Would Former U.S. Surgeon General Be Too Old for UK Health Care?

Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop made the claim on a TV spot (by the conservative 60 Plus Association ) that the United Kingdom’s health care system would consider seniors "too old" to qualify for the artificial joints, heart pacemakers and coronary stent that he’s received in the U.S.

A spokeswoman for the U.K.’s Department of Health states that Koop’s assertions are "not true."

U.K. guidelines make clear that patients of "any age" may receive pacemakers, for example. And in fact, official statistics show 47 patients aged 100 or older got new or replacement pacemakers in a single recent year.

FactCheck.org rates this claim as FALSE; read the full analysis from FactCheck.org, click here.