"Free" health care!
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"Free" health care!
| Thu, 07-22-2004 - 7:15pm |
I wonder how many of you have had to live without health insurance? You say that health care is not a right? NO WONDER! You have always had a place for the bills to go other then your mailbox! How many of you have ever asked what the actual cost of your prescriptions are? Do the math! Do you have any idea what it is like to call around from doctor to doctor trying to find one who would see you WITHOUT insurance? Have you ever stood at your doctor office and humbly asked for samples instead of a prescription because u know that your $360 check wont stretch enough to cover your $280 med bill AND the doctor appt. Don't even mention medicaid! If you make enough money to buy food and scrape by...you do not qualify.
Go ahead and be technical but if you ever run into some bad luck you will see things in an entirely different light!
Go ahead and be technical but if you ever run into some bad luck you will see things in an entirely different light!

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It can be a right, however, when in countries like Canada, Sweden and Great Britain (three countries I have personally had cause to use their medical systems) the people vote to share the economic burden of medical costs. A small amount from everyone into a common pot means that no one goes without.
Yes, the medical system in these countries are under financial strain. But as the general populations life expectancy goes far beyond the standards of yester year amd the medical treatments become far more expensive and inclusive, such strains will occur.
But the bottom line is no one goes without. No matter what procedure I need, or more to the case, what my child needs, the treatment is there, free of cost. I gladly pay the taxes it requires. I have extended coverage through my work that covers things like dental and ambulance fees but I never have to sit down with an economic advisor to figure out how much of any medical procedure I can afford (as stated by someone else on another post)
I never have to fight with HMOs to get complete coverage. If you have had any experience with trying to recover costs through any kind of insurance policy you'll know they have a standard "NO!" answer ready with the first submission. If you have seen any of the undercover reports on insurance companies you will know that "NO" is their answer for the first tree times before they even consider dealing with the case. (they know that a good number of people tire before re-submitting and then go away) Money is their bottom line, not health or life.
In Canada that is not the issue. We do have waiting lines for some surgeries. But my child has never had to wait for any surgeries and the health care is immediate, efficient and thoughtfully provided. My child's list of surgeries is a long one. The total days in hospital, along with extended aftercare, equal more than a year of a short 14 year life span. And yet I have not had to pay a penny. Tell me, what is wrong with such a system?
<<That way, they will have their universal health care, and a
Renee ~~~
Miffy - Co-CL For The Politics Today Board
Just the way I was raised.
~mark~
can you imagine of everyone were military? 1984 anyone?
SO, my assumption shoud have been that you had no huge medical catastrophies?
If you HAD been hurt and needed surgery, do you think that the outlandish costs of medical care would have made you feel otherwise? when you looked at your itemized hospital bil and saw that you had been charged 23 dollars for a two dollar tube of antibiotic cream that a nurse opened up in your room, used once and threw away? It might have made you angry to see how insurance companies drive up medical costs.
Also, just so you know, I was eligible for all kinds of FIP and welfare and what not, and I did not take it. I bought insurance for my kids and none for myself. I was brought up the same way, except that I also learned that there were people out there that were not as capable as I was and that I was not to judge them, I was to help them. But that was in bible school... I am not religious now, but I know that many pople are, and wonder how they fit that in with the belief that welfare is bad.
Miffy - Co-CL For The Politics Today Board
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