Watching one of my favorite shows....Frontline, Sick Around the World...last night. Like the movie Sicko, it investigated healthcare systems around the world and compared them to the US. I think it was summed up best this way...."We have to take the profit out of healthcare." Since healthcare became a major business in the US, healthcare quality, availability, and affordability has suffered dearly. The other countries' officials and doctors were amazed that Americans go bankrupt over healthcare costs...very few, if any, countries have such an issue.
Another shockingly true statement made: "Healthcare is a human right." Isn't it true that taking care of our society physically and mentally a right of each citizen? Doesn't the government and business want everyone to be healthy and happy? Won't we be a more productive and safe society that way?
I have to laugh when I heard about the many countries that offer free mental health services including spa treatments, Eastern medical practices, and even paid vacation time. We don't even give basic care to everyone...I'd go for free dental and vision care for all.
In our family, it was a requirement that one of us have a job with full health benefits. So we have 'comprehensive' health insurance with dental and vision. So, I can go to the dr when I need to. But I have a $20 co-pay. And my prescriptions cost between $15-60. These co-pays have quadrupled in the past 8 years. I would not hesitate to bring my child to the ER and I don't skip my annual physical. But I do wait to go to the dr for anything minor and I ask my dr for the minimum prescriptions (I take regular medications). And we have insurance. What about those people who don't have anything? Can they afford a $100 dr visit to check out their kid's ears?
I just want to live in a society that I feel like cares about me and everyone equally. A universal healthcare system is essential to our society's survival.
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Amen! Everyone needs to watch Sicko. So many people are "afraid" of universal healthcare, but don't have a clue what it really is.
We opt for convenient care whenever possible at 15 bucks a pop versus 250 for the ER, plus there are evening pediatric hours that you can sometimes get in (we went earlier this week). We have pretty good insurance.
But one of my family members who has been employed his entire 40 year career by the same company has crappy insurance. A $4000 out of pocket before receiving 80% coverage. He had to get an MRI this week and made the tough decision to go ahead with it knowing that they would have to pay for the entire procedure. Another family member also with insurance had to file bankruptcy because they could not pay for the bills after a major operation. Not just "Sicko" but also "Sucko."
The reason that people in this country are "afraid" of universal health care is very simple. They have been brainwashed by the propagandas of big corporation. People can be very easy brainwashed to believe in almost anything. For example, years ago lot of people supported Iraq war based on the so called "weapon of destruction". It turned out the WE'RE actually the people who have the weapon of mass destruction. If there is a low cost universal health care, big insurance companies, pharmacertical companies, and big law firms (ambulance chasing lawyers....) are losing profits. They're making a killing right now, preying on the sick, the old, and the weak. Thus they don't really want to change anything, at least not in their favor. Hence they spread the fear and propagands, such as social medicine, no free market/no competition, blah...blah...blah...Majority of politicians, especially the Republican, help spreading the fear because they were well paid by the special interest. They, too, are having something to loose. Did anyone ever notice that our congress men/women all benefit from our tax paid social health care? Yet they act as if the market dictated, driven by the insurance industry health care is the best for the general people.
Money makes the world go round....
Plus, we have been told to be scared of anything socialist!
I saw that program too! It was really inspirational. If other countries can do it so can we!
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