My Universal Health Care Experience

[margotb822]

I had a great experience with the military universal health care system last week, and it only strengthened my beliefs that all people need to be covered.

While in FL for a conference, I came down with an ear infection. I was able to go to the local Naval Medical clinic with only my ID and be seen and receive medication. I don't think people often think of traveling when they think of reasons for UHC, but some people are only covered by regional plans. We need to be able to care for all Americans, no matter where they are. We need to have a system that stores the information so that people don't have to travel with medical records.

I also learned that sinus and ear infections can become meningitis if left untreated. Flying would only exacerbate those conditions. If I didn't have the military health coverage, I would probably still be waiting to see a doctor and could have ended up with permanent damage.

Earlier today I read an article in which McCain said that "I'm not going to do like the Europeans have and have expensive health care systems that are neither efficient or, frankly, the quality we have here in America." Uh, WAKE THE FUCK UP JOHN! Maybe you missed the WHO analysis that ranked the US 37th in Health Care, even though we spend a greater portion of our GDP than any other nation? Maybe you missed the analysis that determined 100,000+ deaths could be prevented each year if America had a Health Care System like Europe. Maybe you missed the study that ranked Danes as the happiest people on earth? Well, whether you missed or forgot, you don't get it. People don't want tax credits or the HMOs continuing to take advantage of them. They want what you've had your WHOLE LIFE. They want the security of knowing that their health is secure no matter what happens. Or, is your $5,000 tax cut going to magically make a $100,000 chemo bill disappear?

And, PS, you do know that even you aren't covered in your own plan, right? Well, you wouldn't be if it weren't for that military health care. Nice, huh?

[Yael]

1. Thank you for this!

It will take baby steps, but we WILL not rest until HR676 is signed.

[margotb822]

5. I think people struggle for applications

when they're trying to convince people about the need for UHC, but traveling is valid and applicable. I know I receive health care because of the military, but it proved especially valuable to me last week. I am definitely using it when I talk to others.

[question everything]

2. Right. On CNN, I think, someone liked McCain's as "market driven"

but then added that the ones with "pre-existing" conditions, as McCain is now, would not be covered under his plan.

[margotb822]

4. Market driven is crap

there will be no market if people don't live to use it. The costs have gotten so outrageous, I'm wondering if the same people who set oil prices also set health care prices...

[AlphaCentauri]

3. At one time it took me 2 weeks to see a specialist for an ear infection

the infection was gone by time a saw the doctor and had to pay 250 for a test with audiologist and 300 for 2 visits to the doctors office just to read me the test results.

[Thothmes]

6. Experience with the Military universal health care system

varies widely depending on who you talk to. My son was born at the Navy Hospital in San Diego. He was delivered by C section. The surgeon cut him from the side of his nose to his left ear, missed his left eye by a quarter inch. Either he forgot to ask, or the labor room nurses forgot to tell him the orientation of the kid in the womb. I had to have a vascetomy done twice, the second time I was in Newport, RI Naval hospital for 10 days for continuous feed antibiotics after infection set in. I went to the same Naval clinic in Norfolk, VA for eight years, never saw the same physician twice.
But the price was right. On edit, after my sons birth, and my hospitilization, my wifes medical records disappeared for 5 years, and disappeared for 3 years.

[bean fidhleir]

7. "I'm not going to do like the Europeans have"

And of course he doesn't use Congress's cushy plan of full medical, dental, and vision for which he need pay only $30/month.

I bet. Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the rest of us.

[madokie]

8. All I know is

When I finally checked into the VA health system back 6 years ago at the ripe ole age of 54 with a DVT in my left leg I was treated with respect, dignity and as much love as Doctors and Nurses can give. Maybe my letting it be known up front, first thing, that I was there to take orders and not to be giving them had something to do with it, I don't know but I suspect it mighta'.:-) I had heard so many horror stories about the VA that I avoided them like a plague until I had no choice as I was on the precipace of disaster and no other place to turn and even though I worked all my life I had no health insurance offers from any of my employers and hadn't taken it upon myself to seek out insurance on my own, you know the I'm invincible thingy and all. I can not say enough good things about my VA Healthcare and the ones who administer it. So a universal healthcare system based on this and on what little I know of medicad I say this is the direction we need to be going and not healthcare through the office of an insurance company or any company for that matter.

I spent a week taking up bedspace and with a heparin drip in my arm beginning with that first visit.