We all know there are massive policy differences between America’s two political parties. And we also know that policies translate into laws and laws translate into change.
But it isn’t often that we put those changes under a microscope to study their impact over time.
There is nothing more fundamental than life—quality of life, yes, but before we get to quality, its precondition is quantity.
While we are one nation, we are also a laboratory of 50 states and 3,142 counties, all of which have political policies that impact the lives of its citizens—including longevity itself.
Several studies have recently been conducted that have yielded similar results. The bottom line is that where you live could add—or subtract—years to your life.
A study by Syracuse University in 2020 published in Milbank Quarterly shows that Americans who live in “so called blue states tend to live longer than those in red states, primarily due to state policies.” Here are some of their findings:
• State conservative policies since the 1980’s have cut short lives, especially women’s. Life expectancy gains would be 25% greater for women and 13 percent greater for men had more liberal policies been enacted.
• Enacting more liberal policies could raise U.S. life expectancy rates overall by more than 2 years, but enacting more conservative state policies could reduce it by 2 years.
• This study found the greatest gap among states was between residents in Connecticut who outlive their counterparts in Oklahoma by as many as 7 years.
Another study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital found a widening gap in mortality rates between red and blue counties over the last two decades. This drop in life expectancy began around 2014 and fell even further during the pandemic. “Counties that voted for Democrats in presidential elections from 2000 to 2016 saw a faster decline in premature deaths than their Republican-leaning counterparts.” They concluded the mortality gap between red and blue counties is growing.
In yet another study, this time published by the British Medical Journal in June of 2022, found “the mortality gap between Republican-leaning and Democrat-leaning counties saw a 600% increase. They point out their study looked at data between 2001 and 2019–before the pandemic. They found that deaths due to heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, gun accidents, and suicide have been largely responsible for the increasing gap. The authors of this paper suggest that the political environment is a “core determinant of health.” For instance, states with strong policies around tobacco, labor laws, the environment, and guns emerge as especially significant in increasing life expectancy.
The World Population Review summarized data from the World Health Organization globally, as well as life expectancy in the United States in 2022. Hawaii averaged the highest life expectancy of 80.7 years. The lowest expectancy was Mississippi with 71.9.
The 10 states with the highest life expectancies are, in order, Hawaii, California, Minnesota, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Colorado, Washington, Massachusetts, and Vermont. All blue states.
The 10 states with the lowest life expectancies, in order, are Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Ohio. “In general, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Arkansas are considered the least healthy with high rates of obesity, excessive drinking, cancer, health disease and low-quality health care.” Nine of the 10 are bright red.
So where does Florida fit in? The average U.S. life expectancy is 77. Florida’s is 77.5. Not great. How did we do in comparison to other states in terms of COVID deaths? Definitely not great. According to Statista.com, Florida scored 389 deaths per 100K population. The highest was Arizona with 439 deaths per 100K. Florida’s ranking in the nation was 13 out of the top 15 in COVID mortality. Here’s another interesting data point: eight of these 15 states were also the states with the lowest life expectancies before COVID. No Floridian should take solace from this. Perhaps mask mandates, or at the very least, allowing companies to make their own decisions, without derision, ridicule, and negative consequences from Gov. DeSantis, would have made a difference.
Dr. Haider Warraich, a key author of the article cited in the British Medical Journal, noted that “one of the flash points for that partnership (between heath policy and outcomes) was the Affordable Care Act, specifically Medicaid expansion. According to Forbes, all but 12 states have adopted Medicaid Expansion. Nine are run by Republicans. Four of the 9 have the lowest life expectancies in the country. Florida is one of the 12 states refusing to accept Medicaid expansion.
So let’s return to the beginning. Different policies result in different laws that result in different outcomes. Measuring life expectancy rates in states, red and blue, that have adopted Medicare expansion, would be an outcome measure well worth undertaking.
That’s assuming, of course, that red states value increased life expectancy for their citizens—even if it means passing legislation that, heaven forbid, is supported by their blue compatriots. Even if readers refuse to entertain the scientific results showing direct cause and effect between policies and health outcomes, it’s impossible to deny the strong correlation.
It’s past time that recalcitrant policy makers act on these findings and enact policies to improve—and lengthen—and the lives of their citizens.
Marsha Shearer is a resident of The Villages and the author of “America in Crisis: Essays on the Failed Presidency of Donald J. Trump.”