think eating better and exercising would be the best move for better health care:

For all the money Americans spend on health care (60 percent more per person than any other advanced country), Americans are not an especially healthy people.

Life expectancy at 50 in the U.S. ranks 29th in the world, three years behind world leader Japan, one and a half years behind Canada. Other indicators -- infant mortality, life expectancy at birth -- look even worse.

This poor performance is often blamed on the fact that millions of Americans lack health insurance. But as a recent paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research found, the U.S. -- despite its kludgy health insurance system -- does a remarkably good job of extending disease-fighting treatment to all.

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So if the U.S. health system does such a good job saving its middle-aged and elderly sick, why do Americans die comparatively young?

Answer: because Americans are much more likely to get sick in the first place.

Who knew that lifestyle could affect finances so much?

It all makes sense, actually, which is why Washington will have nothing to do with it.