You may have heard, we Americans are currently debating our health care system and there's a serious fight to have some sort of universal health care. Currently, the opponents of reform are filling people's heads with "horror" stories from France, Canada, the UK, etc., about how your system basically lets people die in the streets while they wait for care. I don't buy it, but a lot of people are.
So, I'm looking for stories from countries with some form of universal health care:
The UK, Canada, France, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Israel, etc.
So, I want stories. And honesty! I want to know what your experiences have been with your health care system. I'm not looking for strictly good nor strictly bad stories. I just want honest stories. Tell us what's been going on with you. Tell us the good, the bad, the beautiful, and/or the ugly.
Please DO NOT POST your story in this post's comment section. Just email me your tale and your photo (if you want) with your name (real or alias), city, and country at
wmrcampbell at gmail.com
And I'll post the story. That's all. I want to give us Americans a chance to hear what it is actually like in other countries with health care industry. So please submit and spread the word. We need all the help we can get.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Health Care Stories: International
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7 comments:
Bill - one of my family friends is an RN from England who was in the BHS. I've heard stories from her. I'll see if she wants to share. I don't recall seeing a computer in their house - the husband is a pastor - so I'm not sure if they're computer people. But, I'll let ya know.
Bookoo thanks, BoBo.
Good idea Bill.
I've heard lots of good reports from my friends in Wales and Canada. . . in fact, I once got very good care in a rural clinic in northern ontario.
Of course there are bad stories from these places also. There is always a spectrum of experience in any social institution no matter how well or poorly managed.
The right wing corpo-fascists will bring out the parade of horribles in their effort to extract maximum dollars from the average citizens of our country. They string along the semi-rich with opportunities for incredibly personalized health/hospital care and drag along the proles with horror stories.
Business as usual in these United States of Amurkkka.
Just sent you my story Bill....excellent idea. I grew up in the US, but I'm Canadian born. My brother was born in NJ and my dad had to run back to the house for the insurance info when my mom went to the hospital to give birth.
I didn't mention it in my email but I'm from the suburbs of Toronto.
Hi Bill, excellent post. This is a great idea to obtain opinions and examples that are not biased. As a Canadian, I cannot comment on the American system, but cannot imagine having to pay for medical procedures etc.
I am a recently diagnosed diabetic and can confirm that I have not had any medical delays or problems. I have been in to see specialists,and was even hospitalized without delay.
My Father has also been diagnosed twice with two differnt types of Cancer over the past 10 years. He was immediately booked for surgery and there was no delay in his treatment.
The quality of care in Canada is excellent. I often hear that the US system is better as it has the best doctors and technologies. I am sure it is a better system for those who can afford it. While I know that there are some procedures here that could be perfomed better and quicker by a semi-private system, there is a lot of pushback by the citizens here to move in that direction.
That said, I could never imagine hearing about a Canadian losing his home to pay for uninsured medical expenses.
The thing about the Canadian system to remember is that it is not "Free"...it is paid for by out taxes. It is usally the largest expenditure in the provincial governments annual budgets.
I think you guys might want to check this out. Check This Out! So many healthcare horror stories come from these HAI's.
Love your Booty!! Cheers!
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