Do you have private health insurance...??

[Edwina's Secretary]

i like the choice of being able to do either, if you are not in a position to afford private care at least you have a back up system, I would be scared if we changed to be like the US myself, i would be very worried about my health then.

Choice...it is a wonderful thing and something sadly lacking in our system.

One out of every four people in the state of Texas do not have medical insurance. No medical insurance equals poor if any medical care. Which equates to a very high cost to society of treatment (vs. prevention.)

In the US we pay the greatest percent of gross domestic product in health care (17%) yet are a long way from best in healthcare (as measured in such things as life span, maternal and infant mortality.)

There was a thread in the DogHouse recently that spoke of the "horrors" of the Canadian system of healthcare, yet there were a number of Canadian PetTalkers who spoke quite highly of their system.

I think there are many different possible avenues to pursue. But the one we are on does not work. Can you imagine...one out of every four people in a state as populous as Texas not having access to adequate healthcare???

As you are to the least of my people so shall you be onto me....

[carole]

Yes people moan and groan about our system too, although it is not fail proof and does have its problems, i think we are lucky to have what we have for such a small country,yes the waiting lists will get longer and i am sure there are people who are not getting adequate care in my country too.

I think the figure of people who died because of lack of proper care in the US was horrendous, i won't quote it as i cannot remember the exact figure, but it sure astounded me.

[Edwina's Secretary]

There have been a few ghastly examples here in the last year or so of people dying in the waiting room of the emergency...waiting for care. Waiting for hours and hours and hours...while employees ignored them.

Paying the most does not promise the best care!

[blue]

For most of my working life I havent had insurance. I currently dont have insurance at all.

[Twisterdog]

I have insurance now, through my husband's work. He works for a large international company.

However, for the ten years prior to us marrying, I had no insurance. I am self-employed and the premiums for a plan that was actually useful were literally more than what I made. A plan I could barely afford was completely useless.

At the same time, I did not qualify for Medicaid, even though I had a young child, was a single mother, and made below the poverty level. I did not qualify because I owned assets ... namely my business and house. So, if I would have sold my house, moved into public housing rent-free and quit working ... I would have had great insurance. Hmmm ... ya think there is something wrong with the American medical system?

[Puckstop31]

Choice...it is a wonderful thing and something sadly lacking in our system.

One out of every four people in the state of Texas do not have medical insurance. No medical insurance equals poor if any medical care. Which equates to a very high cost to society of treatment (vs. prevention.)

In the US we pay the greatest percent of gross domestic product in health care (17%) yet are a long way from best in healthcare (as measured in such things as life span, maternal and infant mortality.)

There was a thread in the DogHouse recently that spoke of the "horrors" of the Canadian system of healthcare, yet there were a number of Canadian PetTalkers who spoke quite highly of their system.

I think there are many different possible avenues to pursue. But the one we are on does not work. Can you imagine...one out of every four people in a state as populous as Texas not having access to adequate healthcare???

As you are to the least of my people so shall you be onto me....

Please do not think that I am not compassionate to these peoples plight. But are there not already options for the uninsured? I thought that was what Medicade was for? Better yet, who are those one of every 4? How did they come to be in the situation they are in? As usual, there is more too it than just a passionate speech, tugging at heartstrings.

Further, in a world of sunshine and roses, government controlled healthcare would be swell. But government never stops intruding. Enough is never enough.

Like I said before.... I'd rather succeed or fail on my own.