“AdeeplyaffectingworkfromoneoftheimportantandinnovativevoicesinAmericanhealthandmedicine.“--AriannaHuffingtonInWell,physicianSandroGaleaexamineswhatAmericansmisswhentheyfixateonhealthcare:health.Americansspendmoremoneyonhealththanpeopleanywhereelseintheworld.Andwhatdotheygetforit?Statistically,notmuch.Americanstodayliveshorter,lesshealthylivesthancitizensofotherrichcountries,andthesetrendsshownosignsoflettingup.Theproblem,SandroGaleaargues,isthatAmericansfocusonthewrongthingswhentheythinkabouthealth.Ournationalunderstandingofwhatconstitutes“beingwell“iscenteredonmedicine--thelifestylesweadopttostayhealthy,andtheinsuranceplansandprescriptionswefallbackonwhenwe’renot.Whileallthesethingsareimportant,they’venotproventobethedifferencebetweenhealthyandunhealthyonthelargescale.Wellisaradicalexaminationofthesubtleandnot-so-subtlefactorsthatdeterminewhogetstobehealthyinAmerica.Galeashowshowthecountry’sfailinghealthisaproductofAmericanhistoryandcharacter--andhowrefocusingonournationalhealthcanusherenlightenmentacrossAmericanlifeandpolitics.
