Giffords Healthcare?

[Puzzledtraveller]

I had watched a press briefing where her doctor has said that in part, due to her husbands position within the Navy and NASA that several medical resources would be at their disposal to aid in treating her, including some prominent physicians that specialize in the type of injury she suffered. Though I have no fault with that at all, it caused me to question "with or without universal health care, would the average American have been afforded these resources?" I know the answer is no, and this is troubling to me. I have no doubt the value of our lives would be seen as less than congresswoman Giffords.

If my reasoning is flawed please help me to understand.

[Cleita]

1. It's known as universal health care paid for by the

government. It would be nice if everyone could have the same access.

[robinlynne]

2. in the fall I had a large tumor. It took a month of waiting to get the ultrasound/biopsy.

And I pay more than 400.00 a month for insurance. They just said sorry we're booked. not enough doctors to take care of all the women who needed biopsies. I even spoke to the head of radiology. She basically said, the only way I can get you in is by kicking out someone else.

[emilyg]

8. I went through the same

mess. As much as I hated to - I asked my ex - a physician- to pull some strings. He did and suddenly there was an opening for me the very next day.

[CC]

3. I thought she would have plenty of coverage

specially as she was working when injured and will most likely still be collecting her pay. But I have wondered about the others injured. Do they have health insurance and will it cover everything? What about those killed, is anyone helping with the funeral expenses. Any type of fund raising for the victims? None of these people and their families should be stuck with bills for any of this. Then again no family of a victim or victim themselves of crime should be stuck with the bills that usually result from any injuries.

[mmonk]

4. One of Ted Kennedy's dreams about healthcare was that

any citizen would have the very best access to healthcare and the best treatments, even that available to his family. We have fallen short of that goal. That is mainly because that is not the goal of many politicians and their benefactors. But keep the dream alive.

[midnight]

5. This is good to know.... This should be the new standard...

The days and weeks ahead will be a new discovery for so many things.... I'm so grateful that the resources that pull Congressman Giffords through another day are at her disposal.... We now need to realize this is possible for all of us.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Yeah hubby is based in Houston

where the Army has one of the premiere head injury treatment centers... it is tricare.

[SoCalDem]

7. In the case of a traumatic wounding such as this event, ALL people would receive top notch care

with little (no?) regard to their ability to pay, but once they were released, their medical nightmares would start.

Recovery from bullet wounds is not what we see on TV..

nerve damage/cartilage damage, bone damage often takes YEARS to heal, and even healed is never 100%..

Persistent pain can dog a person for the rest of their lives.. Jobs may be lost due to the injury, and with it, the ability to HAVE insurance.

[Hello_Kitty]

11. Very true.

I have a friend who became a paraplegic in a random gunshot incident that was big local news here 5 years ago. Her life was saved then but her ongoing medical issues may kill her because she's uninsurable and budget cuts have taken away most of her Medicaid coverage.

[PBS Poll-435]

9. IBTT

Too soon and just fucking tacky.

Seriously?

[Hello_Kitty]

10. I have no insurance but I'm fairly certain if I were shot in the head and managed to survive

I'd be getting good care at the many good trauma centers here in AZ. Hell, our county hospital here in Maricopa County, which takes care of indigent patients, has one of the best burn units in the country. People who are seriously injured in traumatic events tend to be treated quickly, and well. It's the more "mundane" stuff like flus and diabetes and cancer where the disparities emerge.

[Cleita]

12. Believe me you will pay for it until you are

indigenous. Everything you own will pay for your healthcare until you have nothing and then you probably won't have to pay. The premise of universal health care is so you don't have to lose everything because you got sick.

[Hello_Kitty]

13. Point taken.

I'm just saying that the care you'd get immediately from a traumatic incident would be the same.

[slay]

14. Pink Floyd - Us and Them: "With.. without. And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlY-JlE5ZCo

[blueamy66]

15. Ask Jan Brewer

She's the one cutting our healthcare.