In the letter, "Affordable Care Act doesn't go far enough," Dec. 19, the following flawed statement was made: "The United States ranks 25th in the world in infant mortality rate, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 26th in the world in life expectancy, according the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development."

It is important to note that infant mortality is defined differently in many first-world nations. The U.S. definition matches the strictest standard. In addition, studies have shown that much of the remaining disparity is due not to the lack of available medical care and advice, but the lack of utilization of that care and advice by the pregnant and by the mothers of newborns.

As to life expectancy, if one eliminates deaths, in all countries, where no medical care was possible (for example, homicides and automobile accidents where the victims died instantly and therefore, medical care was not a factor), life expectancy in the United States jumps to among the highest ranking countries in the world. I am not trying to say that we do not have problems both social and institutional in our medical care. I am saying that one should, as always, be wary of misleading blanket statements and raw statistics.