Comparing U.S. and other medical systems

[phesina]

To our Canadian members and you folks in other countries with some form of national health care system:

Are there many people in your country who want to do away with the medical system you have there and adopt one like ours?

Here in the U.S. I hear all the pro and con arguments about other countries' public systems, but I would like to know what people in those countries think about their own health care systems and about what YOU hear of the American system.

This topic has come up in the "sarah palin" thread here in the Dog House, and I think it warrants its own discussion.

I look over the Dog House discussions/arguments/rants but rarely comment in any, because, do I need this headache?

Now I'm starting a thread in it? Am I nuts? Do I need THIS headache?

But since this is a huge matter of concern in this country right now, I would like to get information and opinions from people who know first-hand the pros and cons of the various possibilities we're looking at here.

Thank you for your thoughtful responses.

Pat

[Puckstop31]

10...9....8.... Waiting for my Canadian wife to comment on the Canadian health "care" system.

[phesina]

Good, I want very much to hear what Sparks has to say!

[Nomilynn]

If it weren't for the Canadian health care system, I would likely be be declaring bankruptcy and homeless, after being unemployed last year. I am a diabetic and I have several items that I have to buy on a monthly basis. However, they aren't expensive when compared to how much they cost in the USA (I have bought my medications in the states before when I went on a trip and I forgot something.. suprisingly a lot of insulins don't require a medical prescriptions). Also, I need to have blood work and see my doctor every three months, and I do not have to pay for any of it out of pocket. It's covered by my monthly premium of $54.

A couple of years ago I had to have surgery, and did not have to wait that long. From the time I was referred to surgery to the date of the procedure it was around 2 months. It was not an emergency. However, my friend went into the emergency room and had to have hernia surgery that evening, no wait, and not one penny out of pocket except for his prescription for pain after he left the hospital.

So if I had a choice, I would keep what I have.

[Randi]

It sounds like we have a Health Security system in Denmark much like Nomilyn describes, and I would definately want it to stay that way - or only rich people could afford to stay healthy.

Going to hospital and doctors doesn't cost anything, but buying the medicine does. However, if it's prescription medicine, you pay less and less for it every time. After a year, you start over paying full price, but it will get cheaper for each purchase.

We do pay to go to the dentist. The Healthcare only pays very little of that bill.

There are private hospitals in Denmark too, and if the State hospitals can not fit you in within a certain amount of time, you go to a private, and the Health care will pay.

To have this, we all pay more taxes than most countries, but I much prefer that EVERYONE can get treated.

[phesina]

Thank you, Randi and Nomilynn. Puck, I hope your wife will join in!

[Catty1]

sparks' dad had a really bad time when he was in hosp - he was sent home way too soon because so many other people with H1N1 were filling up the beds.

I sure hope her dad is doing ok now. Anywhere there are baby boomers topping up the population - too few staff, too few resources.

[Asiel]

Actually I think we have great healthcare in Canada. There is a shortage of doctors in some areas but everyone is taken by priority. A cancer patient would always come before a knee or hip replacement which is the way it should be IMO. But no one is ever turned away when needing a doctor and we don't ever see a bill, for office visits or hospital care, so how can we not be thankful for a system like that. Sure, it comes out of our taxes and people who don't pay taxes have the same benefits but I think everyone should have healthcare regardless of their status. Our taxes have to be paid anyway so this way we at least know our health won't be neglected. If someone is down on their luck and have no job they shouldn't be denied care either. After 65 the government takes over and covers all drug costs after the first $100 dollars and believe me when you are getting thousands of dollars worth of meds a year that's a bonus.
We get free eye coverage every 2 yrs, Or we can go more often but pay a percentage of the cost. Dental care we pay for unless we have a private plan.
I'm sure lots of things could stand improvement but what in life doesn't?

[catmandu]

I heard a radio show where the European System had one advantage over ours.
In thier case the money followed the patient , in other words the doctors did not get paid until the procedure was done.
A problem here is that a lot of money goes to the Board of Directors , who make 6 figure salaries.
There are 35 million dollars of cuts coming to Hamilton Hopsitals, and I have a feeling that a bloated bureaucracy is responsible.

[phesina]

sparks' dad had a really bad time when he was in hosp - he was sent home way too soon because so many other people with H1N1 were filling up the beds.

I sure hope her dad is doing ok now.

Oh, my God, that's awful. I hope he is doing all right now too.

Anywhere there are baby boomers topping up the population - too few staff, too few resources.

You nailed that one, all right. The source of many problems here and everywhere else.

[sparks19]

I just saw this thread

Well many call it a FREE system but it is anything BUT. in Ontario you are taxed out the ying yang. It was 15% then harper put it down to 14%... is it down to 13% now? plus the ridiculous amount they take from your paycheck. and the taxes are super high but the system keeps facing more and more cutbacks. Doctors are leaving because they are overworked and aren't making the money. In london Ontario you cannot find a family physician. they aren't taking any new patients because as it is they are overloaded. The last I heard there was only one doctor taking patients in London and there is a reason she is the only one. she was my doctor for a while. She refused to give me a pregnancy test and told me it was impossible that I was pregnant because I was on birth control. I was extremely sick and lost that child. She has never ONCE correctly diagnosed me. and I know a few other people who had her as a doctor and they had the same issue. One woman was in her 50's and had severe hip pain and that doctor told her it was all in her head. After a spill down the steps directly related to her hip problem it was determined by another doctor that she needed surgery but she couldn't get it right away

My grandmother has been waiting for a hip replacement for quite a few years now... basically they are just trying to wait her out now.

like Catty said my step father recently had a HORRIBLE experience. After a year long sickness and his second surgery he had to go to a hospital an hour away for this surgery. after his surgery he sat in recovery for almost 8 hours because they didn't have a room for him. When recovery started filling up he literally had to stay in a bed in the HALLWAY because there was not a room for him. after a full day he finally got into a room only to be told the next morning that he had to leave because they needed the bed and he wasn't about to die basically. He was doing well for a while but had a relapse a few weeks ago. He called his doctor right away and got on some heavy duty antibiotics and seems to be doing better but he is still not cleared to go back to work.

a friend of mine was pregnant and was a week overdue. the doctor wanted to induce her told her to go home and wait for their call... after a day no call so she called the hospital. "sorry no room you will have to wait" another day goes by still no room and they checked surrounding hospitals and no room in any of those either. She finally asked what would happen if she did go into labor and they told her she would have to go to a town over a half an hour away and hope they had a bed for her. I am DEAD serious. After two more days a bed opened up and she finally got in luckily she didn't go into labor before that.

I have waited in ER over 12 hours before.

They don't have beds, nurses, doctors and they are just losing more and more because of cut backs.

Now every system has it's issues of course. but I just CANNOT in anyway see this working in the US. The US has single STATES with a higher population than all of Canada and Canada can't keep up with the demand. Now imagine 300+ million people all going in for every sniffle and cough or cut or bruise... and it will happen. People WILL start going for everything. I've seen it everytime I've had to set foot into a walk in clinic. There is just NOT enough supply for the demand that is surely going to follow

I mean the government here can't even reliably budget for snowplows to run... and I'm supposed to trust them to budget for our healthcare.

I don't know what the answer is. this system is seriously broken but so is the canadian system. I honestly feel that because it's "free" we (canadians) are more willing to sacrifice quality of care for quantity. We are willing to forgive less than stellar care because it's "prepaid".

but that is just my personal experiences

[phesina]

Oh ... my .... God...

Thank you very much, sparks. I hope your stepfather will recover and be well enough to work again before long.

[Puckstop31]

It sounds like we have a Health Security system in Denmark much like Nomilyn describes, and I would definately want it to stay that way - or only rich people could afford to stay healthy.

??? I am not rich. Yet I can "afford" (we provide ourselves and our staff a decent health care plan) to keep myself and my family healthy.

Going to hospital and doctors doesn't cost anything,

THIS is exactly why, though nobody in them here might admit it, why most "socialized" health plans fail and/or suck.

It DOES cost money. A lot of money actually. Just not YOUR money. The infamous "THEY" pays for you.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility?

[Puckstop31]

sparks' dad had a really bad time when he was in hosp - he was sent home way too soon because so many other people with H1N1 were filling up the beds.

I sure hope her dad is doing ok now. Anywhere there are baby boomers topping up the population - too few staff, too few resources.

H1N1? Really? Can you prove that? If it were not for H1N1, he would have been fine?

I have not seen anywhere near the epidemic the media promised us.

As for staff... Its not much of a issue here. I hear nurses are in high demand though. The health care industry is one of the few that continue to grow.

I wonder why Canada has too few staff and too few resources???

[Louie and me]

I really hesitated to get into this debate but being a Canadian originally from England I have experienced both national health care systems and cannot imagine what my life would have been like without them.
I recently had my annual physical that included blood tests, a mammogram and a bone density scan. My husband (a heart patient and type 2 diabetic) also had his physical with blood tests and is waiting for an appointment for a colonoscopy as a preventative test.
Since age 45 my husband has had quadruple bypass surgery, three angioplastis and replacement of both hips due to avascular necrosis. I have had surgery for melanoma followed by a sentinal lymph node biopsy. Dispite how it may sound, we are both active and in pretty good health.
I have heard of people who have experienced delays in treatment both in the UK and here in Canada but never for any condition requiring urgent care.
A friend from Missouri just had a defibrillator replaced and the cost was over $250,000US. Fortunately he had health insurance paid for my the Canadian company he used to work for. Now that is scary.