The cost of health care and the government's diminishing ability to support retirees resulted in a U.S. ranking of 19th on the Natixis Global Retirement Index, which measures quality of life. Norway and Switzerland were among several European nations, as well as Japan, that outranked the U.S. In contrast to many other countries, "in the U.S., we encourage workers to plan, save and invest, and promote policies that help them meet their future needs," said John Hailer of Natixis Global Asset Management.