Rustee
Full Member
pima practitioner
Posts: 214
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Post by Rustee on Jul 16, 2007 20:39:11 GMT -4
More and more are calling out for government to cover health care in one way or another here in America. Some point to Canada's system for comparison. I know little of the the real workings of it, only whatever side is spinning it to fit their agenda, so I thought I'd ask our Canadian brethren here what they think (and whoever else wants to chime in from elsewhere). What works well, and what doesn't? Benefits and drawbacks? Or whatever positive/negative experience you have.
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Post by Tonja Renee on Jul 16, 2007 21:08:59 GMT -4
Well like everything it has its pros and cons... the pros.. if you get sick and don't have any money you can get the same health care that people with money can get... The cons, if you get sick you get the same health care that people without money get. And the country doesn't take the attitude spare no expense when it comes to health care.
It is nice not to have to worry about going to see the Doctor when you feel sick, but having watched my mother die from cancer and realize unless we went to a different country - we can't buy better care than what the gov't will supply. There are people here who are trying to create a two tiered health care system, but all that will mean is that people with money will get better care than people without money. Just an endless moralisitic issue.
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Post by earthman on Jul 16, 2007 22:26:31 GMT -4
Yeah...my cousin's wife had some sort of lump in her neck that was bugging her not too long ago. She went to the doctors here and they said "It's nothing, don't worry about it." Well, it kept bugging her, so her dad (who happens to be very wealthy) flew her down to the Mayo Clinic, where they said "Yeah dude, it's cancer" and removed it for something like $16,000.
All things considered, though, I think this system is better than privatized health care. Everyone is entitled to health care, and like Tonja said, it's great to be able to go to the doctor for any concern (no matter how small) and not have some massive bill lurking in the back of your mind.
I don't know if a two-tiered system here would make any difference, really. The U.S. is close enough that the people who can afford privatized care will just hop the border anyway, if they feel they need better care. What's the extra cost of a plane ticket if you're gonna pay $16,000 to have a lump removed?
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Raskolnikov
Full Member
Initial success or total failure
Posts: 147
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Post by Raskolnikov on Jul 16, 2007 22:32:16 GMT -4
I have free healthcare courtesy of the US government.
It's not the one you want.
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Post by Akira on Jul 17, 2007 10:45:30 GMT -4
The NHS over here is in complete tatters.
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Post by stratman on Jul 17, 2007 17:23:34 GMT -4
The NHS over here is in complete tatters. Absolutely, more and more are buying private medical insurance over here, the NHS is in an appalling state and is so strapped for cash that they are looking for ways to get out of treating patients, pretty soon you wont get medical treatment if you smoke/drink/are overweight/are injured in a sporting activity, or any other excuse they can think up, but you'll still have to pay your NHS contributions even though you cant get treatment
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zoso
Full Member
Posts: 130
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Post by zoso on Jul 17, 2007 17:50:40 GMT -4
Here in Oregon we have the Oregon Health Plan for poor folks...well it used to be...I had it when I was out of work for my diabetic needs...which run $500 a month(gouge)----they changed it now and if I lose my job I am f'd unless I have kidney failure or I am pregnant cause that is all they provide it for now. But if you had it before the change you can still get it if you have diabetes....but since I got a job I got off OHP...so the new rule applies(kidney failure or pregnant)....if I lose my job now I am totally screwed....and when I try to get a new job it can take 3 to 6 months for insurance to kick in so until then friggin' poverty
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LATS
Junior Member
Posts: 54
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Post by LATS on Jul 19, 2007 0:14:17 GMT -4
With the massive inrush of people flocking to Alberta, things are not what you'd call wonderful here.
Its just about impossible to get a family doctor here. You're pretty much stuck with going to a walk-in clinic, and waiting for at least an hour, often three or more - no appointments.
The ERs are often plugged with people who really should have gone to a walk-in clinic. Even the truly needful are often left in hallways on the ambulance gurney with the parameds who brought them. There just aren't enough nurses and doctors to handle the volume, and not enough available beds.
Waiting times to see a specialist are measured in months, often more than a year.
The facilities and staff are excellent - there's just not enough of anything.
Understand that "free health-care" truly is a myth. Alberta charges everyone a special tax called a 'health care premium'. Even if that gets rescinded, there are likely to be user fees imposed to discourage overuse of the system. Even if there were no user fees, it still takes a huge amount of tax dollars to pay for it all.
All in all, this is a bad place to get sick.
But it could be a lot worse...
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taylormade
Junior Member
'90s Rock Aficionado
Posts: 57
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Post by taylormade on Jul 19, 2007 9:51:47 GMT -4
I have free healthcare courtesy of the US government. It's not the one you want. what, you don't care for the Motrin kills everything theory? I did 7 years AD in the Air Force and got more 800mg Motrin than I could ever possibly use.
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Raskolnikov
Full Member
Initial success or total failure
Posts: 147
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Post by Raskolnikov on Jul 19, 2007 20:21:14 GMT -4
I have free healthcare courtesy of the US government. It's not the one you want. what, you don't care for the Motrin kills everything theory? I did 7 years AD in the Air Force and got more 800mg Motrin than I could ever possibly use. "Here's a no-run, no-jump, no-march profile. Drink water."
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ren
New Member
I have an Ibanez Problem...
Posts: 22
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Post by ren on Jul 21, 2007 18:12:29 GMT -4
I worked for the NHS here a while back... and they are a bit of a mess.... far too many managers and consultants instead of front line staff and investment in drug programs. (I was a consultant there, so a little hypocritical I guess but a fair observation).
I ended up paying for private health care, mostly because I broke my legs ages ago and the NHS wouldn't give me the treatment it had originally said I needed. After that experience, I don't feel I can afford to be without it.
I just wish I didn't have to pay for a service that I can't rely on, and in some cases can't even use. Anyone know an NHS dentist, optician etc? My GP prescribes antibiotics without even looking at you, and basically says 'comme back in two weeks if it hasn't either gone away or killed you'....
It's no miracle, but I couldn't say if it's better than the system you've got.
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