Originally Posted by Tracym

I simply said - socialized medicine is the definition all over the place for government run universal health care. So I don't see the problem with the word - it appears to simply be the truth.

And if Americans don't like it, that's up to them. And if the majority wants socialized medicine, they'll get it.

Originally Posted by fatbrit

The term began as a somewhat pejorative phrase first popularized in 1920s and 1930s United States politics by conservative opponents of publicly operated health care, proposed during the administration of US President Franklin Roosevelt and later championed by US Senator Spessard Holland of Florida, Sen. Estes Kefauver of Tennessee and many more. Organizations that generally oppose expansion of government services still tend to use the phrase in that way.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialized_medicine

i.e. if you use that phrase, you are opposing it. Which is fine if you want to. But don't, please, pretend that it's a neutral term.

Originally Posted by Bob

It's not taking offence as much, just the bad connotations associated with it in the US...if your liberal your a pinko commie, if you want socialised health care, your a socialist pinko commie scum etc.

Originally Posted by Boiler

Probably coming back full circle, the NHS has many many problems. It only looks good when you compare it to the US system.

One oddity, assuming I have it right, if your Employer pays for your heath insurance, no tax, if you pay for it, no deduction.

So in general the rich get a tax deduction and the poor do not.

Originally Posted by danfan

Don't know if this has been covered yet because I haven't read the whole thread. You can always negotiate a discount too if you have no insurance and if you can pay the bills in full within 30 days of them arriving.

I wish I'd known that once when we had a $3k bill but the next time we got a big bill, I heard my husband on the phone asking for a discount. Yup, got 40% off that one. Next few that came in (he had a broken hand so lots of bills kept coming) I'd call for each one and get 30- 50% off each bill.
When a final bill came in for over a grand, I called up & said I can pay $400 now and mark me off as fully paid, or I can pay $50 a month for the next x months. They took the $400 and sent me a zero balance statement with the "courtesy deduction".

Originally Posted by Boiler

Thats because what they charge jo soap is twice or more the agreed rates with the Insurance companies.

You were just being charged the normal rate.

Originally Posted by Tracym

My doctor friend had an interesting comment at lunch today. She said in medical school they were told the ideal health care system should be 3 things:

1. Good
2. Fast
3. Available to all

And most or all systems get 2 out of 3 of those.

edit: wasn't really counting or addressing third world countries without any of the 3.

Originally Posted by Boiler

Why exclude Thirld World Countries, my personal experience suggests they hit 1 and 2 and from my perspective 3 as well as it was very cheap.

Not so good if you can not afford it. Just like the US.

Originally Posted by Boiler

Why exclude Thirld World Countries, my personal experience suggests they hit 1 and 2 and from my perspective 3 as well as it was very cheap.

Not so good if you can not afford it. Just like the US.

Originally Posted by TouristTrap

If you go private. Most third world countries do provide free healthcare to everyone, but often it is not up to standard. But most of them have private healthcare that is both good and fast, and in dollar terms, inexpensive. India, Panama, etc.