Prescriptions are free for my children and only around $10 per item per month for me and my husband (regardless of the cost of the drug).
I wish Canada would adopt this - prescriptions are at a minimal charge for seniors and those on social assistance, but for the rest of us, we have to pay unless we have insurance at work or a private supplemental plan. I have a plan at work where I pay up front and then get reimbursed. I dont use meds, but I would dread the day when I might have to buy some because I may not be able to afford it.
So often, it's argued that socialized medicine is that first step on a slippery slope to communism; and to be honest, I don't see it. It seems that depriving any citizen of good education and health care is not something the US should be proud of.
Many argue that there is no deprivation, that opportunities are boundless in the US, but it's unfortunately, not nearly as true as we would like. I was just watching the news, and there are school districts in which not only are the schools unable to pay for text books and school supplies, they didn't even have money for teacher salaries. The school board sent a letter to the parents, asking those who were able to, to donate $500 for each child, to try to pay teacher's salaries.
There are schools that require the kids to share books, or they have no books to share. Then there are other school districts (public schools, not expensive private schools) in which laptop computers are provided to each student.
The disparity in education and health care is horrifying. This is supposed to be "the land of opportunities." How much opportunity is a child getting who is going to schools that have metal detectors, but no books?
The average person assumes that even the poorest schools have the basic resources, and assumes that no hospital will turn a person away in an emergency. There was an article in the paper a few years ago, about a woman who had to have half of her brain removed, and because of swelling, they had to close her up without the top of her skull, which was kept in a freezer to be replaced in a later surgery. The procedure was covered by Medicare and a state insurance (sometimes called Medicaid), but the insurances couldn't agree who was supposed to pay. The hospital would not do the replacement surgery until one of the insurances agreed to pay (they both agreed that one or the other was obligated to pay). The hospital argued that this was not "emergency" surgery (I wouldn't exactly call it "elective'). Meanwhile, the woman was experiencing severe headaches, felt her brain "sloshing" in her head, and was at risk of death if she received even the slightest blow to the head." Only the negative publicity inspired the hospital to agree to do the procedure before the insurance issue had been resolved. If the woman hadn't gone to the media (8 months after the swelling had reduced to the point that the hospital would have been able to do the replacement surgery). Almost a year, without a pretty important body part.
I don't see why the US can't have the best of both worlds. Socialized medicine, and private medicine as well (we do it with schools, why not with medicine). We need to improve the level of basic care and basic education, but that doesn't mean we would need to eliminate private schools or private hospitals.
I enjoyed the movie as well but it made me wish I could move to Canada or France.
My wife works for Aetna insurance as an over the phone support person. This insurance company refused to cover her because she has diabetes, unless she covered herself for a year first. So she has to sit there all day helping people get their free medicines and doctor visits while her own employer won't cover her. It's very stressful.
I work for Duke University and they have tremendous benefits, which makes up for my small salary hehe. I was paying about 90 dollars a month to cover myself using BC/BS but I have no deductible and small co-pays. In the meantime to get her coverage my monthly premium tripled but at least she's automatically covered, no questions asked. I would love for people like her and others to be able to get some kind of health care from the government.
I think part of the problem is the general health of our country. We're seen by others as "fat, lazy Americans", and in some cases it's a fair judgment. There was an article recently that showed how much it would cost to cover everyone uninsured for 10 years and it's almost double what the new president budgeted. Maybe if they required people to make an effort to be healthy in order to get the new insurance, that it would help alleviate the burden. Once everyone is healthy, it would definitely lower the cost.
I Love Michael Moore. I Have Seen A Lot Of His Movies And It Is Really Disturbing To Me How The United States Of America Is The Last One The List Of Best Healthcare Systems In The World. I Am 23 Years Old And I Have Multpile Sclerosis. I Am Supposed To Be Taking An Injection Every Other Night To Slow The Progression Of My Disease And Im Supposed To Be Taking A Whole List Of Medications Just So That I Can Live Everyday. But I Cannot Afford Any Of This And The Government Took My Medicaid Away Because I Did Something Horrible.( The Horrrible Thing Is That I Turned 21! ) The Injections Alone Are About $2000 For A One Month Supply! I Don't Know Anyone Who Can Afford That! Do Any Of You? Yes, This Country Is Really Doing It's Citizens A Very Big Injustice! But, What Can We Do? Just Try To Make It Through Another Day.
Americans do have terrible health habits, and one of the many thousands of reasons is that we've not made prevention a high priority (and in some cases, punish it). Planning ahead is not only a low priority, it's not seen as a particularly valuable skill in many subcultures. We've become an "instant-gratification" society.
I think that increasing the emphasis and value of preventive and proactive health care (and reducing the cost) is a valuable first step.
Our hospital has a wonderful weight management clinic. Their basic program is quite comprehensive (includes regular meetings with the doctor, the dietician and the members of the program - a reduced price YMCA membership is avialable and the gym is in the same building as the clinic, built cooperatively between the YMCA organization and the hospital to be a full rehabilitation center in addition to a gym.) A wonderful program, but not covered by most insurance companies. They've only ever had one patient whose insurance covers the program. Most of the people in the program were in it as a pre-requisite to weight loss surgery (which their insurances did cover), in fact a fair percentage of all participants are hoping or planning to fail so they can qualify for surgery.
It does seem sad that gastric bypass would be covered before a gym membership.
