I need to research much more, I don't know much about this subject. But obviously something needs to be done, I don't think it's the answer. I was in the military-had Tricare, it was horrible! I will never go back to insurance like that! I love our insurance now, my dh's company pays for everything, we pay only copays ($10) and for babies ($200 to the hospital). Since I don't pay much for healthcare, I don't really know all I should about the problem, but I'm going to start researching b/c the amount of children in the US living without insurance is just mind boggling!

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A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.-Eleanor Roosevelt

I used to work in Employee Benefits for an insurance company and the rumor at that time was a Universal Healthcare Plan would mimic the current Tricare program (military). Before I would say yay or nay to any Universal Healthcare Program I would find out exactly how it would be run and what the program would entail.

From personal experience I don't think Universal Health coverage would solve all the issues people have. I have family that live in Germany and my Oma is currently in the hospital recovering from a minor stroke and heart attack. She had to go to the hospital she didn't want to go to because she didn't have the $$ to pay for the hospital she did want to go to -- she was assigned a certain hospital and would have had to pay a portion of the bill had she gone to a different hosptial. My Oma's dr. is an idiot, missed her colon cancer last summer, sent my Oma home when she was sick causing her to get dehydrated which in turn caused all the issues she's dealing with now - heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. There is no recourse for my family - not that I believe in suing - my mom is really pissed and she's always talked about how much better socialized healthcare was compared to what we have here. Now she's changing her tune after dealing with all of this.

I am in Canada, and I would NEVER EVER EVER want to live in a country without it. I have never witnessed anyone go bankrupt because of medical costs nor seen homeless people "dumped" on skid row because they had no insurance. Rich and poor are equal in the Canadian healthcare system and that is the way it should be. Our taxes are no higher than the States though people like to make that arguement. There are longer wait times to be sure yet I am willing to wait if it means that there is equality for all, and people do not have to decide to forgo health insurance because they cannot afford to have it.

Theresa

I'm in the USA and I've never seen this either. And I've also not seen long wait times, can schedule surgery quickly, pick as many specialists as my doctor feels is appropriate, get into see them quickly, and have all the tests my doctor thinks I need quickly. I would NEVER, EVER, EVER want to live in a country WITH universal health care.

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I do not want universal health care, our government doesn't do many things correctly so I sure do not want them in charge of mine or my loved ones health care.

Something does need to be done to make health care more affordable but universal health care is not the way to go.

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DS-16
DD-13
DD-5
DS-3

Well, you might have never seen it, but I've read often enough that health care is one of the major reasons why people file for bankruptcy. Very often people who DO have insurance can't afford the deductibles and co-pays of a long-term, chronic illness that might hit the family breadwinner. And, I've read in the paper about people being dumped on the street somewhere when they are discharged from nursing home stays and the like. The uninsured, maybe the homeless - when they should be calling social services. I even think there was an ER episode about that once, right around the time I read about it in my paper.

Having lived in two countries with universal health care (England & Germany) I can put in my $0.02 here in favor of it:

1. Every single person has an equal right to decent health care
2. I can choose my own doctor more freely than when on private insurance in the US
3. I can choose my own hospital
4. Public insurance covers the basic needs for survival. This isn't always to my liking, but it means that publicly insured people can't take advantage of "free medicine"
5. Medication is affordable to everyone who needs it.
6. Those who want better coverage, more coverage, etc., can purchase private insurance that goes above and beyond the public system

There are lots of drawbacks, one of them being that it is perhaps an unsustainable model in the very long term. Doctors and nurses have it tough, particularly the ones working in publicly owned hospitals. But then, so do doctors and nurses in county hospitals in the U.S.

I think there should be a bare-minimum coverage for every single person, and then people can purchase options if they have the money and want extra care. For me it has nothing to do with paying for someone else's bad habits - but everything to do with respecting the human rights of your neighbors and fellow citizens.

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~ mama abroad

"Be the change that you want to see in the world." -Ghandi

check out my culture shock blog: A View from the Outside

9 years ago my children were on peachcare which is a state run healthcare program. It was a nightmare. I got on this program because we paid a premium each month, but it was ridiculous getting thru a payment, so one month my kids would be insured and one month not. Also, they didn't have providers in every area. My son(autistic) who was 5 at the time and not yet in Kindergarten, had a couple of cavities. The dentist we were supposed to see was horrible to him and handled him roughly, then said "I can't do anything with him". She referred him to a specialist 1 1/2 hrs away. After 5 mos they finally called to set up the appointment. My son was to be npo(nothing by mouth) after midnight, but his appointment was at 3:30 pm! I ran a daycare at the time and when I refused to put my son thru that in addition to putting him under( Yea lets traumatize him for life shall we?) I was turned into DEFACs! DEFACS came to my house to see if I was a fit parent! I paid cash for a pediatric dentist to care for my son. He had his teeth fixed with no anethesia or anything, just a great dentist. Personnally I don't want the Govt involved in any part of my life not already allowed by law. I grudingly give them that. Thank you.

I do believe the health care system needs SOMETHING done and soon. I just got the EOB for my husband's outpatient surgery to have 2 hernias removed. $17,752.00. We will owe almost $4000, and this was only the hospital bill. My brother had the EXACT same surgery done, and the surgical center we went to was not a preferred provider so my hubby could not go there, and his surgery was $3000. We also inquired about having his vasectomy done at the same time, they wanted an additional $7500 for it at the hospital we were at. We did not have it done, guess I should have asked the price of the hernia surgery then. It was cheaper to have my babies! So yes something needs to be done. My father was a physician he said managed health care was the worst thing to happen to his profession. He quit delivering babies because the malpractice insurance was too high.

I feel for those that have no insurance. My husband just changed jobs and we were without for a month. And 3 days before the new one kicked in my daughter got sick. Grr..

After I had my last baby they wanted the balance paid in 5 months. That was the policy. I'll tell you what, with this $4000 we are supposedly going to owe, they are not getting it in 5 months that is for sure. In fact, the president of the hospital is going to hear from me, he is an old neighbor and we used to carpool to school with them!

Alas, In the U.S you CANNOT say that doesn't happen(watch CNN) in Canada, I in all honesty can say I HAVE NOT. And that is all is all I have to say about that.