"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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You may have good doctors, but the number of them who stay in Canada, your facilities, & equipment are nothing to brag about unless you also want to brag about Turkey, Poland, & Hungary's healthcare system.
Renee ~~~
That original post wasn't directed at anyone specifically :o)
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I think we see things pretty much the same way. I don't believe that YOU personally whined about paying taxes. The problem lies in the money managing as well as the system that allocates these funds. It must be made more difficult for abusers of the system to regularly take from this system. Also, politicians must be made more accountable for the way in which they allocate these funds. People should make themselves more aware of where all the money is going.
I also don't think that one particular party is more guilty than another of thi money mismanagement. In fact, the last few Republican govts in the States have increased the deficit alarmingly. In Canada our last Conservative govt racked up quite a large deficit. It was the Liberal goft here that reduced (eliminated it). Ironic, considering it's the Liberal govt that is more socially conscious regarding social programs.
There are people who take advantage of the system and there will always be those types of people. However, there are many more people who benifit greatly from this safety net and go on to contribute back to the society as well. Therefore I do believe that an advanced society that is affluent should take care of its citizens in this manner. The art is in setting up the system in the correct way.
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No. the system I have set up for my kid's allowance is that we have a job sheet on the fridge. Each job has a dollar amount and they put their initials beside it whenever they do a job. (Not all jobs they have to do has a price tag either....like cleaning up their own room. That they do for nothing because they have to). If they want or need more money, they have to do more work. Also, they each have a jar where they put half their money n to save. The rest they put ion thier wallets to spend. They've learned pretty quickly that if they spend it on junk they'll quickly run out (and they can't touch the savings because eventualy it gets put in the bank and I have the bank books....in this way, I suppose I'm "taxing" my own kids in a sort of enforced savings plan) so they've gotten better at bugeting.
That is where the electorate has a responsibility as well. We elect our politicians to manage the money so that means that people should pay close attention to how they do this rather than say that taxes shouldn't be collected at all and complain about situations like in the case of the military personnel, that THIER tax dollars are helping to pay their medical care. If a person is going to lay their life on the line for the sake of their country, then it is only fair that some tax dollars from the citizens of that country go to making sure they are healthy :o)
no health insurance
--or--
universal health care while not perfect and some problems but still can be seen by a doctor.
According to this joint US Canadian survey, 79% of uninsured Americans are very satisfied to somewhat satisfied wtih their care. 13 % of
Renee ~~~
Personally, I don't go running off to the doctor everytime I get a pain or a hangnail (but the family does get their annual check-ups and the kids get their immunizations so they don't go around spreading sickness to others).
There have been times when we could have afforded to do that but we've also had some tough times as well where the healthcare system has been a Godsend. The money saved from our healthcare system goes instead to save for my kids university education so they can grow up and become nice little taxpayers as well. My taxes are well spent if all the other kids in my child's school have been immunized as well and are healthy and aren't passing off some sort of disease around the school too. ;o)
I have a friend who is the main breadwinner in the family and has 3 sons. She is a wonderful woman and recently was diagnosed with a virulent form of breast cancer. She's had a mastectomy and is undergoing Chemo. She has plenty to worry about without having to choose between spending her kids university savngs on her treatment or not having the treatment. Never once, in all this period of fear and stress have they had to think about money or how they will pay for her treatment.
I think our healthcare system is set up mainly for two reasons. One is preventative, to ensure that people STAY healthy (rather than putting off treatments or checkups and then getting REALLY sick). This costs the taxpayers money as well. In the long run, it can cost society a lot more. Another is to ensure that people (and families) who do get a catastrophic illness aren't forced to make compromises with their health due to fincancial constraints at a time when they should be concentrating on getting well.
Never can have enough macaroni and cheese. Becuase I am lazy I buy the box but when in the mood I will make this big batch of homeade, and send it out to family. I love it so much, it shows because mine is so good!! However, my son is the same way about spagetti. He just will refuse to eat it, becuase it reminds him of our "poor times". I told him, be lucky you remember the poor times and came out of it, many do not.
World Peace will never happen though. There maybe times that the world is content, but never will there be peace. :-( We are human, therefore, we will never (as a whole not as individuals) be happy unless someone else is suffering.
One more about "free things". My son's scheme is to get to "The Price Is Right", and win his dream home and car and perhaps one of those hibachi grills they have for a bonus. I guess he really believed me when I said, "your the best and you can do anything and have anything you want as long as you try for it." Oh well, I love my son and dont want him to leave anyway!! ;-)
Like the US, this is a free country and our systems are open to sharp critisism and scrutiny (which is as it should be) so articles such as this are to be expected and serve as a guid to learn from in order to make necessary changes.
Healthcare reform is something that our government is currently looking into very carefully. In fact, it is one of the priorities of this current government. One of our major problems is that we have many communities that are sparsely populated and far from major centers and this certainly is bringing the average down and it is something that must be addressed.
I'd discuss this further but ironically enough I have to go to the doctor. I called last Friday and was able to get in to see her today. We'll also be booking a mammogram in the lab that is just around the corner from my place.
Wish me luck. I did find a lump but the news of my friend's recent diagnosis of breast cancer has made me a little paranoid. It's probably nothing though but I'm taking no chances.
:o)
Thankyou for your response. I do believe that you are right, we do see much of this in the same way. You mentioned elected politicians spending money appropriately, and making it more difficult for the abusers of the system to be allowed to abuse it. I'm curious if you see that this happens in Canada. Are there successful reforms? Are there politicians that are willing to say no to taking the easy way out and just increasing taxes? Honestly, I have not been a very good follower of politics. I am very synical (sp?) and distrustful. During elections they all say what you want to hear, but in reality, they are saying it to everyone, so there has to be some limits of what they can acutally do once in office. Some just out and out lie, I believe, they are just good at covering up their lies with other excuses. While I identify much more with a Repbulican approach to government, I don't even see enough Republicans following that. (I could be tainted, living in the Land of Lincoln where the Democratic party has a strong hold on politics) You are so right, we all should be paying attention to how our elected officials are spending our tax dollars, but I have to wonder, how many people feel like me, that we really matter, both parties are more beholden to their major contributors than the average people (and there are average folk in both parties not just one), and to the extremists that make up the solid, unwavering base of each party. Those of us that aren't beholden to one strict Republican or Democratic ideology are just figured to eventually fall in line and vote 'our' party just to keep the other party out of office. The lesser of 2 two evils thing. Or maybe I just need to become more involved and see if there are those who really do care what the average person thinks. Anyway, I don't know if I've made any sense, but thanks again for the conversation.
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I wish all the best for your friend and her family, but the implication that she would have much more difficult time receiving care here isn't accurate.
Renee ~~~
Edited 7/26/2004 12:57 pm ET ET by cl-wrhen
Renee ~~~
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