Why do many people in this section seem to have a warped idea of healthcare systems in other countries?

Question

I come from a country with universal healthcare and it is NOTHING like some of you claim it is.

I have had far worse experiences in the US and I have what is considered wonderful coverage here.

Why don't you people do some research before making such ridiculous, uneducated statements?

Answer 1

Thanks.All I hear is Canada this and that.Europe this and that while any health care system in the US would be new and the American people themselves could decide how to run it.
Not every country that has Universal health care is screwing up as much as Canada or Britain if they are
Take Belgium for example.
You can be assured of the highest-quality medical care in Belgium, regarded as among the best healthcare systems in Europe. As in most countries, the system divides itself into state and private, though fees are payable in both, so you need to ensure that you are adequately covered through either the state insurance and/or private insurance. The advantages of the state mutuelle/mutualiteit scheme is that you can choose any doctor, clinic or hospital you like, in any location and without referral, according to your needs in much the same way as you can with private insurance.
General practitioners can be found in private practices or attached to clinics and hospitals and you are free to consult or register with any you like.

Similarly with specialist consultants. It may be a decision based on location, language or recommendation. It's always worth speaking to neighbours or colleagues when you first arrive; everyone knows of a doctor, or has heard of one with a good reputation

Answer 2

NOT TRUE - look at the cronic issues - its easy to provide Primarycare - its the cronic healthcare issues where socialized single payer falls down:

Socialized or "Single Payer" programs are nothing more than a government run HMO - the only way to control costs is to manage access - this is accompished by delaying medically necessary treatments.

Read on:

In 2006 Britain's Department of Health reported that at any given time, nearly 900,000 Britons are waiting for admission to National Health Service hospitals, and shortages force the cancellation of more than 50,000 operations each year.

In Sweden, the wait for heart surgery can be as long as 25 weeks, and the average wait for hip replacement surgery is more than a year.

Canada is not immune to the issues either - Brian Day, a Vancouver orthopedic surgeon, was elected president of the Canadian Medical Association last month on a PLATFORM of bringing some types of private medicine and business practices to Canada's socialized medicine. so even Canada is looking toward private insurance as a solution to their issues.

There is a real problem with the uninsured in America, and as a Health Insurance Broker, I talk to my clients about how they as employers, myself as a broker and the health insurance carriers have a responsibility to get these people insured through innovative group and individual products.

We have a large pool of healthy Americans who are not insured, we need them to step up and become part of the solution. In addition, we Americans need to take responsibility for our own health. A significant portion of medical claims are directly related to the American lifestyle (we as Americans have the resources to become fat and lazy). I feel that through employer sponsored wellness, consumerism and disease management programs we can continue down the road of a "healthy America". Result: a reduction of the large claims that have our healthcare spending spiraling out of control.

Answer 3

The UK has some huge problems with its NHS (National Health Service) - but that is because we had the anti-christ Maggie Thatcher, trying to copy Ronnie Regans's ideas, and it was under invested for decades. The truth is however, warts and all, it is still an impressive sercvice, and so popular, it is over subscribed by individuals who have not paid for it.

Don't knock the system - It is a shodow of its former self, but if you have not tried it, its still world class, and we don't have the stupid delays and costs that cripple poor families in the US.

Answer 4

The reason is that many people want to be out there only for themselves. So they convince themselves that problems in healthcare will occur where none have before. It's rather interesting really. They're in denial about a system because they don't want other people to share the healthcare benefits they enjoy. Because of course, healthcare should only be available to those who can pay for it. Good health should not be just affordable, it should be available to everyone.

Answer 5

Wow, this is better than the Christian-baiting questions I've seen you ask. It's like the lie that Canadians come to America for health care which has already been debunked. Not only is that not true, but the opposite is true. Canada had to issue health I.D. cards to their citizens because so many Americans were coming to Canada to take advantage of Canada's health care system. Canada has pointed out that the only Canadians who seek health care in the United States are the ones that happen to be in the United States when a health care crisis arises. Also, Canada is lumped together with the UK, but they actually have vastly different health care programs, which shows how little people know about so-called "socialized medicine." An no one mentions how efficiently health care is run in Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, etc. Britain has some problems, but they've been blown out of proportion.

Michael Moore had the best answer, he asked how many Germans, Brits, Canadians, etc had to file bankruptcy because of catastrophic health care costs. The answer is of course, none of them.

Answer 6

It would help if you would tell us the country and why it is so much better. Our 'healthcare' is really legal drug pushing and slicing - they haven't cured anything since polio. I am so sorry if I made a ridiculous, uneducated statement that offended you so. But I did some research on surgery I need and the ones from Britain and Canada got infections from simple surgery.

Answer 7

Because too many rather listen to talking heads then take the time to become informed. I travel to Europe a lot and work with people in The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. In my discussions of health care there, it is NOTHING as described by the nay sayers here. I guess the spin and lies of those against universal health care trump the needs of the average American citizen.

Answer 8

I've heard from non-Americans on both sides of this issue. Although I tend to be rather conservative when it comes to government programs, I have not yet formed an opinion yet with regards to universal health care because I don't know enough about it.

I'd like to know more about your experiences if you'd care to share them.

Answer 9

The US Medical industry spends MILLIONS on lobbying and advertising to make the idea of universal health-care unpalatable to Americans.

Also, nationalism is a large part of the Conservative movement headed by GW Bush, so pointed out thing like "The USA is the only industrial country that does not offer universal health care" is dismissed with a hand wave.

Answer 10

Those who oppose having universal health care use this rhetoric as a scare tactic.

Evidently taking the profit out of health care and valuing human life over profit isn't enough of an incentive.

Fez: The tax hike would equal or possibly be less than you pay for monthly premiums now!