Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
#31
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2528357.shtml
9 out of 10 think the system is flawed, over half believe it is fundementally flawed. Two thirds support guaranteed healthcare. Just sayin'...
#32
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
Well, my argument is that if the Gov't has a hand in it, it will be crap. I don't think I need to provide examples of Gov't bureaucracy gone insane to most of you here. I realize something must be done, I'm just sorry we can't make the system we have now more affordable, with some provision for the indigent.
Anyway, socialized medicine per se (in that the government is the actual provider of healthcare a la NHS) will not happen over here. What's more likely is that some kind of single payer system will evolve, or at least for those that cannot get insurance at a reasonable cost.
#34
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
but surprisingly enough, well to me at least, just the number of people who I've met who believe the BS about how great the system is and how bad it would be to have a public healthcare system, all because they are healthy, have good insurance and haven't known anyone to have been seriously ill.
#35
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
Whereas if insurance companies have a hand in it 6% of GDP will go up in smoke to pay for the administration of healthcare. And that's not even including the cost of time spent by individuals fighting their insurance companies, like I've just being doing over a bill for one of my daughters. Btw, you presumably are all for scrapping the armed forces too?
Anyway, socialized medicine per se (in that the government is the actual provider of healthcare a la NHS) will not happen over here. What's more likely is that some kind of single payer system will evolve, or at least for those that cannot get insurance at a reasonable cost.
Anyway, socialized medicine per se (in that the government is the actual provider of healthcare a la NHS) will not happen over here. What's more likely is that some kind of single payer system will evolve, or at least for those that cannot get insurance at a reasonable cost.
#36
Mr. Grumpy
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 3,100
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
I think the key phrase is 'total ignorance'
#37
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
Nahh.. more like
"goddam pinko commie nutsacks, we kicked your red asses all round Hollywood with good ol McCarthy, dagnabit stand on yer own two feet yer yeller livered red assed pinko commie fag, I've been bankrupt 4 times paying fuh cough syrup for muh 70 a day Marlboro habit an it ain't hurt me nun. And when I lost muh marbles fightin' the gooks in 'Nam I went bankrupt agin cuzza the VA not footin th' bill but yer dunt see me whinin none. By the way, you got some change to spare, I haven't eaten in weeks?"
"goddam pinko commie nutsacks, we kicked your red asses all round Hollywood with good ol McCarthy, dagnabit stand on yer own two feet yer yeller livered red assed pinko commie fag, I've been bankrupt 4 times paying fuh cough syrup for muh 70 a day Marlboro habit an it ain't hurt me nun. And when I lost muh marbles fightin' the gooks in 'Nam I went bankrupt agin cuzza the VA not footin th' bill but yer dunt see me whinin none. By the way, you got some change to spare, I haven't eaten in weeks?"
#38
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
but surprisingly enough, well to me at least, just the number of people who I've met who believe the BS about how great the system is and how bad it would be to have a public healthcare system, all because they are healthy, have good insurance and haven't known anyone to have been seriously ill.
#39
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
the (un)holy trinity of the Food, Healthcare/Pharma and Insurance companies will ensure that universal access to affordable healthcare will never happen.
#40
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
You didn't answer the question - would you scrap the armed forces? Or would you work hard to fix what you perceive as the problems in that government-provided service? Do you have similar qualms about a single-payer system such as France's?
Last edited by Giantaxe; Sep 28th 2007 at 3:12 pm.
#41
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
...OK but there's anecdote, and then there's polling:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2528357.shtml
9 out of 10 think the system is flawed, over half believe it is fundementally flawed. Two thirds support guaranteed healthcare. Just sayin'...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2528357.shtml
9 out of 10 think the system is flawed, over half believe it is fundementally flawed. Two thirds support guaranteed healthcare. Just sayin'...
I have just found, personally, that although some of my friends are not happy with the US system they are very wary of a national health service.
The other thing that rang a few alarm bells about that poll was a general desire for reform but within the same "personal insurance" based system which presumably would mean you would still get clobbered for all the copays and deductibles and they are the killer.
I certainly wouldn't mind paying more if it meant more uninsured could become insured but that stilll doesn't take away the problem of not being able to afford your 20% or so, of your treatment.
My OH is medical and he has patients that are sent home from the hospital because they have used up all their overnight stays and they didn't have many in the first place. They can stay but only if they pay the full amount and they can't afford to.
It is the same in the UK in some ways because the people who have power are generally very rich and never need to worry about being in that sort of situation themselves.
Lets face it Gordon Brown will never have to wait on a trolley in a corridor and George Bush will never go without treatment because his policy won't pay.
#42
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
The very same thing happened to my daughter's 16 yr old school friend who was dying of cancer. How the hell can they do that to a child? :curse::curse::curse:
#43
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,669
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
I only know that some of the people we have met here, locally are unaware of the positive aspects of other systems.
Several of my friends have assumed that we must be very pleased to live in a country with such fantastic healthcare and they have been very surprised when we have said we find it worse here.
They have believed some of the following:
No cancer treatment in the UK.
A wait of many years for cancer treatment.
No medical research.
No care for old people at all.
No modern treatments.
Very dirty hospitals.
Massive taxes to pay for everything.
Having used both systems I know which I prefer. So many people here haven't used both and rely on hearsay.
Several of my friends have assumed that we must be very pleased to live in a country with such fantastic healthcare and they have been very surprised when we have said we find it worse here.
They have believed some of the following:
No cancer treatment in the UK.
A wait of many years for cancer treatment.
No medical research.
No care for old people at all.
No modern treatments.
Very dirty hospitals.
Massive taxes to pay for everything.
Having used both systems I know which I prefer. So many people here haven't used both and rely on hearsay.
Yup
#44
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
Things like that just should not happen , it makes my blood boil:curse::curse:
#45
Re: Sick In America - It Can Happen To You
Then the insurance company refused to pay for any more treatment at Sloane Kettering in NYC. Her parents had to find an alternative hospital in NJ. :curse::curse::curse: