Rete

Jim was growing a muscle on the muscle in his forearm for the last few years. Each year it would grow a little more until his one forearm looked like a Popeye forearm and the other belonged to Wimpe. Being a "lets not bother something until it bothers me" type of person, going to a doctor to have it looked at was like asking Mayor Bloomberg to not over-react because members of the Soprano cast were not allowed to march in the NYC Columbus Day Parade.

The day came when the non-bothersome growth decided to become a pain in the butt. No it was his arm but he was a pain in my butt with the complaining. I love ya Mr. Wilson ;-) So I sent him to the lovely surgeon that removed my cancerous tumor and today that baby was removed from the offending arm.

The surgery was handled on an outpatient basis and I have to report that this was Jim's second encounter with a US hospital and he was happier than a pig in proverbial s**t that the experience was smooth, professional and virtually painless. He is fast becoming a convert to the US medical system.

His appointment was 10:30. We arrived at 10:10. Valet parked the car. Yes, you read right. They valet park your car for free at the hospital. Proceeded to the second floor surgical unit. Admittance was handled quickly with a minimum of paperwork and off to the pre-surgical waiting room where blood pressure and temperature were taken. He was given a gown, robe and slipper socks and a private locker with a key for his clothing and personal belongings. It was cute watching all the men in the pre-S room walking around in "dresses" and hairy legs and their trying to sit without spreading their legs. We all had a few good laughs when the men exchanged comments about "how can a woman dress like this".

When his surgeon was free, Jim was taken by wheelchair to the surgical room while I was escorted to the post-surgical waiting room. The waiting room sported a lovely view of the Hudson River and the Palisades of New Jersey across the way. With the turning trees it was a lovely view and vied with "The Price Is Right" for viewing. There was a fresh and plentiful supply of current magazines to read and a coffee shop to visit while you wait.

Two hours later, Jim was finished and in "recovery" where I was allowed to sit with him while they ensured that is blood pressure was good to warrant his release. We went down to the coffee shop for lunch (it was now 2:30) and had a great lunch at a very reasonable price I might add while he recounted his surgical experience.

Apparently once on the table, you are asked which type of music you preferred. They then put on a CD so that you are "entertained" during the surgery. He chatted with the nurses and the doctor and was waiting to feel the pain when he was told they were going to sew him up now. Viola. He was finished. The tumor weighed in at 21 ounces.

After our lunch they brought our car up front and away we went.

All in all, a great experience. So great that I was able to talk Jim into letting me make a dental appointment for him tomorrow to start a root canal for the front tooth he broke in half last night.

Thank the gods for good medical insurance, good medical professionals and for valet parking.

Rete

Jo_B

Here's wishing Jim a speedy recovery and just wanted to add to lessen his fears of the dentist... root canals are a breeze. (I've had two)
It's hairdresser's that scare the crap outta me..

Sthrnshrte

Wow, great outpatient experience. As to comparing the US health system with
another, when I needed gallbladder surgery, I was told it'd be an 18 month wait
on NHS (UK). Came to the states and had it done in a few weeks, thank goodness
for health insurance!


Ash (n Pete, UK)

Rob S

All very well if you have the insurance - 42 million people in America don't and many more have insurance that either won't cover certain treatments or if it does requires a deductible of $1000 upwards.
In the UK everyone has health cover - including visiting Americans,.

Also it is highly unlikely that anyone would wait 18 months for the removal of a potentially malignant growth in the UK.

For the record the WHO rates health provision across the world - Britain is 5th - the USA is 39th - mostly for the reasons above.

Hopefully the US will join the rest of the developed world one day, but given Tuesdays results it won't be anytime soon.

Dennis & Bonnie French

Hey Rete
Good to know Jim is being kept in shape by his wonderful wife! Keep up the
good work.
Bonnie

"SthrnShrtE" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Wow, great outpatient experience. As to comparing the US health system
with
    > another, when I needed gallbladder surgery, I was told it'd be an 18 month
wait
    > on NHS (UK). Came to the states and had it done in a few weeks, thank
goodness
    > for health insurance!
    > Ash (n Pete, UK)

Rete

As a US Citizen, I would like to give my five cents on the subject of socialized medicine. I would not vote for it. The US has been making strides in providing coverage, usually state subsidized, for uncovered US citizens, children and immigrants, who are not given the opportunity to obtain insurance through their employers and who make a salary which will not allow them to purchase private insurance which is affordable. Although some might equate this with socialized medicine, it differs that the holder of this coverage is free to go to any medical facility for treatment and elective surgery is not put on the back burner until the medical facility has a free bed.

Having seen and read since 1979 how the healthcare systems work in both England and Canada, I would not like to see the same here in the US. Socialized healthcare is great for standard doctor visits, colds, checkups, etc. but for treatment for cancer, other serious illnesses and even for emergency care, Canada's healthcare system rates less than 6 on a scale of 10 and this is rated by Canadians. When a country has to send their seriously ill patients to the US for cancer treatments and tests, one does think there is a serious problem with that country's healthcare system.

As for deductibles, the days of $1,000 deductible for a family are behind us unless, of course, the insured is paying for private coverage and has a policy that is a PPO rather than an HMO. An HMO has no deductible and a co-payment of either $10 to $15 a visit. In fact our PPO has no deductible, a $15 co-payment, and the free to go to anyone and anywhere that we wish for treatment without a referral by a primary physican which we are not required to have of record.

I realize that medical coverage and care varies across the country and that we are fortunate to live in an area where good healthcare insurance and caretakers are almost a given. We do consider oursleves most fortunate.


Remember this is my opinion

Rete

Margaret

Rete

Best of luck on a speedy recovery for your husband.

I had to take my son back in to another doctor about his eye that was
not clearing up. The doctor was great, very thorough, very
informative and very friendly. He talked directly to my son about
what was happening with his eye and discussing with him the pros and
cons of using different medications. Even though my son didn't know
what the heck he was talking about, I thought it was great. The
doctor prescribed a steroid based eye drop for my son's eye and what a
difference. I have now peace of mind.

The doctor and I briefly yacked about the healthcare in U.S. vs.
Canada. He said he thought it was good that everyone was all covered
no matter what their income level or status was, however he said the
elective surgery was another story.

Oh well, all in all a good experience here so far.

Sthrnshrte

Well for those putting in their opinions, during my gallbladder scenario, I
experienced all 3 - NHS care, US free care (while I did not have my own health
insurance), and private health insurance care in the US.

On the NHS, I saw my gp in the England at least once a week with complaints, he
never touched me (temp, bp, etc) or even really listened to me. My husband
says it's just a bad gp, and I'm willing to accept that. After a year of
complaining to him, I had to go to A&E (ER) at Royal Berks hospital because I
was in so much pain. I waited two hours even though the sign said there was an
8 hour wait, and immediately the doc knew my problem, gave me morphine, and I
had a bed all day while they x-rayed and blood tested. Great feeling not
having to worry "this x-ray is going to cost me" and so forth. The difference
being that when I was given a shot and blood was taken from me, no alcohol rub
was used, and after blood was taken, they put the needle on my leg for a minute
while they found a paper towel to wipe the blood off my arm. That's what you
get with NHS, little cutbacks. Then I was told I needed surgery, but there was
an 18 month wait and to see my gp to discuss care in the 18 months.

I soonafter came back to the US (student visa ended) without health insurance.
In order to get free care, I went to the closest state hospital (I live in
south Louisiana, which probably also has the worst free state hospitals in the
country) and waited 6 hours in their triage room to see a doc. In the meantime
my cell phone was stolen and I spoke to the police and had the report filled
out before I saw the triage nurse. When I finally saw a doc, he also knew
immediately my problem (of course he had a great clue when I told him what the
UK doc said), and they sent me for tests as well. This time they sent me back
to chairs rather than let me stay in a bed and I got no pain relief. 4 hours
later the doc sees me again, confirms what I've already told him, and makes an
appt to see him in a month for an ultrasound, and another appt a month after
that for surgery.
Pain was so horrible that the next day I bought a short term health insurance
policy and made an appt with a new doc. I had to lie and pretend the pain only
just occurred so that it would be covered by policy. A month later gallbladder
was removed and insurance paid all but 10%.

I realize that not everyone is as fortunate as I was to get the policy. After
being through all three systems, I still could not decide which would be the
best. The NHS is great for gp visits, colds and little illnesses, but if
surgery or a specialist doc is needed, I'd hope I had money for private
healthcare. The best when care is concerned, is the US while insured, but as a
poor unemployed college grad, that isn't much of a choice for me. I've had
American friends put in hospital in England and while everything was free, they
compared the care to a third world country (exaggeration of course). Not much
emphasis on sterilisation, communication with patient, or even a fast
recovery... but it was free so who can complain. I don't think there's a best.
The US has too much bureaucracy to provide decent socialized medicine. And I
believe the NHS doesn't have enough money to provide the staff and supplies to
be able to compete with a private US hospital. My mother-in-law works for NHS,
so I've always been told that it's the best of the best, which I believed until
I watched that bloody needle drip on my leg while the doc handed me a coarse
paper towel to wipe off my arm and told me about the wait for surgery. And
then there's the Louisiana free healthcare, bring a sleeping bag and leave all
personal items in the next town. I've babbled too much, just sharing my
experiences with all three.

Ash

M1nn0w

Hey Girl,
Give the old boy a slap on the arm for us. Glad it
went smoothly. Hugs all around.!!

John & Deb
Can/Am '98

L D Jones

SthrnShrtE wrote:
    >
[ ... ]
    > The US has too much bureaucracy to provide decent socialized medicine. And I

I enjoyed your post but I want to add that I think a socialised
healthcare system is the very definition of a bureaucracy. This is the
impression I got, anyway, after living in the UK for a number of years.
There seemed to be no organisation as bureaucratic as the NHS. I think
you're from the UK originally so the comment struck me as doubly odd.

I never used the services of the NHS while I was there but it seemed to
me that a lot of people also took out private insurance and companies
offer it as well as part of the benefits package.

LD

Rob S

According to WHO stats (check their web site if you don't belive me) the US spends more per capita on health care than any other nation on the planet but gets the worst value for money in terms of people covered.

The UK NHS is far from perfect and yes you will have delays - but by any independent, rational standard it is considerably better than health provision in the US in terms of value for money, prventative health provision, efficiency and the fact that it provides 100% cover to population.

The US bureau of census states that 42 million americans have no health cover whatsoever and that this figure is rapidly increasing (up 1.4 million since 2001).

As to $1000 deductibles - they do exist in both MA and NH and in MA (where it would appear the State regulates these to some extent), the Boston Globe recently reported that at least one HMO wants permission to market a policy with a $5000 deductible.

As to free health care in the states - it very much depend on which state and also on your personal circumstances - NH offers next to nothing, MA offers substantially more - but far from the cover available in the UK, Canada, Austarlia or any EU nation. There is a good reason why all these nations opted for universal healthcare - it is better overall than leaving it to the private sector.

Also what little state healt provision exists in the US is presently being cut as the States face severe budget crises (MA has a $2bn shortfall).

I have traveled widely, lived in a number of places and studied social policy and health provision internationally - I have no doubt that on balance the UK NHS is much better as a system than the USA but would not rate it as the best by a long way, Germany, France and Norway come to mind a superior systems - all or which differ but all of which have siginificant stae funding and provide universal care.

By contrast America is in the dark ages.

rogerpenycate

Hi Rete,
Best wishes for a speedy recovery for the "old chap"
You forgot to mention which arm it was and will it affect anything !!

Sthrnshrte

    >There seemed to be no organisation as bureaucratic as the NHS. I think
    >you're from the UK originally so the comment struck me as doubly odd.

Whoops, actually I just have a very bad vocabulary. I'm USC, couldn't find the
word I wanted. Bureaucracy was a bad choice, meant to just say that from my
experience, the free healthcare in the UK fared a little better than the free
healthcare I received in the US. But I think anything state run in Louisiana
is worse than most others, so maybe it's not a fair statement. I think I've
gone too far OT, so I'll stop.

Ash

Bea

What you read in the US papers vs. what you experience in Canada with
healthcare are very different. I've lived there for 35 years, gone
through 3 surgeries, and found my care to be excellent. And it was a
nice feeling to know that anyone in the whole country could have
gotten that treatment.
Yes - I had to go for an MRI at 2am - but that's because they don't
waste like they do in the States. They run these expensive machines
around the clock. The waste that goes on in the US medical system
makes me sick.
And after my recent experience of getting pregnant and finding out
that private insurance won't even consider us until after the baby is
born (oh - they will if we pay $1000/month indefinately), I'm ready to
move back to Canada, where they'll always take care of you no matter
what. It sucks if you don't work for a big company with health
benefits in this country.

Steve And Lisa

Well my opinion on US healthcare and insurance comes from recent
experience...my health care was good...but health insurance coverage I find
is horrible!!

When I was employed and got my health insurance through my employer it
wasn't so bad going to the doctor or having an emergency arise. But we now
we are small business owners and have to pay for our health insurance which
is nearly $4000 a year. Not to have it would be taking a risk we are not
willing to take.

Last year I became preggers, the insurance was not going to pay out a dime
for anything until my pregnancy became a problem then they (after paying out
our $1000 deductible) covered 80%. (Most insurance companies for independent
people will make you purchase a rider to cover pregnancy, lets face it at my
age we felt that was unlikely to happen, we were wrong.) In total we had to
pay around $2600 out of pocket after deductible. This year in the spring
Steve slipped while up the ladder and his face went through a pane of glass,
making it necessary to have stitches (he really got lucky) in his chin. None
of the emergency care was covered by our plan as our deductible is $1000!
Now of course we could lower our deductible, but as you can imagine the
yearly rate skyrocket in cost.

--
Lisa
Our INS Journey from I-130 to N-400 thus far..............
www.britsintheus.com/marriednhappy/timeline-aos.htm
"Rob S" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Originally posted by Sthrnshrte
    > > Wow, great outpatient experience. As to comparing the US health
    > > system with
    > > another, when I needed gallbladder surgery, I was told it'd be an 18
    > > month wait
    > > on NHS (UK). Came to the states and had it done in a few weeks, thank
    > > goodness
    > > for health insurance!
    > >
    > >
    > > Ash (n Pete, UK)
    > All very well if you have the insurance - 42 million people in America
    > don't and many more have insurance that either won't cover certain
    > treatments or if it does requires a deductible of $1000 upwards.
    > In the UK everyone has health cover - including visiting Americans,.
    > Also it is highly unlikely that anyone would wait 18 months for the
    > removal of a potentially malignant growth in the UK.
    > For the record the WHO rates health provision across the world -
    > Britain is 5th - the USA is 39th - mostly for the reasons above.
    > Hopefully the US will join the rest of the developed world one day, but
    > given Tuesdays results it won't be anytime soon.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com