In America????

[Twisterdog]

Wombat2u2004 ... Our medical/dental system is indeed in need of reform. I don't think there is a single person in the US that would disagree with that statement. However, to make a blanket statement like, "There's a little thing here called professionalism.....and it's all too obvious after reading your post that it doesn't exist in your country. How disgusting." is perhaps a bit extreme. There are many, many highly professional, kind medical care specialists in this country. And, of course, many that are not so wonderful. I would venture to say that is the case in any profession in any country in the world. I doubt it is exclusively an American problem, although we do seem to be coming to a crisis point right now.


And this statement as well ..." I look at that generalisation in the context of the number of people in communities. The more people, the more out of touch these medicos become. I can imagine in a place like New York, one could live right next door to someone, and never know who they are.
Here, especially where I come from, the communities seem to be a little more closely linked....I can imagine how different that would be in the USA. In fact I know it's different..." How do you know? By one person's description? I'm actually from Wyoming, which is the least populated of all the states. The incident I told of occurred in a fairly small town. It's not that no one cares, per se, it's that we simply don't have enough doctors or dentists practicing here. I have a customer who is a dentist. He works sixteen hour days, six days per week, and takes no new patients whatsoever. When would he possibly see them? He is the nicest man you would ever want to meet, but there is only one of him.

[wombat2u2004]

Twisterdog Wrote: " ..." How do you know? By one person's description?
No, not by one person's description.....it is how I saw it, my neice just backed up my thoughts on that matter.
I don't live in the USA Twisterdog, but I HAVE lived in the USA, and have known a great many Americans in my life. I do comparisons with things like this, between countries. Even tho I am in the Construction industry, it suited my purpose to compare American methods of building as against our own.....and that is what I have done in so many other fields, including your health system.
If there is not enough doctors and dentists in your country, then the question is....why not ???? Is it because it is so expensive to train them ??? And if so....why is it so expensive ??? I'm pretty certain that there would be many many Americans who would have the intelligence to become doctors....but why haven't they the opportunity ???
I believe your whole system is based on the "Old Boys Club", lets just simply make it SO expensive and SO difficult to become a doctor or dentist, so that there is less of these so called professionals as against what the public needs, then we can simply go out and charge what we want.
And the proof of the pudding is that they do exactly that.
Hey....I know there are guys out there like your dentist friend.....that is really great, and I applaud them, but Twister, you do have to admit, they are far and few between.
Wombat

[mugsy]

Our entire medical profession needs to be re-vamped. I was talking to the vet last night (with her hubby) and they are uninsured, but, are in total agreement with me that socialized medicine is NOT the fix.

That little boy died because his mother missed it. I am sorry that he died and I feel horrible that she lost her son. Don't get me wrong. However, there are low cost or no cost dental facilities all over.

This is a classic example of why I got angry at Oprah. My point is that we have suffering children in this country too and need help too....

I'm so sorry for the child and his family. RIP

[sparks19]

It's not just about money.

In ontario, Canada we have socialized medicine and in my home town there is only ONE Dr taking new patients.... and the reason she has room available is because she is a terrible doctor. They don't get to charge whatever they want... they get paid by OHIP but there are just not enough Dr's to go around. They can't work 24/7... they are people too and need a break sometimes.

[emily_the_spoiled]

I don't normally weigh in on these threads but I thought I might on this one because I live in Maryland. There is always more to this story. For example, she had no transportation, so even though there is a low costfree clinic in Baltimore, she had no way of getting there. Medicaid will not cover transportation costs, but he wasn't sick enough for an ambulance so how was he supposed to get to the dentist?

Unfortunately in most countries there is a two (or more) tiered healthcare system. One for the well insured (or wealthy) and one for the rest of us. Neither the "socialized" systems in Europe and Canada or the free market system in the US can continue to exist in their current structures. The entry of the baby boomers in to retirement will force all the countries to re-evaluate their systems and what health care is.

[Ceph]

lol, actually you can call the ambulances about anything (from a non bleeding scratch all the way to a gaping wound)...and they are REQUIRED to take you...forms have to be signed and signed again if you refuse treatment/transport.

[lizbud]

When I was a child, there was a time that my family was very poor.We
children received food & clothes from a local Catholic Charity group. My
Mom was helped to find assistance with the rent of our house as well. In
order to visit a dentist or MD we took public transportion. Of course, that
was when this country still had family Drs. who would also made house calls if
necessary. In the age of HBOs, it's all a different story.

[Cataholic]

lol, actually you can call the ambulances about anything (from a non bleeding scratch all the way to a gaping wound)...and they are REQUIRED to take you...forms have to be signed and signed again if you refuse treatment/transport.

Uh, LOL, ambulances do not take people to appointments. Not the publically funded ones you are referring to. They take people- usually- to the nearest ER.

"911? Yes, hello. Hey, would you swing on by and pick me up? Where am I going to? Uh, well, you see...I have a doctor's appointment over on Sycamore Street...yeah, at 10 am..."

CLICK!

[columbine]

Unfortunately in most countries there is a two (or more) tiered healthcare system. One for the well insured (or wealthy) and one for the rest of us. Neither the "socialized" systems in Europe and Canada or the free market system in the US can continue to exist in their current structures. The entry of the baby boomers in to retirement will force all the countries to re-evaluate their systems and what health care is.

People who think that the free market system means we don't pay for folks who can't afford healthcare are mistaken. The only alternative to people with money paying for healthcare for people without money is "screw it, let 'em die." I don't think we're quite there yet.

But we're heading there fast, since we don't want to pay for preventative care for the indigent, so we wait until it hits the life-or-death line, when it's far more expensive to treat them under emergency circumstances, they're often so debilitated by it that they can't even work their low-wage job afterward, and some don't make it anyway.

And these aren't just the "easily written off," whether one defines that as substance abusers, mentally ill people, the unemployed, or one's ex-spouse. These are people pulling hourly paychecks for employers who'll only employ them 25 hours a week and no more, so as not to be required to pay for health coverage. So they're working 2 jobs just to cover rent, gas, and utilities - it's not like they can save up against a medical emergency. That's fine when you're 20, but if you can't afford education to get a better job, it's all you've got when you're 50. That and the Emergency Room.

Love, Columbine

[lizbud]

People who think that the free market system means we don't pay for folks who can't afford healthcare are mistaken. The only alternative to people with money paying for healthcare for people without money is "screw it, let 'em die." I don't think we're quite there yet.

But we're heading there fast, since we don't want to pay for preventative care for the indigent, so we wait until it hits the life-or-death line, when it's far more expensive to treat them under emergency circumstances, they're often so debilitated by it that they can't even work their low-wage job afterward, and some don't make it anyway.

And these aren't just the "easily written off," whether one defines that as substance abusers, mentally ill people, the unemployed, or one's ex-spouse. These are people pulling hourly paychecks for employers who'll only employ them 25 hours a week and no more, so as not to be required to pay for health coverage. So they're working 2 jobs just to cover rent, gas, and utilities - it's not like they can save up against a medical emergency. That's fine when you're 20, but if you can't afford education to get a better job, it's all you've got when you're 50. That and the Emergency Room.

Love, Columbine

There is a lot of truth in this statement but, you can't find many lawmakers who not only understand, but are willing to do the hard work to extend coverage to all familes with young children.