In America????

[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!

[Ceph]

Um, I am a state certified EMT...I know th rules on this...they were pounded into my head over...and over....and over again...mostly to avoid lawsuits.

if someone makes a call, and says its an emergency we are required to take them to the hospital . No if ands or buts...alot of the time we see calls that end up being a waste of time, but we take them anyway.

So basically you call 911, say, "my mouth hurts I need to go to the hospital ,' you get a ride....I've heard it before...those are the magic words.

[Twisterdog]

if someone makes a call, and says its an emergency we are required to take them to the hospital . No if ands or buts...alot of the time we see calls that end up being a waste of time, but we take them anyway.

So basically you call 911, say, "my mouth hurts I need to go to the hospital ,' you get a ride....I've heard it before...those are the magic words.

I'm sure that's true. However ... how does that help this woman get her son to a dental clinic? It gets her to the hospital ... but that's not where she needs to go.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Um, I am a state certified EMT...I know th rules on this...they were pounded into my head over...and over....and over again...mostly to avoid lawsuits.

if someone makes a call, and says its an emergency we are required to take them to the hospital . No if ands or buts...alot of the time we see calls that end up being a waste of time, but we take them anyway.

So basically you call 911, say, "my mouth hurts I need to go to the hospital ,' you get a ride....I've heard it before...those are the magic words.

Perhaps she did not have your advantage of knowing the magic words. It had not been pounded into her head. I would never think to call an ambulance because I or my child had a toothache.

[Ceph]

Perhaps she did not have your advantage of knowing the magic words. It had not been pounded into her head. I would never think to call an ambulance because I or my child had a toothache.

I was just answering the 'it's not like they could call an ambulance' comment. I wasn't trying to be snotty. No need to get all angry and up at arms. I was simply making a statement.

[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

[wombat2u2004]

I'm sure that's true. However ... how does that help this woman get her son to a dental clinic? It gets her to the hospital ... but that's not where she needs to go.

Well.....I'm sure that would be better than staying at home popping aspirin.
Wombat

[sparks19]

I'm sure that's true. However ... how does that help this woman get her son to a dental clinic? It gets her to the hospital ... but that's not where she needs to go.

They can certainly give the child antibiotics at the hospital... which in turn would help stop infection from spreading... which in turn would help him LIVE. It's not a perfect solution but it's better than doing nothing.

[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.

[Catty1]

In Canada, each province has its own health system.

In the richest province, Alberta, where I live, we pay premiums for health every 3 months - I have prescr insurance thru Blue Cross (which I get only thru Alberta Health). Extra premiums.

No, the premiums won't break me and some folks have company insurance.

But I will wait three times as long for a "free" knee replacement etc

In Alberta, several women with at-risk pregnancies had to have their babies in another province and in the USA because there were not enough beds.

Baby Boomers mean lots of people in need, and not enough nurses, doctors etc. We have doctors leaving general practice because their pay does not meet overhead.

Just a POV from the north.

[sparks19]

In Canada, each province has its own health system.

In the richest province, Alberta, where I live, we pay premiums for health every 3 months - I have prescr insurance thru Blue Cross (which I get only thru Alberta Health). Extra premiums.

No, the premiums won't break me and some folks have company insurance.

But I will wait three times as long for a "free" knee replacement etc

In Alberta, several women with at-risk pregnancies had to have their babies in another province and in the USA because there were not enough beds.

Baby Boomers mean lots of people in need, and not enough nurses, doctors etc. We have doctors leaving general practice because their pay does not meet overhead.

Just a POV from the north.

So basically things in Alberta are the same as they are in Ontario. I can't say that I have ever heard much from anyone from Alberta on how their healthcare system is working. We have the exact same problem in Ontario. LONNNNNNNNG waits.... not enough beds.... and Dr's constantly leaving because they can't make any money there.

Even when I had to get my widsom teeth out.... I had to wait over a year to get in to the maxillo-facial surgeon. Not enough supply for the demand.