Why do so many people come to the US for treatment?

There are many factors, I think, that need to be considered when you talk about why so many people come to America for treatment yet for some reason we have a high mortality rate. One reason that I feel cannot be ignored is the diet and lifestyle of Americans compared to other countries like Italy. Americans (overall) tend to consume much more fast food than Italians, and they also do much less exercise. Italians are always out walking about, while Americans tend to sit around more. I think that has to be considered when you talk about why we are ranked so low in life expectancy and infant mortality rate. The lifestyle of Americans is nowhere near as healthy as Italians. In the Universal Health Care book, Ben Furnas states that, "Obesity rates, a key indicator of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, have risen steadily since 1994 too." (Furnas, pg. 28).
Another thing to look at is the cost of healthcare in America. America may have one of the best healthcare systems in the world, however, the numbers get skewed when you look at how expensive it is. This is because there are many people who cannot afford healthcare. So when people cannot afford the healthcare they do not get the help they need until they have to go to the ER, which at this point is sometimes too late. I think that America definitely has one of the best, if not the bet healthcare systems, and the best technology, but if people can't afford it, then our rank in life expectancy and infant mortality rates do not reflect on that fact. Furnas also states that, "Since 1994, the cost per person of American health care has more than doubled." (Furnas, pg. 23).
I also think that our rank is where it is now because there are people who choose not to have insurance. In the book, Sally Pipes states that, "Known in the health care trade as the "invincibles"-because they are so sure they won't get sick- these young singles would rather keep their money than shell out for expensive monthly insurance premiums because of the many mandates and regulations place on insurers by the states." (Pipes, pg. 43). While some of these people may not get sick, some do, and then they may not be able to afford the hefty bills that follow and end up losing their lives. It is a risky move to say the least, but it happens all the time.
Overall, i think that if the cost for our healthcare would go down, I think that our rank would go up in terms of life expectancy and infant mortality rates. The current cost is simply too much for many people. Also, I think that many Americans could make a lifestyle change in terms of diet and exercise. Many people always say they do not have the time, but sometimes all it takes is 5-10 minutes a day to live a healthier life. Also, many people choose to go uninsured, and while it works well for some, there are also people who are not so lucky. It is for these reasons that I think our health care is ranked so high, yet our life expectancy rate and infant mortality rates are so low.