http://www.ilcusa.orgCurrent ILC-USA and topical news on politics and health care.ENhttp://www.ilcusa.orginfo@ilcusa.orginfo@ilcusa.org The ILC-USA's World Cities Project Co-Director Victor Rodwin, Ph.D. is interviewed about the intricacies of the health care system in Chile and how it compares to the United States.  http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/victor-rodwin-ph.d.-interviewed-on-pbs-worldfocus257.php2257 A story last week in The New York Times reporting on a study showing the U.S. spends over twice as much as most other industrialized countries for health care, yet places last in preventing deaths, was answered by members of the ILC’s World Cities Project. http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/ilcs-letter-to-editor-urges-policy-makers-to-take-action221.php2221 As part of the Gerontological Society of America's 60th Annual Scientific Meeting, ILC-USA President & CEO Robert N. Butler, M.D. delivered a compelling keynote speech focusing on the geopolitics of aging and the striking inequalities of longevity around the world.http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/the-seven-continents-preparing-for-longevity-and-the-triumph-of-survival130.php2130Research just published in our report "Myths of the High Medical Cost of Old Age and Dying" shows that, despite public perception, health care costs associated with aging are limited in scope and expense. http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/the-myths-of-high-medical-costs85.php285 Should the increase in the dependency ratio — the ratio of the number of persons aged under 18 or over 64 to the number aged between 18 and 64 — be a matter for concern? Will we become impoverished because the output of each worker has to be shared with a growing number of dependants?http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/demystifying-the-dependancy-ratio82.php282 Calling for health care that is "proactive, rather than reactive," our policy report urges that the special — and mostly unmet needs — of older adults in an aging population be given proper priority.http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/redesigning-health-care-for-an-older-america81.php281 Alzheimer’s disease is the major cause of dementia in the United States, with spending in the range of $100 billion annually. It is estimated to be the fourth to fifth most common cause of death in the United States.http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/vital-issues-in-the-fight-against-alzheimerE28099s-disease86.php286 A new Associated Press report finds that U.S. life expectancy ranks 42nd, down from 11th two decades earlier. http://www.ilcusa.org/pages/media_items/life-expectancy-drops-for-u.s.-citizens83.php283