It's Been a Minute You're healthier than they say you are. Here's why.
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Mar 9, 2026 
Selena Simmons-Duffin, an NPR health policy correspondent who tracks health data and federal policy, breaks down why Americans are not as unhealthy as claimed. She explores long-term trends in life expectancy, how medical and social changes improved survival, and how nostalgia and policy shifts shape health narratives. The conversation also covers policy levers that could actually improve population health.
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Modern Medicine Added A Decade To U.S. Life Expectancy
- Modern medicine extended U.S. life expectancy by about 10 years since the 1950s through fewer traffic and smoking deaths and better treatments.
- Selena Simmons-Duffin cites airbags, seatbelts, declines in smoking, improved cancer and heart care, and lower infant mortality as concrete drivers.
Chronic Disease Was Significant In The 1960s
- Chronic disease was already a major cause of death in the 1960s, so claiming there were 'zero' chronic disease costs is false.
- Selena points to 1963 data where two of three deaths were from heart disease, cancer, and stroke to refute RFK Jr.'s claim.
Chronic Diseases Rose As Infectious Deaths Fell
- The rise in chronic conditions partly reflects lower deaths from infectious disease, not only worsening health.
- Selena explains antibiotics and vaccines reduced infectious disease deaths, making chronic conditions more visible as people live longer.