United States health care travesty?

Question

I am trying to write a report on the health care system in the United States. I need to know some web sites that give statistics of how bad it is, why, who to blame, etc. Any help people?
Thanks.

I'm not asking for opinions on why you think it is good. I don't care. I AM specifically writing a paper on what is WRONG with our health care system and need STATISTICS!
Explain to me why insurance companies do not cover many many things, and that it is actually CHEAPER to go to INDIA and have treatment from a US or UK trained Indian doctor (this includes airfare, hotel & food costs, plus the treatment) than if you were to have the treatment in your own home town.
Why are some insurance companies choosing to NOT cover birth control pills, yet they DO cover erectile disfunction drugs?
Explain to me why (despite getting a surgery in 24 hours) it can take years to get a simple diagnosis.
Stuff like that people!!! NOT your opinions on what is good about it.

Answer 1

Well, let me put it this way. Ask anybody who's lived in the UK or Canada any length of time (My brother in law is from Manchester, and my next door neighbor's from Toronto) how they feel about socialized medicine, and suddenly the American system looks better by the day.

The other thing I would add...If you're writing a report, then you need to be objective about your subject matter. It sounds as if you've already decided on a point of view and just want to pick and choose your data to support your argument. That's not a very honest way to go about things. You might as well be writing editorials for the New York Times.

Answer 2

It is the best in the world. When people here get care, there is none better.

However, paying for it is a very different matter. Those with insurance pay the bills for those who don't, and there are many who are too "rich" to get government payments but too poor to get it via work or to pay for a policy.

BTW, those with the WORST health care in the USA are always those with government health care -- Indian reservations, Veteran Administration, Medicaid clinics, etc.

I've been to Canada. I've talked w/ Canadians about their health care. After they get past their government's FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt), most want to come here. They simply don't want to wait 6 months for the government to okay a surgery that would be scheduled in 24 hours here in the States.

Answer 3

I can not give you any sites, but I can tell you how a friend of mine got screwed by the American health care system.
a friend of mine got disabled about 20 years ago, he lived in san Francisco, his disability check did not even cover the rent, so he decided, instead of living on the street, he went to live in a country were the cost of living was still very low, but in doing so he lost his Medicare, now that his condition is worsening, they tell him if he comes back to America for treatment, they raise his Medicare premium ten fold, from about $100 a month, to over one thousand, now he not only can not pay the rent, he can not pay his Medicare either, some soc sec system we have don't you think.
IF you don't believe me call Medicare and ask them how much it will cost to go back on Medicare after being out of the country for 20 years.

Answer 4

I don't have health insurance, but the last thing I would ever want is to be insured by an HMO run by the US gov't. The current system sucks, but the alternative is far worse.