I want to go to a hospital without being being handed a bill afterwards...

[MrScorpio]

Like the U.K., Canada, France, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Japan....

[uppityperson]

1. I want to go to a hospital without having to prove I can afford it before admission

like the U.K., Canada, France, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Japan....

[aquart]

5. Norway.

[babylonsister]

2. I don't want to go to any hospital. nt

[Hepburn]

3. From your lips to the ears of Congress....

...amen! :applause:

[Merlot]

4. Well, in another 17 years, I'll be eligible for medicare

I mean, really, aren't we rushing this health care thing? Shouldn't we just slow down? We could make things a lot worse if we aren't careful.








(I refuse to use the sarcasm thingy)

[unapatriciated]

22. didn't need the disclaimer "another 17 years says it all".

[Sebastian Doyle]

34. You mean on top of the 62 years that have already gone by?

Most people seem to be unaware of the fact that President Truman wanted this for the American people in 1947. Which is about when the rest of the "western world" started rolling out their own plans.

[TahitiNut]

35. I have Medicare, now. It ain't luxury, but at least I can get SOME care.

It's really not even as good as flying "coach" ... but at least it pays most of the costs for basic care.

[Hepburn]

61. Like you said....better than nothing.

What is the deal I am hearing, however, that there will be drastic cuts in medicare to pay for health care reform?

:shrug:

The same year the public option comes in, I turn 65.

[TahitiNut]

69. The media(?) is reporting "they say" that there'll be spending cuts to Medicare ...

... in order to make the fiscal impact "acceptable". I guess they think they can take it out of the hides of seniors ... or at least threaten to do so. It seems to me that it'd make more sense to claim cost savings to MedicAID ... since any new health care financing program should take on many of those currently on Medicaid.

[Hepburn]

79. Thanks for the info...

...I am gonna be watching this very closely. :hi:

[bobbolink]

99. Yes, finish cutting off people like me. Thanks for your support,.

:grr:

[CTyankee]

90. Do you have just Medicare, no supplemental insurance?

I've been wondering about that. How do you manage with "just Medicare" if that is the case? What doesn't it cover? I thought Part B covered your drs visit and Part A hospitalization of course. I know Part B doesn't cover prescription drugs. Is that your situation?

Right now I can afford my supplemental but that might not last. I don't know how much of the new health care reform is going to affect me...

[TahitiNut]

92. Yup, that's all. No supplemental and no Part D.

I tell my doctor that I can only afford the generic drugs that are on 'special' at the pharmacy ... $11.99 for 90 days. So, my hypertension med is lisinopril 20mg and my hyperlipidemia med is simvastatin 20mg.

[CTyankee]

93. Do you pay more for drs. visits? What else is extra that would be covered w/a supplemental?

I'm interested in saving money...

[TahitiNut]

97. I pay a co-pay, but my doctor keeps his fees low, knowing my financial situation.

It's not great, but it's better than before last year when I had no insurance whatsoever and had two TIAs. There was no way I could handle that hospital bill ... but they can't get blood from a stone.

[CTyankee]

98. So you would go onto an expanded Medicaid program under the new health care reform?

It would seem to me that you would qualify...but it depends on how many assets you have, I guess. When my brother had to go on Medicaid I had to help fill out his forms and they really go after anything you got...he was non compis mentis at that point from a stroke and my mother was 90 years old so I pieced it together for him and it was an eye opener to me...

[Rick Myers]

6. We'd have universal health care in 30 seconds if

we told Congress they get the EXACT same medical care EVERY American gets...

[mwooldri]

55. But only if the top leadership can be in the 16% without the coverage.

Then they can get to see what it's like.

I'm darned lucky. I work for a big company that self-insures its employees. Sure I have to pay something but I'm in the position that I have met all the deductibles and coinsurance for the year so if I did go to hospital between now and the end of the year, I would not get a bill. Furthermore I use that pesky HSA to put money in so that come 2010 I can meet that years' deductible from Jan 1st if needs be. (outlay $3,200 a year plus insurance payments for a family of four).

If Congress got the healthcare every American got, then some lucky Congresscritter would get my style of insurance.

Personally, I don't care what the health system looks like, how it's run and all the technicalities,

but to the end user, we need a system that is open to all citizens and legal residents of the country that delivers healthcare to everyone free at the point of delivery. No co-pays, no deductibles, no nothing.

Everyone should have it. If it were rolled out sure there'd be a sudden rush to doctors and hospitals because those people who don't have insurance will be clamouring to get their health issues fixed that they've lived with for so long because they couldn't afford it. After the initial rush, it'd settle down - doctors would be more busy, sure - but they'd be PREVENTING problems, SAVING money in the long run, because we all know prevention is better than cure. It's not free healthcare, because it has to be paid for, but citizens and legal residents usually work and pay taxes, so it can be funded through an increased Medicare Tax. But it needs to be free at the point of delivery - it'll probably mean job losses in the doctors offices because there won't be the staff needed to file insurance, call multiple insurance companies and handle billing because it will all go away. It's also important to have free at the point of delivery: think about the person who is living paycheck to paycheck - their child is sick, it's 3 days to payday, and they have $20 until then. They need that $20 for milk and some gas for their car to get to/from work and the doctors office. The front office is demanding a co-pay to see the doctor otherwise that sick child doesn't get to see the doctor. True, good doctors' practices will generally bill but if you eliminate this problem, you eliminate the billing cost over $20, and I estimate it would cost more than $5 total in labour, postage and materials to collect that $20 - a 25% loss rate.

[alice silas]

7. Me too, I just want to know who got the bill in those countries?

Me too, I just want to know who got the bill in those countries 'cause some poor son of a bitch is paying it.

[uppityperson]

8. Everyone's taxes pay for it, along with for schools, fire departments, road maintanance, etc

[alice silas]

14. How wonderful. It's free.....

I guess that explains why Canadians are suing to be able to buy their own insurance....

[Posteritatis]

17. We are?

Other than Alberta conservatives who define their political view by whatever the Republicans tell them to believe?

[Name removed]

23. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MrScorpio]

18. So, are you working for the health insurers...

Or are you spreading their propaganda for free?

[Gwendolyn]

29. I suspect this person isn't educated enough to work in the health insurance field. n/t

[uppityperson]

19. Just like schools are "free". nt

[Gwendolyn]

24. They are?

:rofl:

I'm sure you won't last long, so let me be the first to wave buh bye. :hi:

In all seriousness though, please inform yourself. You ask to cut off your schnoz to spite your own face.

[Spazito]

Gee, that's an outright misrepresentation but I think you know that already...

oh, and how is your complaint about Senator Franken going? I saw your post about him and couldn't help but go.....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[TahitiNut]

39. Try peddling those right-wing falsehoods elsewhere, huh?

:grr:

[SoCalDem]

52. Surprise!.. Canada has conservative, greedy people too

:rofl:

Luckily, it seems to be less of a "disease" in Canada, though:)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

54. It seems improbable that that person is Canadian.

Do a search by author. You'll find RW bullshit about everything under the Sun.

[SOS]

56. Absurd nonsense

85% of Canadians are satisfied with their health care.
Canadians live longer than Americans.
They spend less than half as much per capita as we do. $8,000 vs. $3,500
Canadians can buy private insurance. No lawsuit necessary.


http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/[e-mail]?iid=7#M_1
http://www.insurance-canada.ca/consinfohealth/healthwhy.php
http://longevity.about.com/od/researchandmedicine/p/lifeexpectancy.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0934556.html

[pinto]

64. Thought I'd note that alice doesn't live here anymore.

:hi:

[Spazito]

66. Thanks! much appreciated!

I was running out of :popcorn: !

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

68. Thanks for letting us play with it a little. It was... exhilarating.

:hi:

(But you STILL stole my line!)

[bobbolink]

78. BWAHAHAHAHAAHA! You'll have to do much better than that here....

:rofl:

Better you go back to headquarters for better lines next time.

[LeftistGorilla]

96. We are?

[Gwendolyn]

11. Everyone who works basically pays for their own healthcare.

It's as though the government forces you to open a savings account and deposits a little out of your paycheck into it for future need.

Everyone who buys something contributes a little through sales taxes. These funds, along with the unused portion of your own "savings fund" go toward covering everyone who doesn't work for whatever reason, as well as those who require expensive treatment that exceeds what they've paid toward their own healthcare.

In essence, if you work in the US today, a portion of your taxes go toward subsidizing healthcare for the poor anyway. It's just that there is a whole crew of middlemen insurance people extracting a huge portion of the money you pay for insurance, that socialized countries put toward actually treating people. What do you prefer? Putting huge profits into the pockets of a few, or redistributing THE SAME FUNDS to the people who need the health care?

[ibegurpard]

75. EXACTLY!!!

DING,DING, DING...and all that.
This is simply putting more taxpayer money into the insurance pool.

[Spazito]

20. Gosh, let me, one of those 'poor son of a bitch' people who are...

paying for it, answer your question.

We ALL kick in so NO ONE goes without care, so NO ONE loses their home because they can't pay for care, so NO ONE has to choose between food for their children or medical care for their children.

We consider health care a right for ALL not a privilege for the chosen few.

I consider myself one LUCKY son of a bitch for living in a country that puts people before profit.

[Sebastian Doyle]

36. Not as many tax loopholes for the rich in those countries.

If the filthy leeches paid their taxes HERE, this would have been paid for decades ago.

[Laelth]

47. Welcome to DU.

Taxes pay for it, of course, and taxes only--in civilized countries. No out of pocket expenses.

:dem:

-Laelth

[mwooldri]

60. National Insurance deductions in the UK.

Everyone who works pays something. Contributions are capped to an extent so the mega wealthy don't pay lots in... but National Insurance pays for it all. Plus the UK government pretty much owns and operates the health care system so they are in a position to wring every bit of efficiency out of it. Everyones' covered; the UK government pays 45% per head of population of what could be attributed to each individual in the USA, except of course 16%+ doesn't get any health benefits at all.

[KamaAina]

9. Couldn't you just go through the tunnel and throw yourself on their mercy?

:shrug:

[lindisfarne]

10. I suggest you move then. It's not going to happen here any time soon. n/t

[jgraz]

16. It will happen when we elect a president who supports it

and who knows how to lead on the issue.

[lindisfarne]

26. Start working on that! I doubt you'll find someone in your lifetime that will make you happy. n/t

[Laelth]

48. I may have to. That makes me very sad. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[PassingTimeHere]

12. About 15 years ago,

my little daughter's hospital bill was a little over $200,000. The co-pay was $200.00. With no questions, no denials, etc.

Two years ago I had cancer, and had to fight for every penny.

What a difference a decade makes. :(

[Posteritatis]

44. Yep

My SO's mother - a teacher in California at the time - was diagnosed with leukemia. As soon as she was, she was fired with the (successful) intent of cutting off her medical coverage.

Give me my own situation where I had an ER visit and a CT scan inside of 24 hours and paid $20 (for the cab fare) anyday. Ugh.

[Laelth]

49. Welcome to DU.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Lagomorph]

13. To be honest...

I don't want them to hand me your bill, either.

[Posteritatis]

15. "I'd rather you die than me pay higher taxes." (nt)

[jgraz]

21. That pretty much sums up the post you're responding to

and what an obscene, selfish post it is.

[Posteritatis]

31. Yep. Randroids everywhere. (nt)

[jgraz]

37. you can almost smell the trust fund.

[Lagomorph]

51. Hardly...

Just a disabled veteran.

Even with a Bachelor's degree, I've worked in blue collar jobs all my life, everything from picking apples to canneries and machine shops. Always on my feet and usually 10-12 hours a day. I was lucky if I went home with 65% of my paycheck.

My war injuries finally knocked me out of the workforce.

Every day is 16-18 hours of sore neck, sore shoulders, sore knees and a sore hip. Like I had a bad fall or car accident and just never got better.

[jgraz]

53. Then I don't understand your reaction

Given your income, you likely will not see your taxes rise one bit to cover the uninsured. On the other hand, our taxes have likely been paying for your healthcare for years and I'd guess that everyone on this board is happy to do it.

If the Dems have their way, my taxes will likely go up to pay for universal coverage. I have no problem with this, as long as the revenue is not used to prop up insurance companies. If it ends up that my tax hike means that Scorpio and everyone else never see a medical bill, I'd be ecstatic.

[Lagomorph]

59. I'm not against national health care.

I've just got issues about the quality it might produce, based on my experience. So what if it's free if they don't produce results?

If I could afford it, I'd get my health issues taken care of in the private sector if it would reduce the pain.

[jgraz]

80. So how much experience have you had with private healthcare?

Hate to burst your bubble, but they aren't any better. In fact, when it comes to dealing with things like chronic pain, they're far worse.

[Jazzgirl]

57. A disabled vet with full benefits.

Just like a puke buddy of mine who doesn't want to pay for anybody elses health care but thinks he is entitled. We should pay for him but no one else deserves it because he "earned" it. Fuck him and you.

[uppityperson]

62. Yup.

[Lagomorph]

67. Well, same to you!

Like I say, I'm not against national health care. I'm just not too cracked about my experiences, so far.

The state of Washington passed laws that led insurance companies to stop selling health insurance in our state. You couldn't buy a policy with a arm full of hundred dollar bills.

So, after I lost my job for health reasons, I've still had to pay tens of thousands of dollars for my uninsured wife.

All I had to do is sell all my assets, drain my 401K and savings account. It's all gone, everything. Then I had to write monthly checks for four years, on top of the insurance policy we bought when it became available again.

Am I ever gonna see any of that money again?

If they can come up with a system that works, that doesn't leave people excluded or rationed out, I'll listen.

But for now, I have reservations about actually getting quality health care from a nationalized system.

If the system tells me I'm not a priority, I'll end up paying for our health care, anyway, on top of the taxes.

[jgraz]

81. If you didn't figure it out from that experience, nothing we can say will help you.

Damn, talk about learning the wrong lessons...

[proteus_lives]

95. My dad is a 100% disabled Vet.

That guy is wrong about other people getting it but trust me, Vets earned it.

[Laelth]

50. You hit that nail on the head, I am sorry to say. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[Skittles]

27. LOL

what an asshat you are

[MrScorpio]

32. Huggage time

:hug:

[Lagomorph]

38. I've been waiting seven years for a hip replacement...

through the VA.

I may have to pay for it, myself, if I ever want to get it done.

I have some serious reservations about public health care, based on personal experience.

[MrScorpio]

42. I'm a retired vet too you know

And I do understand that the VA is my right

However, this country is so set against a public option that it allows the VA to be woefully underfunded.

The way I see it, we need to open the public option up to everyone in order to jump start its power and scope.

[Posteritatis]

45. I'd say it *requires* the VA to be underfunded

If they treated it properly two thirds of the government would lose their Cold War-era talking point about eeeeeeeebil socialism in health care.

[csziggy]

58. Have you tried Tri-Care? A friend waited for three years for a knee operation

Which could not be done through the local VA because their only knee guy had been sent to Iraq. Another friend suggested that he try Tri-Care and he was scheduled for the needed operation within weeks of seeing the private physician he was referred to. I'm not military or have direct knowledge, just from stories through friends, so I have no specific advice about Tri-Care, just know it worked for this friend.

The neglect of the VA system and of veteran's services during the Bush mis-administration is shameful, and the VA is not a good indication of the kind of system that most of the people on this forum would like to see. Most of us do not want "public health care" in which the government hires the doctors and administers the system. We'd rather have a system based on Medicare where patients see their choice of doctors and go to private facilities.

Many feel that a single payer system would be more efficient than the private system that profits by denying coverage and restricting access to health coverage and care.

[Katya Mullethov]

70. Some people learn through observation

Or careful listening , while others simply have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2jijuj1ysw

Synopisis : Canada's free health care plan appears to be provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles

[Posteritatis]

71. Ahhh, the sweet chimes of the painfully ignorant

Anyone talking about "canada's health care plan" automatically fails to know what they're talking about.

[Spazito]

74. Just so I am clear, you are posting that as a lesson on what NOT to believe, right?

That video is beyond crap but, hopefully, you knew that and are pointing out it is the YouTube version of Rush Limbaugh's program.

[Katya Mullethov]

87. clearly a fabrication

I deal with multiple govt agencies . And they are all THAT good at what they do .

[haele]

94. Retired vet, and daughter of a retired vet, and member of the NRO -

(Naval Reserves Organization) here.
If you're eligible for TriCare - which you should be if you're an "Retired Vet" unless you retired from the Reserves and haven't turned 60 yet - do so immediately. You, your wife, and any other dependants will be covered under TriCare also. You should be able to schedule and get your hip surgery done before the end of a year after your doctor agrees that's what you need - and a year wait is pretty much standard for any health plan. That's just how long it takes to get the pre-op work and surgery scheduled.

Little known fact in dealing with insurance companies and health plans - unless it's a life-threatening condition, don't expect any actual expensive work be done for at least 6 months unless you're willing to pay out of pocket.
My wealthy father in law can get a skin biopsy on a mole done the next day, just by talking to his golf partner the Dermatologist and writing a check. My uncle, who has Blue Cross through work, has to wait 2 - 4 weeks to get an appointment to see his dermatologist and get a lab referral.

Anyway, my parents have experience with Washington State medical problems; they worked for UW and the Evergreen School district, as well as my father being a retiree. They used to use HealthNET, then transferred to TriCare as soon as they could. As for you saying you "can't buy health insurance" in Washington - well, try the Co-ops, don't check online. That's the only way you can afford health insurance there, anyway. A pre-existing condition like the ones you talk about are enough to insure you can't buy anything yourself for under $1500 a month premium with an outrageous deductible - and even then, it probably wouldn't cover your chronic pain issues. They'll figure out some way to take your money for their profit.

There's only one halfway decent VA hospital in Washington State - Harborview, and the wait list for any major procedure there is horrible.

At least down here in California, we have some pretty decent VA hospitals with satellite clinics, and where I live, the waits are pretty much the same as they are for procedures at any of the other local hospitals - which is generally 1 - 2 months after 2 months it usually takes the insurance companies okay a process. (It took AETNA 4 months to OK a colonoscopy for my husband, and he was having problems that could have indicated rectal cancer at the time)

As for your issues with pain management, I feel for you, but even private insurance plans don't cover pain management very well. If you need therapy, they tend to want treat you with drugs. If you need drugs, they want you to be evaluated by therapy, or they have a very narrow formulary they allow that will make you just as miserable as if you weren't taking drugs.

Just remember - "Private" health insurance plans mean that the plan is for profit, even if it claims to be non-profit. People are working not only for a salary, they're working for bonuses and other stakeholders, like share holders. If you buy it, you are buying into their self-regulation and their determination what their profit and business model should be. They don't have to tell you if they change their vendor policy. They don't have to insure that you clearly understand what you are buying. They don't need to tell you if there are going to be "after the fact" costs, nor how those costs are determined. They don't even have to tell you why a claim that may have previously been approved is now dis-approved, and they retain the "right" to change or cancel your policy whenever they feel like it, whether there is a trigger or not.
Public health insurance has a standard set of regulations and costs that they have to meet that is clearly identified - nor can you just be "dropped" or your part of the policy changed because of some sort of trigger event - and once something is approved, it has to be paid for. There may be procedures that aren't covered, but it's clearly defined where the boundaries of your coverage is.
If you have gold-plated coverage like my father in law, great. But most of us don't - and frankly, the people I know on public health care, like TriCare, the VA, or even Medi-care, are actually getting more timely and consistent care at the same quality as I do with my fairly decent employer-provided private insurance plan.

If I didn't make too much for Medi-care, we'd be on it. In fact, if I lose my job, we're going on, because my husband is disabled and so makes us eligible to apply once our family income hits below 120% of the local poverty level. Once I'm eligible for TriCare - five more years! - we're on it.


Again, my advice to your complaints about the VA - check out TriCare-Care if you're eligible - which you should be if you're a Retired Vet.
(now if you're a Retired "Vet"(tm) - which is a 5 year enlisted member of the 101st Keyboard Kommando Brigade, no, you're not eligible)

Haele

[lindisfarne]

28. They already are. At a higher cost than it would be if all had insurance. Welcome. n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

40. Guess you better change your signature then

Since you obviously couldn't care less about "whatever is best for the nation".

[Robeson]

82. edit. Wrong spot.

[Skittles]

25. LOL.....sans glasses I read "I WENT to a hospital"

I was thinking, wtf country was that in; it surely wasn't HERE :o

[lumberjack_jeff]

30. Did a wishing star just appear on the horizon?

Here's a pony instead.

edited to add;
We need to get on the f'ing bus. This is what we've been pushing for, do not send it back because it's not the right color.

[ibegurpard]

73. really?

we've been pushing for increased complication to a system we already have in place?
uh-huh...
their solution is to force everyone to buy INSURANCE
that is it in a nutshell. We are going to be spending tax dollars providing INSURANCE rather than HEALTHCARE.

[TahitiNut]

33. What? You don't want to pony up $18,000 for 44 hours in the hospital?

What are you? A communist?

:evilgrin:

[ibegurpard]

72. When it comes to healthcare

color me red

[stray cat]

41. I want a new car I won't get a bill for

I had to have an ambulance ride in the middle of the night to the ER - spent the night being treated in the ER and paid a copay of $100. I can live with that.

[SOS]

63. An uninsured friend

took a quarter mile ride in an ambulance from his apartment to the hospital.
They sent him a bill for $900, just for the ambulance.
The ambulance service is now suing him.
The hospital is going to sue him into bankruptcy.

This system is garbage.

[XOKCowboy]

65. Who cares about you? Stray Cat is happy with his insurance

So was I at one time. Wait till SC is out of a job or gets PreExistingConditioned.

[haele]

100. My insured husband was transported via ambulance from Urgent Care

the the ER for an MRI and observation due to chest pains and irregular heartbeat. Last year. 1 mile.
Diagnosis: Stress and inflammation of psoriatic arthritis in his rib cage. In the ride, he had O2, Morphine drip, Lactate, and an EKG machine hooked up to him.
The whole 7 hour experiance breakdown in costs (billables rounded to next $10, as I don't have the to the penny costs)-
Urgent Care costs:
$15 Co-pay (paid by us)
$370 visit (paid by insurance)
Labs, diagnosis equipment and billable incidentals (blood and urine,EKG, O2, Morphine)
$60 (billed to us later)
$1230 (paid by insurance)
Ambulance ride (including equipment and billible incidentals):
$780 (billed to us)
$5500 (paid by insurance)
Hospital Stay, 5 hours:
$200 Co-Pay
$1500 total ($300 per hour)(paid by insurance)
$25 Doctor Co-Pay
$150 Doctor (paid by insurance)
Labs, support personnel, diagnosis equipment, and other billible incidentals -
$330 (billed to us)
$7350 (paid by insurance)

So, all together the costs came out like this:
Out of pocket payment that night (check, cash, or debit card only):
$240 for treatment
Billed to us later:
$1150
Billed to the insurance company:
$16,100

And this was a "diagnose and release" situation, where he had the chest pains and tightness, but there was nothing they could do for him. If he had an actual problem to be worked on, this trip could easily have shot over $50K.

Yes, it's great it only cost us $1390 - but that $1390 was only one of several medical issues we were having that year, and it was part of the 3/8 of our annual family income we ended up paying to the medical industry that year.
Add to that the 1/3 of our income that went to keeping a roof over our head, we ended up with no money that hadn't already been spent to pay a bill.
When asked for gifts for Xmas, we asked for money, because we were running an average of $100 - $200 in the hole every paycheck, and that allowed us a month where we didn't have to worry about the bills - and we could use that money to by them gifts.

Health care costs are killing the working middle class.

Haele

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

43. I've never been handed a bill. They always mail them a month or so later.

[Laelth]

46. Yup. I don't need insurance. I need health care. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[tsuki]

76. Or the US, if you have medicare & tricare for life. We do have

"socialized" medicine in the US, not for everyone, but we do have it.

[bobbolink]

77. Then you'll probably have to go to those countries, It won't happen here in our lifetimes.

And, consider this,,,, a friend of mine came from one of those countries,, and after a rather scary surgery for stomach ulcer, when he was well enough to leave the hospital (no, they didn't dump him out before he could manage on his own!), he was sent to a convalescent home in the mountains, with lovely scenery, arts and crafts rooms, etc.

In other words, they wanted surgery patients to have the CALM to actually HEAL.

What a concept.

Yeah, it's much better to be sent home before you can even make it to the bathroom on your own, and to be spending your days hassling with bills and insurance companies.

Ain't the richest country in the world just GRAND?!

Oh, yeah... and he educated me to the fact that these other countries also don't allow patents on prescription drugs! Take that, 'Murkins!

[Robeson]

83. Love your post. This and posts on Sacred Sarah...

...always seems to bring out the wing-nuts.

[MrScorpio]

84. Then I need to do some posts on Caribou Barbie

Spreading the love

[harun]

85. Inequality is promoted in American society, and as you have

already seen from a lot of the posts, it is the same with many on DU.

They think the wealthiest are the best and deserve the best care, then the extremely large wage earners, then on down and on down until you get those who are poor and they feel they don't deserve any care at all. Because they are obviously poor because they are lazy. *sarcasm*

So you can add a lot more countries to that list even poor ones like Cuba, where even if you aren't a citizen, if you are in Cuba and need medical assistance you would get treatment because as a human being you deserve it. Not because you are wealthy.

[HughMoran]

86. You get to pay afterward? They often fucking make me pay BEFORE!!

I hate these untrusting ass fucks.

[mucifer]

88. In Mexico it's even worse. You have to pay up front before they admit you.

[harmonicon]

89. I had to go to the (UK) ER with my girlfriend a few weeks ago

(by the way, she's fine, didn't even have to stay overnight)

She lives in a different city, and we went to the ER in my town. She gave her name, and she wasn't in their database, so she had to give them her address. Then we waited in the waiting room for awhile, and she got treatment - that was it. They did some tests, gave her some drugs, and kept her for a few hours to make sure everything was ok. Then we went home.

Let me repeat that: she had to give her name and address, she was treated, and then we walked out. There wasn't ANY paperwork, and seemingly almost no bureaucracy. That's the horrible UK system that you've heard so much about.

[Thegonagle]

91. It's infuriating. I have "health insurance" with a $4000 deductible for hospitalization.

As close to the edge as I'm running right now, a $4000 bill would have me seriously considering personal bankruptcy.