Bennett pointed out that “Korea got a lot of things right” when it comes to health care access, which is why the increases in longevity have been so widespread. “[South Korea] has had economic improvements, which has led to improved nutrition and access to health care and medical technology across the whole population,” he explained. Unlike the U.S., “South Korea is very equitable, all the way across the population,” he added.

What makes this example particularly striking is that on average, citizens in the U.S. are far wealthier than South Koreans — the average income of someone in the U.S. is $55,980, which is more than double the average income in South Korea. But for all its wealth over the past century, the U.S. still hasn’t cracked health.