"Free" health care!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
"Free" health care!
250
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!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 08-02-2004 - 8:59am
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It's a pretty complex system and not easy to explain but in a nut shell it pretty much works like this:

Every person in the country is covered by Medicare, our universal health care system. It covers 75% of the 'scheduled' cost of all out-of-hospital doctors visits and 85% of the 'scheduled' cost of all in-hospital doctors services in private hospitals. Public hospitals are totally free of charge - but like most public systems there can be a waiting list for required surgeries and you don't get your choice of doctor as a public patient in a public hospital. Medicare also covers 75% of the 'scheduled' cost of diagnostic testing.

The 'scheduled' cost is determined by the government and if the doctor/testing labs charge over and above this (as they often do) that additional out-of-pocket cost is born by the individual. However, there are 'safety nets' in place such that once out-of-pocket expenses reach a certain limit 100% coverage kicks in - but it's structured such that very few people ever reach the safety net limit.

In addition, people can take out private health insurance which covers the cost of addmitance to a private hospital (thereby allowing people to have their choice of doctor and have procedures done immediately) and also covers the 15% of doctors services charged upto the 'scheduled' fee for in-hospital service. Again, if the doctor charges more than the scheduled fee it's an out-of-pocket expence.

Some doctors and testing labs will 'bulk bill' especially for low/no income individuals which means they send their bill directly to Medicare and accept the 75% of the schedule as full and finaly payment. However 'bulk billing' rates have dropped considerably in the last few years and this is a hot issue here politically at the moment.

And of course, individuals who don't have private health insurance and need an operation and aren't prepared to wait on a public hospital waiting list always have the option of going to a private hospital and paying their fees - 75% of the doctors fees for the surgery will still by reimbursed by Medicare.

We also have the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) which covers the cost of most prescription drugs such that when we have a prescription filled we pay a 'prescription fee' which is currently about $27 regardless of the actual cost of the drug. Low/no income individuals pay something like $4 instead of the $27 fee. If the drug you require is not on the PBS list you have to pay the full cost of it but if you have private health insurance some of this cost will be reimbursed by your insurance depending upon your policy. Drug companies are paid the full cost of the drugs by the PBS.

There is currently great concern here that the about to be passed through parliament FTA between the US and Australia will drive up the costs of drugs because of elements of the FTA.

This is all funded by a 1.5% levy on taxable income (over and above normal income tax). If individuals earn above about $50K there is an additional levy if they don't have private health insurance. This is to encourage higher income earners to take out private health insurance in order to lessen the burden on the public system.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:10am
Sorry for my slow response. My impression of Canadians in general is that they do not hate us as much as they consider us their obnoxious neighbor. We’re pretty much those people (on the south side) that put a bunch of those pink flamingoes in our yard. I tend to speak for the general population and not the French portion of Canada. It is possible the French portion of Canada does hate us. I mean they don’t even seem to like the other Canadians that much, how are they going to like us?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:11am
I don’t deny each country has its’ own strengths and weaknesses, but the general theme in this thread appears to be that the US is lacking heavily and some are suggesting the entire healthcare industry should be overhauled when (for all its’ flaws) performs comparably as well as the other forms. The word “uncivilized” has even popped up. I have to ask myself: “If we are performing roughly at the same level as these other countries (such as Canada), then who are really being the arrogant ones? Those claiming we should do it “their way”? We are performing comparably overall, why not the others change to “our way”? If I were to say Canada should do it our way, I would just be considered another arrogant American by those of other countries. If those in other countries suggest we do it their way, they are just giving “thoughtful insight.” The double standard is irritating, especially when you consider it is “our way” that has financed most of the research and developed about a 1/3rd of the drugs used worldwide. “Their way” would be performing at a much lower standard if it were not for “our way” affordin us the research.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:26am
I thought "tu" was Latin.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2004
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:28am
I guess I am the one who introduced the word 'uncivilized'... In all fairness, it isn't something I think myself. I was only reporting my 10 year old daughter's reaction to finding out there was no national healthcare in the US, and that no everyone therefore has access (we were watching a news magazine on an american network at the time).

In any case, I do take issue about those 'standards' you refer to. According to the WHO and other organizations, the health of americans is 'way down there'. 37th if my memory serves me right. After all, that IS the bottomline. And americans are the MOST unhappy with their healthcare SYSTEM (not the services themselves - big difference).

And I won't go back to the issue of 'financing' drug development, because I've already pointed out that this is incorrect. On an absolute number basis, yes, american companies develop a lot of drugs and treatments, but you can't compare a country with 300 million people with one with 30 million people! Various organizations have demonstrated that the bigger profits drug companies make in the US DO NOT foster more research. But you are free to continue believe this.

I don't think our system is perfect, BTW. From what I gather, the system in Japan and France are better than ours. There's always room for improvement.


Edited 8/3/2004 11:29 am ET ET by nicecanadianlady

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2004
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:29am
It's also french. "tu" means "you", although "toi" is also 'you' when it's the object...
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:29am
I think Sondra’s on to something. Pretty much the same thoughts I’ve had regarding our actions and how they’ve been perceived.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:31am

Just to add my 2 eurocents.....LOL


If one means to say "how about you?" In French that would be "et toi?"


So in this case I'd agree with you that "tu" as in "et tu" would be Latin, or maybe it's Canadian French?

Djie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 11:31am
Oops, should have caught up with the thread before posting.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 12:35pm
"It's also french. "tu" means "you", although "toi" is also 'you' when it's the object..."

Thanks for the clarification.

(feel free to make fun of my syntax, spelling, etc) But speaking for myself…

No bone chance parlevouis France’.

I also read your post in #246, but will have to respond later (hopefully tomorrow).

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