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NY Times

U.S. Death Rate Rises for First Time in a Decade. Here’s Why

Jun 1, 2016  •  Post A Comment

The death rate in the U.S. climbed in 2015 for the first time in a decade, The New York Times reports, citing preliminary data from the National Center for Health Statistics. The increase was “driven in part by more people dying from drug overdoses, suicide and Alzheimer’s disease,” the report notes.

Additionally, the death rate from heart disease, which has been declining, edged up slightly.

“While recent research has documented sharp rises in death rates among certain groups — in particular less educated whites, who have been hardest hit by the prescription drug epidemic — increases for the entire population are relatively rare,” The Times notes.

The report adds: “Federal researchers cautioned that it was too early to tell whether the rising mortality among whites had pushed up the overall national death rate. (Preliminary data is not broken down by race, and final data will not be out until later this year.) But they said the rise was real, and while it is premature to ring an alarm now, if it continues, it could be a signal of distress in the health of the nation.”

7 Comments

  1. How can this be??? We have such a wonderful administration and president with healthcare as the most important issue … oh yeah, that was before, now it is climate change. So in nearly eight years in office Obama has given us a health plan that covers EXACTLY THE SAME NUMBER of people, at 4 to 5 times the cost for fewer benefits. He has doubled the national debt. Destroyed the military. We have fewer people actively in the workforce now than we have had in nearly 40 years. And now we find that the death rate is increasing! But – at least we can pee in the toilet of our choice without any gender requirement. What a great president.

  2. So you blame everything on the President. How stupid are you? The economy crashed in the Bush administration and the Iraq war was an unecessary fight. The Obama Adminstration saved the economy and has been digging out of the Bush administration economic hole for years. The death rate has little to do with the Health care plan and more to do with social strife caused by the Bush/bank caused economic depression. Where do you get your numbers that there are fewer benefits? Actually health care costs have gone up but at a much slower pace than before the Health care plan. You need to stop blaming and do more research. Perhaps you listen to too much Limbaugh or “Fox News” and I use the term “news” very loosely.

    • Hope you enjoy drinking the Koolaid! “It’s Bush’s Fault” got Obama through the first term but nobody is buying that fantasy any longer. I have to run a $100MM+ company with a huge weekly payroll (something Obama has no experience with and a doubt you do either) and have to deal with the misguided policy this administration has foisted on jobs creators. If you question my figures it tells me you have no clue. You are simply a Democrat that buys whatever they are selling … or giving away as that is their MO – to take from working people and give to those that choose not to work. You can argue from a political position all you want but facts will always show that Obama has had a crippling effect on every sector of our economy – including healthcare delivery. If you care to reply do so from your own knowledge and experience and not from what you have been spoon fed by the media. I feel that is not very likely!

      • I find it very difficult to believe that Reality Check runs a $100+ million dollar company with a “huge” payroll, and he sits around trolling folks on a TV website. Nice try buddy. Now, go get yourself some actual facts.

        • When you are in the entertainment, advertising and marketing industry you certainly do need to see the daily updates. But you certainly did give yourself away, didn’t you?

  3. For a moment, I thought it was the Obama Death Camps….

    LOLOL!

  4. Is this a measurement of a percentage or just numbers? The Baby Boomer Generation is large and just beginning to start passing on. If it is just an increase in numbers, it will increase numbers annually for the next 20 years. That has little to do with any political party and more to do with military returning from a major war and starting families.

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