Talk to Me (Us All) About Health Care: Open Thread

I just recently joined the BC health care system and while I haven't yet (knock on wood) had to use it, I am thankful for the opportunity to pursue my creative interests without worrying about health care.

My parents though, I worry about them so much. A few years ago my mom just switched into a new department with full medical benefits. Just a short few months later my dad had a major health problem. My parents didnt have any medical before that and I am positive that my mom's coverage saved my dad's life.

Now, my mom is facing being laid off. Its scary. Its my mom's job that kept my dad alive and she might lose that. She is fortunate enough that the financial impact of losing her job wouldn't be immediate but the medical impact would be instant. If the option for affordable health care was available, my mom wouldn't be terrified. She and thousands of other employees wouldn't be held ransom by their employers for medical coverage.

The only reason I can think of for people not wanting health care is that they have health care, and they're afraid of change. We were watching some news last night covering Ted Kennedy's life, and other senators commented on how Teddy's thoughts were always on how he could help the less fortunate. And what an unusual and amazing man he was for doing that. In no way do I want to take away from the wonderfulness that is Ted Kennedy, but I hope for the day when Americans can proudly say they helped the less fortunate, those without coverage. Wouldn't it be lovely if that wasn't so remarkable?

Well since you asked…. I think our societies (both US and Canadian) have their priorities wrong. I think we, as a people, should make health care the number one issue, instead of all the political and financial agendas that seem to rule the council chambers. Although I support people's interest in sports, I think we've gone too far with it. Just because your RBI is higher than someone elses, doesn't mean you should get paid $1.2 million (or more) for it. If people refused to pay $300 for a ticket to see a hockey game, they would have to lower the prices. And if people paid $100 for a ticket and gave $100 to charity (or healthcare) – can you imagine where we'd all be? Our province is going to be paying for these dang Olympics for many years to come – for a 1 week sporting event. Our priorites are wrong! At least with Expo, it was a six month event and introduced different cultures and new techologies to people. If joe-average spent as much time learning about current world events as he/she does remembering who got traded where and that '02 was his/her best season, we'd have a much better society. From the little I do know about the HMOs in the US, I think it's disgusting that profits come first and would love to hear from doctors caught in this system – do they actually like working this way? And having to wait for your HMO to approve a hospital before you get there is horrible, cruel and archaic. Our culture has stalled, people have hundreds of years of knowlege to learn from, and resources such as the internet, TV, telephones to reach people around the world to learn from – but we don't. We lack leaders… Read more »

Growing up with the NHS in Britain we often complain about waiting lists and the poor state of hospitals. I never had any complaints, though, and since moving to Canada I've realised even more how bloody fantastic it is to have access to free healthcare and prescription drugs for a standard fee of about 8 pounds, no matter the actual cost of the drug.

I know Canada also has free healthcare for citizens, but I don't qualify for the MCP as I'm a temporary resident with a work permit of less than one year, and the only insurance I'm allowed to purchase is emergency-only. I'm not prone to ill health, but being without it has left me lost. How on earth the US can say it's a bad thing is utterly beyond me, and having idiots like Dan Hannan doing the rounds saying how bad the UK is, really makes me despair.

I'm in the states and I admit, i am really pointedly not following the quote-unquote debate because it will ruin my health! It makes me so livid that health care is seen as a free-market issue and not as a human right issue, and it irritates me that in the US media, the people who are fear-mongering are not called out as such.

I have health insurance through my job, which is pretty good. I live in fear, however, that I'll lose my job. I'm 47, had a rough year with a major breakup and major depression, and my body is steadily falling apart. My mom is trying to get along on Medicaid and the insane pharmacy plan, and I can't say that's working out so great for her. She's lucky because she has reasonably good health, and savings, but I fear once her good health fails her, the savings may well be gone.

Kim, you got me!

I work in health care and see a HUGE need for coverage for all citizens. It sickens me that people are so short sighted.

We already have “socialized medicine” – the insurance companies dictate what physicians you can see, proscribe a protocol for treatment that if it is not followed – they won't pay, they also dictate what is an allowable payment.

It is wrong, horribly wrong.

Give me a single payer system – and quickly.

I'm also deeply disappointed in President Obama. I've been told to keep my criticisms to myself by progressives who fear our agenda will be harmed by expressing our disappointment in his weakness or lack of clarity. I tried that for three months.

But…After watching Bill Moyers' videos (Healthcare as a Human Right, Money-Driven Medicine), I don't think I'm doing progressives, Obama, or the people of my country any big favor by shutting my mouth, slapping on a brave grin, and chanting “I'm optimistic, I'm optimistic” mantras 24/7.

I'm NOT optimistic. That doesn't mean I'm gonna lie down and roll over, or collapse in a puddle of apathy.

In fact, my pessimism drives me to do more, say more, and become an activist. My pessimism is politicizing me. Speaking one's “truth” is the fire, the passion, and the energ that drives change.

We are suppose to have good insurance BUTT recently my husband had something on his face so here is where the “good insurance” comes in. We call the clinic where we are told “oh gee we are positive we can't help you BUTT you do need to come here so we can refer you” Ok we go pay the co pay takes a total of 5 min and we are told we have a choice of 2 Dr's one we can see in 2 weeks the other 6 weeks so naturally we take the 2 week Dr. BIG MISTAKE we go pay another co pay (this makes 2 now) he gets a biopsy and of course we have to wait for the results, we have to make another appointment and of course make another co pay (this makes 3 co pays and nothing has happened yet except a referral and a biopsy yeah) Husband gets told it is one thing but Dr. is not sure it isn't basal cell cancer so come back in 2 months…2 months and the “C” word plus me looking up stuff on WebMD = me thinking OMG cancer can eat your face off (yes I am dramatic sorry) so back to the clinic where we pay another co pay (this makes 4) get sent to the other Dr. who my husband likes and he freezes it, it didn't work but we were told it might not so he has to go back again and yes another co pay (this makes 5) and another biopsy (this makes 2 biopsy and yes we do have to pay a portion of that) we get the phone call (yes I know you are just as disappointed as I am that there wasn't a 6th co pay yet) yes it… Read more »

Speaking to this, (well not to the fact that she used a footnote or that you love her, but to the above) my dh had a brain tumor removed in 2001. We had pretty good health insurance (he's self-employed so it isn't CHEAP by any stretch of the imagination) but still, when you're talking brain surgery and the hospital stay involved, you still have a bit of out-of-pocket costs involved with that. Plus the time not working (a year) and so on. We ended up paying those costs with (dare I say it) credit cards. We already had a rather sizable debt. We got a handle on things eventually (selling our home before the bottom fell out of the economy because we had extremely lucky timing), but we easily could have been among those statistics.

I'm perplexed about this country being so incapable of getting a handle on health care. Watching the insurance companies continually dictate now what medications my dh should take or having to fight the consistently to pay for the scans he needs to keep watch for recurrence. (I could go on and on).