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Canada/England - universal healthcare

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Janet:
One of the reasons I decided not to wait for a surgical fix for post -op AN headaches was I was afraid we might get national healthcare. I felt that the surgery would not be allowed under a managed system. My insurance covered 100%. It was out of state but since the hospital took the insurance, it was considered in network. I was very surprised, as the hospital was on the east coast and I live on the west. I am so happy that I didn'twait.

I recently was visiting with my Canadian friend in Vancouver. She felt the care was rationed to the point of compromising care of patients. The up side to the Canadian system was that people seemed to take better care of themselves because they know they would not have treatment as available to them. I never really thought of that.

I have had 4 friends that retired early without considering the healthcare costs. They all manage to have insurance but not as good as when they were working. I think my husband will retire when we both qualify for medicare.

Janet

yardtick:
Jim made a rather valid point about our population here in Canada and the French issue is a major debate much like your national health care issue.  All joking aside, here in Canada if you live in the populated areas you have access to outstanding health care.  In the more remote areas is where people suffer. 

I met a lady on line from the North West Territories and she had a 4cm AN pressing into brain stem.  She was diagnosed up there, flown to Edmonton and than flown to London General for her surgery all within a week.  When she was well enough to travel she was flown back to Edmonton for her PT and than flown home after.  All of this was paid for by our health care system.  She now has a yearly MRI done in Edmonton and she is doing well.   

We do receive excellent health care.  I know even with the deductions coming off of my pay I am not paying $700 a month for my family.  I think the major issue with the US system is the cost of the non professional services.  If I am correct and you do not have insurance you receive your health care in a state hospital.  All professional services are covered, but not the non professional service.  The medication, the room, the testing, the bandages, etc.  My brother-in-laws nephew is a Dr in the Cleveland area and this is how he has explained the issue to us.  It is a known fact how inflated the non professional services are.  I remember watching 20/20 a few years ago and Tylenol was listed as being some outrages price like $30 a piece.  That's a problem.

Too bad we can't just bring in a chicken, a loaf of home bread or pie like they did on "Little House on the Prairie"  Someone is getting very rich off of these non professional services.

Anne Marie

Jim Scott:
Anne Marie:

To address the salient issue of medical 'non-professional' services being ridiculously inflated:  I understand that the hospitals do this to cover their losses because Medicare pays them at such a low level that they barely cover their costs.  The cost of treating the indigent and, in some areas, illegal aliens, also drains the hospital's resources.  It's similar to what happens when movie theaters are losing customers.  They start charging outrageous prices for popcorn and soda to help balance the loss.  I'm not approving of these inflated charges, just making an observation. 

This is why I view the federal government meddling in our health care system as a bad idea...they always make things worse.  In my small city, we have two decent hospitals and they are both going broke and seeking to merge to stay operable.  It's not going to improve if the federal government takes over the U.S. health care system.  Frankly, I don't wish to debate the U.S. health care systems pros and cons or make pointless comparisons to any other country as I believe the U.S., with it's 300 million + population is somewhat unique and trying to compare it to Sweden or England or Canada is futile.  I also feel that, interesting as it may be, this topic is only tangentially germane to AN issues and I doubt many members will get much out of this discussion so I'll use this opportunity to bow out of it. 

Thanks to all who participated.  Now, back to our regularly scheduled program.  :)

Jim

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