In today’s world everyone is trying to lead healthier lifestyles and live longer, but many people aren’t really sure where to start. With that in mind here are 8 easy ways for you to live longer.

1. Don’t oversleep, but make sure you rest up.

This may seem rather confusing, but bear with us. Scientists have found that people who sleep for more that 8 hours a night have a significantly lower life expectancy than the rest of the population, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. This does not mean, however, that you are allowed to stay up all night drinking! Scientists also discovered that individuals who got 4 hours or less sleep a night also had reduced life expectancies. The optimal amount of sleep for a normal, healthy adult is between 6 -7 hours a night, and if you can do that consistently then you may live to be a grand old age.

2. Have Sex, and if you’re already doing it, have more.

We all like sex, it is hard wired into our genes, but according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, sex may be more than just a pleasurable reproductive activity. In men, it has been found, that higher rates of ejaculation lead to a lower risk of prostate cancer; and in addition to this, ejaculating causes the body to relax meaning that at the end of the day you will be more rested. Let’s not forget the obvious though, sex makes people happy, and in conjunction with the removal of stress and relaxation factors, this can help lower the risk of a stroke or heart disease, and keep your blood pressure down, leaving you a healthy and balanced person.

3. Get A Vertical Auto Profile Test

Get a what? Yes, that was our initial reaction as well, however a Vertical Auto Profile, or VAP, Test is the most accurate cholesterol test being used in medicine today. It is estimated that approximately 50% of people with heart disease where found to have normal cholesterol levels when using conventional testing methods. Remember that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the USA, and that it is usually caused by high cholesterol, and that 50% becomes pretty scary. What it boils down to is the fact that a VAP has been proven to detect 90% of the people with heart disease that undergo the exam. A VAP is a simple blood test and can let you know, almost immediately, if you need to change your lifestyle. Get a VAP and know whether you’re at risk.

4. Money; get it.

Everyone wants to get rich, but if you want to live longer then having money may actually serve a higher purpose. It’s all about income disparity! A study preformed by the American National Center for Health Statistics essentially tells us that poorer people are more likely to suffer from severe chronic illnesses than their wealthier compatriots. 24% of American who earn under US$ 20,000 a year suffer from a chronic condition, as opposed to the 6% who earn US$ 75,000. There may be a myriad of reasons for this, and researchers often site the fact that richer people can afford better healthcare, however there is no doubt that those in the upper income brackets live much longer than those at the bottom.

5. Stop Smoking

In this day and age it hardly constitutes a revelation when someone tells you that smoking is bad for your health. Emphysema, lung cancer, mouth cancer, constricted blood vessels, rapid aging of the skin, aggressive prostate cancer in men, and impotence (see point 2) won’t do anything for your prospects of a long life. Generally, smokers have a 50% chance of dying younger than non smokers; enough said.

6. Chill Out

Stress can cause the development of heart diseases and lead to severe strokes and as a study by Johns Hopkins University found, individuals with high stress levels where 6 times more likely to have a heart attack before they were 55. Basically what this means is that it is good to kick back and smell the roses every once in a while and let the stress/anger/extreme rage melt away. Go to a masseuse, lay off the caffeine, step out of the board room, and take the time to truly enjoy life. Not only will you live longer, but you will have enjoyed and experienced more at the same time.

7. Relocate…. To Japan.

That may seem like a fairly odd way for you to extend your life, but at 82.6 years, Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world; well above the global average of 67.2. But what is the crucial factor that helps the Japanese live longer? A better diet and lots of green tea, Japan tends to eat more fresh produce than the USA or UK, and Japanese nationals tend to shop at markets everyday; relying less on preservative packed and sugar coated foods than the west has helped Japan crush the competition when it comes to living longer. Maybe this point could have been “eat better food”, but we think that moving to Japan would be a lot cooler.

8. Exercise

This one is a no-brainer, exercising releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, being happy helps you relax, relaxing helps you live longer; ergo exercise makes you live longer. In addition to the release of endorphins exercise also helps to create muscle, strengthen bones, strengthen your heart, and build up the immune system. People who exercise will always live longer than those who don’t, it’s that simple.

So there you go, these are our tips for living longer, no go out and do it!

As the global costs of healthcare continue to rise there has become a unique offering in the Asian medical market as nations like India, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia are moving to capitalize on their ability to offer high quality medical treatments at lower costs than anywhere else in the world. This new phenomenon of “medical tourism” is becoming increasingly more lucrative for a number of South Asian nations as their operating costs in the healthcare industry tend to be much lower than those associated with the western market; and because the operating costs are lower the cost of treatments is consequently low as well.

Medical tourism comes at a time when the number one reason for individuals in the USA to declare personal bankruptcy is because they are unable to afford their medical bills. The costs of healthcare in the western world have risen to such an extent that it is becoming risky, in the financial sense, for many people to receive the care that they need as by doing so they are potentially lining themselves up for big economic losses. However, with medical tourism comes a plethora of previously unavailable treatment options and the ability to receive quality healthcare at a much lower price than in America or Europe.

The rise of medical tourism as a viable healthcare industry sector around the Asia Pacific region is becoming more evident as innovative healthcare reforms are being instituted by a number of Asian governments. In India the government has established specialist medical tourism service centers to help foreign nationals receive the best treatment possible, Thailand has taken a different route by offering healthcare services in a 5 star resort surrounding complete with tours of Bangkok. Whatever the various governments are doing to entice individuals from overseas into using their medical service, it is working.

In 2005 Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok received approximately 150,000 patients from overseas, while Singapore saw an estimated 374,000 medical visitors for the year. The reason that these countries are so successful is the fact that they are able to offer the same quality of care as can be found in one of the USA’s top hospitals but for a fraction of the price. A typical heart bypass procedure in the USA can cost up to US $130,000 without any complications. This same procedure in Thailand will cost, on average, approximately US$ 11,000 and $ 10,000 in India. Even adding in the costs round trip airfare and the costs of receiving treatment in an Asian medical facility are much lower than that same treatment in an American or European hospital.

Even though the costs associated with a medical tourism destination or hospital may be comparatively lower than many patients are used to they can still be quite expensive. A US$ 10,000 medical bill may be easier to afford than one that costs US$ 100,000, but it is rare for any individual to have that much disposable money ready for just such an event, and in the case of many of the procedures that are gaining popularity in the medical tourism market, they are medically necessary (that is to say that the rather than being cosmetic surgeries, the patient needs the treatment in order to live). The benefits of the medical tourism industry are evident, however it can still be risky to obtain the treatment that is deserved as patients are still liable to significant financial losses as many local insurance plans will not cover treatments overseas.

The only way to protect yourself or your loved ones in a world where medical costs are becoming increasingly more expensive and where local health insurance plans limit a patients ability to choose where they choose treatment is with an international medical insurance policy. By allowing yourself the full range of treatment options associated with an international health insurance plan you are able to choose hospitals and doctors anywhere in the world for your medical care. In a world where the medical tourism industry is exploding and the costs of medical treatment are rising all the time, an international health insurance plan makes sense.

All over the world, when a woman becomes pregnant, they are customarily expected to act in a certain way and observe local traditions. Customary maternity practices will differ depending on what part of the world you are in, but the most visible differences come from the maternity customs practiced in the West and those that are observed in China. Here are some of the major differences.

Western Maternity Practices

Maternity practices in the west are generally based on large amounts of medical and scientific research as to what is best for mother and child. In terms of these practices, modern western traditions are approximately 200 years old having their roots in the early 1800’s when the modern medical profession began. As such western parents take a rational and logical approach to the whole issue of pregnancy, and tend to follow their doctor’s orders to the letter.

While there are no hard and fast rules pertaining to a western pregnancy it is expected that the mother should eat correctly, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and avoid tobacco and alcohol. A western pregnancy is exemplified by regularly visiting the doctor, receiving comprehensive check ups, and basically ensuring that both mother and child are in good health. Overall western maternity practices make extensive use of all the modern technology available, this included prenatal tests for genetic defects, and ensuring that the child’s development is progressing as expected.

The most common complaint that pregnant women in the west have when pregnant is “morning sickness”(also known as Nausea, Vomiting of Pregnancy or Emesis Gravidarum). Morning sickness is a phenomenon that is experienced by approximately 50 to 95% of all women during their pregnancy and is displayed with symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Although NVP can occur at any point during the day it is most common when a pregnant woman wakes up from a night of sleep, ergo the name, morning sickness.

A developing theory in regards to unborn child development in the west is that by reading aloud to the fetus, and playing classical music (Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach) will have a positive impact on the child’s neural development and essentially make the baby smarter. This has not been conclusively proven by science but is still a popular theory and many expectant mothers in the west will spend their evenings at home reading Shakespeare and Dickens aloud while listening to Mozart.

During western pregnancies it is common for the expectant mother to have a party for the unborn child. These parties are referred to as “baby showers” and typically close friends and relatives will gather to celebrate the new life and give the parents gifts that will be useful when the baby is born. Baby showers have no medical significance, but are considered an important aspect of any western pregnancy, and can be likened to a bridal shower for when a woman gets married.

In terms of the western ideals of keeping both mother and child healthy, these will typically follow the normal standards of modern healthy living. Western pregnancy traditions will not change dramatically from country to country although currently there is an ongoing debate in regards to the circumcision of male children and whether this actually causes more harm than good. Traditionally circumcision was important in times when genital hygiene was not rigorously practiced and, especially in tropical locations, infections of the foreskin were common. Nowadays there is a strong argument the circumcision is no longer medically necessary leading to a departure from this once standard tradition.

Traditional Chinese Maternity Practices.

In contrast with the very tame, unchanging, and scientifically based maternity practices in the west, Chinese traditions, especially to someone who has not experienced them before, can seem rather strange. Chinese pregnancy traditions start when a couple is first married with the husband carrying his wife over a pan of burning coals when entering their home for the first time. This is meant to ensure that when the woman does fall pregnant she will pass through her labor successfully. The roots of this tradition date back to times where there was a high chance of death while in childbirth, however, according to modern science there is no reliable basis that this practice actually increases the woman’s chance of surviving the birth.

Once pregnant an expectant mother, according to Chinese traditions, must guard her thoughts against anything negative or hurtful as it is believed that everything experienced by a mother will have an effect on the unborn child. With this in mind it is expected that a pregnant Chinese woman will read beautiful stories and poetry (not necessarily aloud), not look at contrasting colors, sit on crooked mats (this will affect the child’s balance), loose her temper (this will cause the child to have a bad outlook on life), or gossip. Sexual activities are forbidden during a Chinese pregnancy as this, it is believed, can potentially have a severe and lasting impact on the child and cause them to be social outcasts for their future lives.

Food plays a very important part in any Chinese pregnancy and there are many ancient taboos in regards to what an expectant mother may or may not eat. If foods are not prepared properly it is believed that they can cause the child to have a poor social disposition and by eating light colored foods a mother can cause her child to have a lighter complexion (in traditional Chinese social structures this is important because field workers and peasants often have a darker complexion than anyone else in society due to the fact that they spend so much of their time in the sun). Spicy foods are believed to cause heart problems, and cold foods can affect the child’s brain. Seafood, it is thought, (especially shellfish that are not properly prepared) can cause birthmarks or harelip (cleft pallet), and other cosmetic deformities. Overall the stringent conditions attached to food have their roots in a time where disease was rife and food was not properly cleaned and cooked. Essentially all taboos relating to food are a safety measure against disease.

It is traditional for Chinese women to drink a strong herbal potion during their pregnancy (usually one containing willow bark), this has been noted to have some extremely beneficial anesthetic effects and is similar in idea to the pain relieving medications given to western mothers. Traditionally women are expected not to fear the labor and birthing process as this was customarily considered “the career” or sole function, of women in Chinese society.

Overall both Chinese and Western practices, while having the potential to be drastically different and rooted in conflicting cultural ideals and social mores, have the same interests at heart; the protection of both the mother and the child and the successful completion of the birthing process. In the modern world we have the ability to understand more about the way that different cultures react to maternity and the reasons for these reactions. This gives women all over the world new options for how they approach their pregnancy and give them a higher chance of having a healthy and happy baby.

Western diseases have been dispersed across the globe since the age of exploration. When European troops alighted in the new world, they brought with them all kinds of infectious diseases that devastated the native populations of Asia and the Americas. Back then, the so-called “afflictions of affluence” that originated in the West were syphilis and influenza. Many centuries later, the conditions suffered by the rich have evolved into chronic conditions that take years to develop and will not be cured.

Changing lifestyles have made cancer and diabetes the new silent killers, which take lives in wealthy countries while impoverished nations deal with infections. The United Nations has focused on combating infectious diseases to improve life in developing countries. However, as the public health and quality of life improves in low-income countries, the chronic illnesses that once plagued only the richest countries are now becoming the most serious threat in poor countries as well.

Afflictions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer are all a product of the modern lifestyle: inactivity as a result of urbanization and a general disregard for health. Poor diets, smoking and increasing pollution also contribute. As a result, developed countries must invest funds in treatment and research in order to combat these incurable maladies.

Malaria, tuberculosis, measles and cholera are all big problems in poor countries, though can be easily controlled with inoculation and treatment. These “ailments of poverty” used to be the most ominous health concerns in poor countries, but chronic conditions have recently surpassed infections as the biggest global killer. Nevertheless, worldwide health organizations are focusing on infections as an impediment to development rather than trying to institute preventative measures for the chronic afflictions that accompany this modern world.

Perhaps the most pivotal issue in the evolution and spread of chronic conditions is that these diseases hit younger and kill more quickly in lower-income countries than in middle- or high-income countries. Currently, chronic ailments account for half of the illnesses in poor nations, which is a huge drain on the health system and labor force. Because of inferior health infrastructure and lower general well-being, chronic diseases take their toll more easily than in countries where people have a good diet and the aid of knowledgeable physicians. Africa is the only continent where more people die from infectious diseases than from chronic ones. Health officials estimate that by 2015 chronic disease will be the top killer globally.

In 2005, three quarters of the deaths from chronic afflictions occurred in poor countries. This shows that international awareness needs to shift in a different direction. Rather than focusing on infection as a threat, authorities need to start targeting prevention and treatment of chronic ailments. People are living longer, getting fatter and smoking more in poor countries, resulting in rapidly escalating numbers of patients with diabetes and cancer. The trend is reversing in rich countries, where people are taking better care of their bodies and ridding their lives of cigarettes.

So why does it remain that people are more concerned with bird flu than with hypertension? Ostensibly, it may be because infections are simpler to treat, usually with immunization or drugs, and chronic diseases require long-term management. But as the world continues to develop and lifestyles evolve, more resources must be allocated to care for these chronic diseases as they eclipse infections as a threat to world health.

Bioinformatics is a new field of science that takes an interdisciplinary approach to solving health problems. The field of bioinformatics has roots in the Human Genome Project, a massive undertaking that resulted in a wealth of data difficult for investigators to piece through. In order to extract conclusions from a large amount of biological data, scientists of bioinformatics use techniques from the following fields:

Using these various investigative avenues, researchers extract algorithms to make sense of the biological data. And from these algorithms, scientists can solve medical problems from the molecular level. Bioinformatics can examine genome sequences to determine how certain genes are manifested and learn more about evolution. The overarching goal of bioinformatics is to examine the fundamental building blocks of humans—genes, DNA and proteins—to find answers to health issues.

Bioinformatics enlists computer science and applied mathematics to approximate the structure and purpose of the proteins that determine the biological fingerprint of every living being. With the study of genes, scientists can determine what can make a person predisposed to chronic illnesses like cancer. The conclusions reached through complex and often abstract methods used in bioinformatics can be used either as the impetus for or as a complement to traditional experimentation, helping almost every field of research.

Recently, two software programs have emerged to assist health professionals with the use of bioinformatics. The first is a tool that provides guidance for the use of the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST), a reference source for DNA and protein similarities. Scientists can compare their data to the BLAST system. This program includes a general overview of algorithms as well as an easy-to-understand guide to using BLAST’s various applications.

Another new tool is a computational pipeline that has been altered to identify DNA variants in sequence data. The tool aligns the data being studied with a genome (indexed from BLAST) and examines any discrepancies, which scientists can then make conclusions from.

Both of these new tools are making bioinformatics more useful, which has potentially groundbreaking implications in many realms of the health field, including disease prevention and treatment, diagnosis, drug development and insurance.

A recent study by an American team of researchers has discovered that obesity can be spread like a virus within a network of friends. Based on a pool of data containing more than 12,000 participants, investigators concluded that people were more likely to become what is considered “obese” if they had a friend who was overweight. This conclusion may explain the cause of the climbing rates of obesity across America. This phenomenon carries serious repercussions for insurance companies and health organizations in the United States. Obesity is also quickly becoming an issue for individuals, because there are so many health problems associated with being obese that overweight people are having difficulty obtaining insurance coverage.

The data analyzed in this study included 32 years of information about a community of over 12,000 people from a small town in Massachusetts. The data was originally collected as part of an examination of the causes of heart disease. Each member of a family that participated in the study also gave the name of one close friend (for contact purposes). From this data, the researchers were able to recreate an interconnected web that helped them track the spread of obesity over time.

The method used to determine the weight categories of each participant was a value-calculation method known as Body mass index (BMI). This is an objective measure of height-to-weight that gives an indication of whether an individual is underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. The BMI percentage is calculated by dividing weight (kg) by height squared (meters squared).

BMI ranges:

• Below 18.5: Underweight
• 18.5 to 25: Healthy
• 25 to 30: Overweight
• 30 to 40: Obese
• Above 40: Morbidly Obese

Using a history of the health and weight of these 12,000 individuals, the research team was able to observe that the changing BMI of a person over more than three decades was often closely related to the BMI of their close family and friends. Family members who gained weight often influenced each other, but the correlation was much stronger with friends. The principal cause was that friends often change each others’ perception of what comprises an acceptable body type. If a close friend puts on a lot of weight, it is easy for a person to accept their own weight gain, and is therefore become more likely to grow larger without realizing it.

The researchers’ initial figure about the spread of obesity is that a person’s chance of becoming obese will increase by 57% if they have a friend who becomes obese. If a close mutual friend is obese, the chance of becoming obese as well skyrockets to 171%. The investigators point to this conclusion as one of the factors for American’s growing obese population. People are catching it from one another. These findings are quite an achievement in the field of medical sociology, pairing body image with social contact and perception.

The researchers described the spread of obesity as a similar to a viral contagion in the way that it traveled through the wide social network that was part of the study. Some of the researchers involved in the study have gone so far as to describe obesity as an epidemic, since the condition can spread very rapidly. The reason that some describe this phenomenon as an epidemic is because the weight gained was often just a small amount that pushed an individual from a BMI that indicates “overweight” to one that indicates “obese.”

While many social scientists find this to be a groundbreaking study, other medical professionals don’t trust what they see as a hasty and somewhat anecdotal conclusion. Key in this assessment is the use of BMI as an indicator of health. The BMI, some say, is not a reliable indicator of health. It fails to take into account many factors, such as body type or lifestyle. For example, if a person is athletic, it is likely that their BMI will be higher because the value cannot differentiate between muscle weight and what is strictly fat. BMI is unable to distinguish between types of tissue and body structure that make up weight, and can often result in more skewed BMIs. Also, people of a short stature often have a lower BMI, even when the actual fat percentage of their physique might be higher than a larger person. A more accurate gauge of obesity, some argue, is simply measuring the waist circumference of a potentially overweight person.

BMI can be used as an indicator for health risks if the value is on either end of the BMI spectrum. Percentages below 18.5 usually indicate a serve eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Percentages above the “normal weight” range of 18.5 to 25 can usually indicate an increased threat of heart disease, particularly for older individuals. Even higher BMIs will be accompanied by other health concerns, such as hypertension and diabetes.

The condition of obesity is defined as the point past which fatty tissue in humans is increased to an unhealthy point. Obesity can arise from genetic determinants, lifestyle choice, certain illnesses, and neurobiological mechanisms. Another factor, social determinants, is becoming an increasingly popular explanation for a growing obese population worldwide. In the United States, obesity is becoming a public health concern.

Out of all developed countries worldwide, the United States has the largest obese population. This is a growing public health concern because obesity in American has been increasing steadily since the mid-1980s. Some people blame this on environmental causes, as many see a changing American economy and culture and a direct influence on the change in lifestyle that has inspired such a drastic demographic change.

Environmental factors that have likely been the cause of the growing obese population:

• Sedentary lifestyle
• Declining cost of food
• Changing workforce
• Increasing wealth
• An aging population
• The rise in popularity of fast food
• Urban sprawl.

Health risks that arise from obesity:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

In some cases, obese individuals are also afflicted gastrointestinal conditions, strain of the musculoskeletal system, stroke, asthma, and depression. These are all severe, potentially fatal conditions that may continue to afflict an individual even after they have returned to a healthy BMI. Due to the myriad of potential health risks that accompany people with weight problems, insurance companies are hesitant to take on new policyholders if they already have a BMI in an unsafe range.

In America and all over the world, a growing obese population means a strain on the global health care infrastructure that will lead to future challenges in providing care that is necessary for unhealthy BMIs. Insurance companies are trying to avoid being liable for a great number of these complications, and often reject applicants who rank too high in body mass index. Obesity is a problem for people all over the world, and a contagious one, at that.

Health care in the USA is a subject that, over the years, has inspired numerous debates, ideas, and controversies in regards to the correct method with which to better protect the health and safety of American citizens. Since the start of the 2008 election campaigns, the issue of health care in the USA has become a pivotal point that has the potential to make or break the progress of various candidates’ journeys towards the white house. Since the release of filmmaker Michael Moore’s movie SiCKO, the American public has become even more aware of the options, or lack thereof, provided by the health care system, leaving many taxpayers and voters calling for a solution.

The controversies are all based on the fact that, although the US can lay claim to having one of the best medical service industry in the world, they also have the highest costs associated with medical treatment and care. With critical operations such as heart bypass surgeries costing as much as US$130,000, many Americans are finding themselves unable to bear this heavy financial burden. This is contributing to the fact that medical treatment has become the number one reason for declaring personal bankruptcy in the USA. In no uncertain terms, the choice that many Americans are facing is to receive necessary treatment and suffer extreme financial consequences, or not receive treatment and suffer severe illness and possibly death.

In conjunction with the already high costs of treatment experienced throughout the United States comes the issue of rapid medical inflation across all sectors of the health care industry. Intensive government regulation, inflated drug costs, and rising equipment expenses are all leading to rapid prices hikes and having hard hitting impacts on the American public.

As mentioned above, since the start of the Republican and Democratic debates, candidates on both sides of the political divide have been asked what they would do to address the causes of skyrocketing health care costs. As you would expect from such a diverse field of candidates, there have been a number of solutions.

1. Unilateral Universal Health Care (similar to Britain’s NHS)

1. • Universal health care is a position that has taken hold primarily in the Democratic camp. The main sponsors of this solution to America’s health care crisis are Clinton, Edwards, Gravel, Kucinich, Obama and Richardson.

Universal health care is the idea that every one should have equal access to quality health care services. While in theory this idea seems to work, many nations that have universal health care coverage (the UK, for example), have seen that, in reality, it can take a patient an extremely long time to receive the care that they need. In addition, facilities are limited and doctors and health care professionals are overburdened by their patient load. This all leads to the rejection of such a reform in the USA.

Critics cite that any such universal health care system would have to be regulated extensively by the government, leading to slowdowns in the patient treatment process. They also stress that America currently has one of the most highly-regulated health care industries in the world and that the regulation of the health care industry provides benefits to health care providers of up to US$170 billion. In actuality, this costs taxpayers approximately US$340 billion. However, there are a number of benefits to universal health care. One of the major profits is fact that, no matter what happens, an individual will always be assured of the help and care that they need.

The second major option that is being suggested by candidates is:

2. Mandatory purchase of health insurance

1. • Mandatory health insurance was initially proposed and instituted in Massachusetts by Republican candidate Governor Mitt Romney. It has since gained credence with a number of state legislatures including that of California.

Mandatory health insurance requires that every citizen in the USA would have to purchase a health insurance plan to guarantee themselves health care. The big issue that proponents of mandatory health insurance have faced is the fact that this proposal is not very different from the legislation currently in place in the form of HMOs Medicare and Medicaid. The only real variation is that Americans would not have the choice to opt out of coverage. Opponents have responded to the plan by asking whether the coverage would be the same as the low protection offered by current programs, and have cited the fact that individuals could purchase a plan with virtually no protection to remain inside the law. One favorable aspect of mandatory health insurance is the fact that there would be no tax increases, while there would be with a universal health care scheme.

The last major suggestion on the table is:

3. Insurance Tax Credit

1. • Originally offered as a viable option to the health care issue by Republican candidate Dr. Ron Paul, this option has gained support from fellow candidates Rudy Giuliani, and John McCain.

Insurance for tax credit is remarkably similar to the mandatory health insurance suggestion but with a few significant changes. With this option, no one would be forced to purchase health insurance, however, the individuals that do will be given a tax credit (or rebate) for the costs of their health insurance premiums. Dr. Paul states that many families are currently spending close to US$1000 in annual insurance premiums, without being rewarded for not being independent of government support or the health care industry. This option means limited government involvement in an individual’s health care choices, and that people will only gain credit for what they pay. In Dr. Paul’s plan there are no forced insurance policies, benefits are given to families with children and those with terminally ill dependents, and social security fees are waived for individuals suffering from a terminal or oncological illness.

When all of the above are compared, in terms of realistic, short-term legislation, the insurance for tax credit option seems like the most viable option. By leaving choices in the hands of the individual citizen and the open market, consumers are able to make informed decisions about the type of coverage that they want. By giving individuals that have purchased health insurance a rebate at tax time, the government recognizes that protection is, indeed, necessary.

Programs like Medicare and Medicaid are responsible for roughly two thirds of all public health spending, and the United States currently has the highest per-capita health care expenditure in the world. Looking at that, it is clear that universal coverage is not an option that will correct the inflation inherent in the health care industry, but rather create higher taxes and close up the market.

These are just some of the major options that have been suggested in recent months during the campaigns. Ultimately, it is up to the American voters to decide which position they desire. However, there are solutions that have more credibility than others, and throwing money at the problem will not make it go away. Take some time and research the positions, it may have more effect on you than you know.