Huey Driver Loc: Texas

Socialized medicine

I know there was some discussion on this topic before about socialized medicine but here is an update we just received from my wife's sister in N. Ireland which comes under the British system. She was told she needed a shoulder replacement and was not a great candidate as there was so much muscle damage but if she wanted to pursue it the waiting list could be up to three years. My wife's family has many times had long wait times for procedures and tests that were needed but were sometimes skipped or delayed probably because of costs, etc. Things that would have been done over here within a matter of weeks. Want health care for all like the Democrats keep preaching? A couple things to think about: the majority of people are better off under the system we now have but admittedly some are not. Now we have Obama care the system that was forced down the throats of America. A system that was promised to deliver better and cheaper healthcare and would insure everybody. A system that the government had to impose a fine to force everyone to join and to this day millions of Americans are still under insured or not insured at all. No thanks, I don't think we want universal health care and the government running it. Some few would benefit but the majority of Americans would not.

Texcaster Loc: Queensland

In Australia first echelon GP healthcare and serious illnesses are well taken care of. GP level care is especially important for young families.

Prescription medicine is covered under the PBS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_Benefits_Scheme

Private insurance takes up the slack for non-life threatening health problems if you don't want to wait. Simple really.

Bill 45

What would happen to your wife's sister in America? Who would have to pay for it? What would happen if your wife's sister did not have the money to pay for it here in America?
What this "but admittedly some are not" That "some are not" are over 1,000,000 people and that is a low number. That impose a fine to force everyone to join is gone. Get your facts right. Your view of medicine is : I got my to hell with everyone else.

Huey Driver Loc: Texas

You might want to read the article again. I never said the fine was still in existence just that they had to impose it to get people to join and even that didn't work. After years millions to this day are still not on the plan or insured even with government subsidies. And to answer your question as to what would happen if she didn't have the money to pay for it? Guess that would be about the same as people here with no insurance what ever that turns out to be? Obama care the savor for all has been basically a disaster that came through with little promised and people are still without coverage to this day. I think what I quoted is quite true.

Texcaster Loc: Queensland

Three plus years of ... "I'll fix it!" ... and not even a clue from Perp No. 1

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Socialized -Single payer- wh**ever you call it, medicine, works well for well patient care, and even in emergency medicine. But it breaks down in "elective" surgery situations. The question is "what is elective". In the USA if a patient has a great deal of hip pain, from arthritis, she first sees his/her primary care MD who referes her to a surgeon. A hip replacement is performed. From start to finish the process can take as little as 3 weeks, and at most 2 months. No government involvement (assuming thye patient has some kind of insurance). But in a government run medical (single payer) program, any number of bureaucrats become involved. And they control how long the patient waits. I for one, do not want the gov't to control who gets what and how long it takes.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I don't know what Oregon is currently doing, but I vaguely remember when this was implemented in 1990:

https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/oregons-experiment-prioritizing-public-health-care-services/2011-04

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

The vast majority of Britons are very happy with their national health service. As one person pointed out, if you feel you need an operation faster (and you can afford it) then you can go private and get it done faster. Of course if its a life-threatening situation you will get attended to immediately. I am on several drugs which I take daily, If I were to pay for these upfront then it would be quite a financial headache as it would be for millions of others. The US is probably the only Major western democracy that has not got an 'NHS'.

Kraken Loc: Barry's Bay

Same thing here in Canada and it sure takes the worry and pressure off of having an illness and you

know what, you end up living longer.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

That is a spending bill which, by law, must originate in the house.

Read a book.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

So if I pay twice for healthcare I might actually get it?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fee.org/articles/australias-universal-health-care-system-a-cautionary-tale//amp

WNYShooter Loc: WNY

Waiting Your Turn

Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2019 Report

Executive Summary: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/waiting-your-turn-2019-execsum.pdf

Full Report: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/waiting-your-turn-2019-rev17dec.pdf

Huey Driver Loc: Texas

You sure paint a different picture about satisfaction of the system than we hear from family members who are covered there. Additionally we haven't even mentioned how the system is impacting Britain financially.

WNYShooter Loc: WNY

If you really want a laugh/cry, get this, In less than three hours total, I can literally call my doctor's office and have him send a referral to one of the Imaging places near by, hop in my car, drive there, sign in, and get an MRI--both with and without contrast no less. Costs me $50 out of pocket with my insurance. Try doing that in Canada.

Kraken Loc: Barry's Bay

Canadians live longer in Canada, try doing that in the US.