Longevity depends upon the economy and health care

Longevity depends upon the economy and health care. Part III Paul R Earl Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León San Nicolás, NL, Mexico

High Gross Domestic Product (GDP) seem to be the major indicator of comfortable longevity. Problems of overpopulation, rural poverty and infectious diseases in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America are underlined by poor life expectancies and high birth rates. The strategies involving private and public pensions, health insurance and other investments in longevity are of course outside thinking pattern of true poverty just as normal life itself is outside of the AIDS tragedy of Africa.

From economics to evolutionary game theory (EGT) Read "Evolutionary Theories of Aging and Longevity" by Gavrilov & Gavrilova, 2002 and see http: //longevity-science. org. See "The quantity and quality of life and the evolution of world inequality by Becker, Philipson & Soares, 2003 and read http: //www. nber. org/papers/w 9765. Much can be debated !

EGT Evolutionary game theory (EGT) was developed by Fisher (1930), Lewonton (1961) and Maynard Smith (1920 -2004, evolutionarily stable strategy, 1972, in his game theory book of 1982) and The Logic of Animal Conflict by Maynard Smith & Price that appeared in 1973. The first explicit application to evolutionary biology was by Lewontin in his Evolution and the Theory of Games. To find textbooks, see Bogers, J Ecol Surveys: 237 -250, 2001.

Much on longevity is opinion rather than fact, and real facts are hard to come by Western fertility (F) for over 2 centuries has dropped almost linearly as longevity (L) lengthens, it being part of the gigantic Western socioeconomic transition. F = a - b. Lln. L is an example. There is nothing causative in these variables that are just members of a trend. Redundancy among variables can imply a common origin. Still, the severe losses caused by AIDS in Africa are an entirely different story.

Height and mortality have changed in a very short while History, ecology, sociology and pediatrics blend to then reflect on diet, wealth, quality of housing, levels of pollution, disease and stress. The final product can be height. Today--2006 -Dutchmen, Norwegiand, Danes & Swedes average 178 -179 cm, whereas Americans & Englishmen are 175 cm tall. The Norwegian story told by Hans Waaler in 1984 holds that better height is better health. Norwegian men of 55 -59 years of 150 -155 cm had a mortality rate of double that of men of 185 -189 cm. Better wages means better height.

Japan wins ! The quality of life can be judged by longevity. The life expectancy of Japanese women at about 85 years is the best in the world. Other developed nations such as Sweden are long famous for their longevity. Then what can be learnt from such data? What are the important events--country by country--leading to success? Only 4 % of Japanese women and 2 % of men have obesity. Here is a very important issue.

Height, weight and morbidity Tallness has always been associated with good health. In 1984, Hans Waaler found it associated with morbidity in Norwegians. This was fully exploited by Robert Fogel of the Chicago school of economics in his book The Escape from Hunger and Premature Death, 1700 to 2100 reviewed in 2005 by Angus Deaton of Princeton.

Health Insurance What profits or interest is the stock market supplying for investments ? Does the cost of operating private insurance exceed the payments ? Are you prepared for financial security later in life ? Can you work longer and save more ? Please do this ! For some, the small proportion of the US GDP invested in health insurance and retirement is disappointing. For others, the growing elderly population is a new menace instead of a new market.

US Social Security and Medicare The website www. socialsecurity. gov has all the information you need like how to apply for Social Security (SS) benefits. Medicare is at www. medicare. gov. Medicare is the US health insurance program for people age 65 or older. Certain people younger than age 65 can qualify for Medicare too, including those who have disabilities. The program helps greatly with the cost of health care, but it does not cover all medical expenses, nor the cost of most longterm care.

Medicaid is a state-run program that provides hospital and medical coverage for people with low income and few resources. Each of the 50 states has its own rules about who is eligible and what is covered under Medicaid. Some people qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medigap is a Medicare supplement insurance policy. The Original Medicare Plan doesn’t pay all of your health care costs or cover prescription drugs. Medigap should help cover extra health care costs. A Medigap policy is a health insurance policy sold by private insurance companies. Costs that you must pay, like coinsurance, copayments and deductibles are called gaps in the Original Medicare Plan coverage.

The Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) This better-written plan is chosen as an example as it is clear and simple. The CPP is a contributory, earnings-related social insurance program. It ensures a measure of protection to a contributor and his or her family against the loss of income due to retirement, disability and death. There are 3 kinds of benefits: 1/ disability benefits (which include benefits for disabled contributors and benefits for their dependent children), 2/ retirement pension and 3/ survivor benefits (which include the death benefit, the survivor's pension and the children's benefit).

Canada has agreements with many countries, which can help you get pensions or benefits from either country. If you did not live or work long enough in one of these countries to qualify, the time you spent in the other country may be added to meet the requirement. Can I receive my CPP payments outside Canada? Important ! Why ? The economies of many Latin countries like El Salvador depends on remittances from relatives in the US & Canada. Yes, provided you meet all CPP eligibility conditions. Payments are made anywhere in the world in the local currency when applicable and, if not, in Canadian dollars. If you live in the US and have your payment deposited directly to a US bank, the funds are automatically converted into US dollars.

Links Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2003. http: //www. census. gov/prod/2004 pubs/p 60 -226. pdf US Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis-Longevity http: //olpa. od. nih. gov/hearings/108/session 1/reports/ longevity. asp US Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis--Aging http: //olpa. od. nih. gov/hearings/108/session 1/reports/ aging. asp