I live in the US, where it's very expensive to get medical treatment without health insurance. There is government aid available for the poor (Medicaid) and elderly (Medicare), and the majority of the population not covered by the government receive insurance from their employer. Those who are self-employed must buy insurance directly from the market, where the prices are much higher. Things work out so-so when you're employed/in business and healthy, but people who lose their jobs/businesses usually lose their insurance as well... So my opinion of the US system is that it is passable, but needs serious improve as soon as possible (but this is unlikely to happen for a while).
I live in the UK so we have the famous (or should I say 'infamous'?) NHS. It's slated horrendously, but when I think about the alternatives; for example, the system you have there in the US, it puts things into perspective. In the UK, if you're here, you're entitled to treatment. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have. There's obviously the option of private healthcare - the idea being that you'll be seen quicker, stay in fancier hospitals and possibly see better physicians (although how true this is is definitely debatable). My friend's dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer in April and he has private healthcare insurance through his employer so he has seen a mixture of private and NHS professionals. Anyway, he's actually decided to stick with the NHS. He said that he felt that at the private clinics, he was being pushed towards the more expensive treatment options, as opposed to the ones that most likely to do him the most good. He also received conflicting information and advice from the different consultants he saw. It's all very messy. The problem is the fact that you are having to completely trust these people that you know nothing about... Oh, I'm rambling. What was my point? Er, something about being glad that we have a universal system here. And that although there are private options available, it's very difficult to judge whether they are better or more effective. I don't doubt that you could go to an NHS hospital and receive much better treatment than you would do at a private place, but than that probably applies the other way around too. Overall though, I'm proud to live in a country where we are willing to look after everyone. I have no qualms with paying my National Insurance (this comes directly out of your salary and one of the things it goes towards is the healthcare system). I don't care if I rarely use it. I like knowing that if I need to, I can and that if someone else needs to, it's there for them too. I'm just a big softy really, that's what it is
Well, I am from US. My opinion is that we can reform the health care delivery system without nationalizing it. Obongo does not want to reform anything.
I feel cheated. Look how much more effort I put into my response. Pfft. You can expand, you know. How can you reform it then? What do you think Obama's trying to do? Come on... Try harder
I'm not sure if reform is possible without having some sort of "public option", if you will. The US currently spends about $6700 per capita on health care (http://www.globalhealthfacts.org/topic.jsp?i=66), but despite spending more than twice of what the UK spends, the US still ranks below most developed countries in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality rates, etc. It seems that having government provide basic health insurance will lower health care costs, as the government would then have incredible bargaining power with pharmaceutical companies and doctors. Of course, there is the concern that this extremely high level of spending is key to stimulating medical and pharmaceutical innovation. I haven't looked into the hard data regarding this statement, so I'll refrain from commenting on this for now.
I think where i am its a big pile of shit. they dont give a fuck. when you REALLY need medication, or prescriptions and what not, you don't get it. when you DONT really need anything, they do it. it's fucking whack. shit ass goverment & laws too. fuck it. ^_^
Canada has free health care...take that U.S.!!! It's good when you have a little injury and don't want to pay $200 just for a checkup, that and I've heard bad things about U.S. medicare.
I'm in canada.. and although healthcare is free here lineups are very long and service isnt that great so I actually prefer the US' health system
The US system is great if you're rich. But then again, the health care system of any developed country is good if you're rich.
I'm only familiar with China and Canada's health systems, because I live there or been there before xD Canada, obviously free, but is it all good? the first time I wen to get my blood test,took long enough to wait, then this 'experienced' nurse poked me so many times and no blood was coming out. Also, if you go to the hospital, you gotta wait at least 4 hours,unless you got shot or something like that. My mom once fell down the stairs and had to wait there, for four hours to get treatment. In China, you would have to pay, however, not expensive, depends on what hospital you go there are cheap one and well experienced ones. Because you pay them, they always tell you that you have lots of stuff you need to check, so you would have to pay and do those checkups. Then, when you actually did all of them, nothing is wrong with you. They just wanted you to spend more money. I guess all health systems has its advantage and disadvantages
U.S. is horrible with health care and stuff. I think it is because they are all greedy, like I've heard 90% of the wealth in the U.S. is controlled by like 10% of the people, which is really really bad if you think about. All the higher ups can do what they want while everyone else gets nothing except paying more for stuff they may or may not need.
There are people who need it more, most of the time. I worked at the local hospital for a summer as a candy striper, and I found the emergency room personnel were very good at determining who needed help the most. Plus my dad cut his arm open doing some renovations and he didn't have to wait a second. He walked in and was admitted immediately. Compared to a lot of the things that get through immediately, falling down the stairs would be less risky to have wait. I understand that you could have broken bones and various other complications, but compared to having an artery cut open or something puking blood it is something that should wait in any system.
Well dear you need to be thankful to your government where it contributes some what to the health of public. This may less or more. Think about the developing countries where the governments do not take single action in this regards. The people of developing countries are living miserable life so for as health facilities are concerned. There is lot corruption going on in the health sector which is making life awful.
I understand some others needs treatments faster, but waiting for 4 hours are still too long, is less risky, but still a risk. Is also very painful to have a broken bone or something yet sit for 4 hours. My old vice-principal,told us her story. She was pregnant, and one night all of the sudden the baby needs to come out, when they go to the hospital, they had to actually take a helicopter and fly from Toronto to Ottawa because no hospital has a doctor available. She couldn't wait and had the baby on the helicopter, thankfully both of them were okay. I know this is kinda a different story and off topicish, but isn't that a risk as well? yet no doctors was there to help. Is the system either need to improve, or theres a major serious shortage of doctors. That's just my opinion.
I like and dislike the US health care system. Its gotten too exspensive, because of cooperate greed, but i've personally neever had any serious problems with it. But i know when i'm on my own fresh out of college, that it might come back to bit me, seeing as i'll be kicked off my families healthcare, and on my own for it. We'll see though. I don't support obama's healthcare plan. Its not the right way to do it. He's given the government full power of what procedures you get and you don't get, which is not right. Its the doctors call, not the government. Not to mention it'll bankrupt the feds even more then they are now. Yes, we do need changes to healthcare, but not that extreme of a change. Regulations are what I think they need.
A national health service is a real problem, like education, like housing, like your job, its something we all have an interest in. doesn't have a stake in America right now because it doesn't exist there. American waffle on but it is a hypothetical question, not a real problem.
Overall the Health Care system here is great (I Live in Canada). When living in Ontario health care is free, and it is provided at an exceptional level, now Alberta where I am living now is incorporating what ontario has in providing free care.
I've been living in Brazil for a couple of years now and, as a med student, I can say that we have both really good and really bad points to the health care system. The positive side is that the best doctors are found at the public hospitals, especially at the ERs. And by the best, I mean THE BEST. But on the other side, sometimes there's not enough materials and equipments to meet the demand. I mean, sometimes we don't even have gauze! And there's no security either. I have a friend that had a guy pointing a gun to his head, demanding priority for his drug dealer friend who had been shot. The cops took so long to get there, that he had already been treated and dismissed when they finally arrived. And I'm talking about a major city! I can't imagine what happens at those really poor places where doctors only visit once in a month, if they are lucky.
well, Canada is free, but long line-ups? So, it's good in a way, so i say its pretty good, but in the US, have they passed the bill yet? I haven't heard anything since I'm from Canada.