Kerala state in India, for example, is among India's poorest, yet with health indicators rivaling the US and much better than any other state in India. Kerala has shunned transnational corporations and does not allow sweatshops. It has worked to equitably share its resources by implementing land reform. Women have great power there, and literacy is almost universal, with primary rather than specialist education the focus. Shops selling basic commodities at fair prices are located close to villages.
People matter there.
Newspapers need to display health measures of their city's populations in comparison to other cities or states. Vigorous debate must take place on how we can become more healthy. Structural medicine will be necessary. Certainly, universal coverage would allow the 40 million poorest Americans who are uninsured to have better access. But even if that were to become a reality, our standing in the Health Olympics would not change unless economic inequality also shrinks.