Aa
I can imagine how bad it is, I have a brother living in the US and he pays an arm and a leg for his and his family's insurance. That's why I said that I really pray that your next president is going to do something about the health care system.
The problem in the US is that the ones who can afford it don't have a problem and the ones who can't are left with pretty much nothing. And that is heart breaking.
Here in Denmark every one is equally attended to, but some of us pay incredibly high taxes and others don't. So what I meant was that, with the almost 60% taxes I pay, I should at least be able to get something out of it.
I feel deep sympathy with all of you in the US facing insurance problems and sincerely hope that it will become better ASAP.
Marcia
The problem in the US is that the ones who can afford it don't have a problem and the ones who can't are left with pretty much nothing. And that is heart breaking.
Here in Denmark every one is equally attended to, but some of us pay incredibly high taxes and others don't. So what I meant was that, with the almost 60% taxes I pay, I should at least be able to get something out of it.
I feel deep sympathy with all of you in the US facing insurance problems and sincerely hope that it will become better ASAP.
Marcia
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/573877_2
Myth 1: The US Healthcare System Is the Best in the World
This idea has been called the alpha myth because it is fundamentally the root of all other myths.[1] It is the straightforward belief that Americans have access to the highest quality healthcare available in the world. A different way to present this myth is to state that citizens in other countries experience long waits for healthcare, that they must rely on generalists, and that they suffer worse outcomes as a result.
This belief is widespread and well-entrenched in the American mindset. So it is perhaps surprising that in a 10-nation 1990 survey on the level of satisfaction with the national healthcare system, the United States ranked 10th.[2] These results were then reproduced a decade later.[3] Although Americans believe the US system is the best, clearly they are not as satisfied with the healthcare they receive as are citizens of other countries.
In fact, this disparity between perception and reality has been captured in several studies. In the year 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) dedicated its annual World Health Report to a comparison of healthcare across the globe.[4] In this exhaustive analysis, American superiority was not borne out: the United States ranked 32nd for infant survival, 24th for life expectancy, and 54th for fairness. The fairness ranking was derived from a comparison of the individual financial contribution required with the quality of healthcare received. The current US system is known as a regressive system; that is, the poor pay relatively more for healthcare. In fact, the poorest fifth of Americans spend 18% of their income on healthcare, whereas the richest fifth of Americans spend about 3%.[5] In this type of regressive system, it is clear why about 50% of personal bankruptcies in the United States are related to medical bills.[6] Tragically, 75% of individuals declaring medical bankruptcy had medical insurance at the onset of their illness.[6] Overall, the WHO ranked the United States 37th in the world.
Similar results were found by the Commonwealth Fund in a recently released scorecard on the performance of the US health system.[7] Outcomes in the United States were compared against those achieved by top countries or the top 10% of US states, hospitals, or other providers. The scorecard evaluated multiple indicators of health outcomes, including mortality, life expectancy, and the prevalence of health conditions that limit the capacity of adults to work or children to learn. The average ratio score for the United States was a 69 out of a possible 100.[7] The United States ranked 15th out of 19 countries with respect to preventable deaths before the age of 75, with a death rate more than 40% higher than the benchmark countries of France, Japan, and Spain. The United States ranked last in infant mortality out of 23 industrialized countries, with rates more than double the benchmark countries of Iceland, Japan, and Finland. The United States tied for last on healthy life expectancy at age 60.[7]
Myth 1: The US Healthcare System Is the Best in the World
This idea has been called the alpha myth because it is fundamentally the root of all other myths.[1] It is the straightforward belief that Americans have access to the highest quality healthcare available in the world. A different way to present this myth is to state that citizens in other countries experience long waits for healthcare, that they must rely on generalists, and that they suffer worse outcomes as a result.
This belief is widespread and well-entrenched in the American mindset. So it is perhaps surprising that in a 10-nation 1990 survey on the level of satisfaction with the national healthcare system, the United States ranked 10th.[2] These results were then reproduced a decade later.[3] Although Americans believe the US system is the best, clearly they are not as satisfied with the healthcare they receive as are citizens of other countries.
In fact, this disparity between perception and reality has been captured in several studies. In the year 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) dedicated its annual World Health Report to a comparison of healthcare across the globe.[4] In this exhaustive analysis, American superiority was not borne out: the United States ranked 32nd for infant survival, 24th for life expectancy, and 54th for fairness. The fairness ranking was derived from a comparison of the individual financial contribution required with the quality of healthcare received. The current US system is known as a regressive system; that is, the poor pay relatively more for healthcare. In fact, the poorest fifth of Americans spend 18% of their income on healthcare, whereas the richest fifth of Americans spend about 3%.[5] In this type of regressive system, it is clear why about 50% of personal bankruptcies in the United States are related to medical bills.[6] Tragically, 75% of individuals declaring medical bankruptcy had medical insurance at the onset of their illness.[6] Overall, the WHO ranked the United States 37th in the world.
Similar results were found by the Commonwealth Fund in a recently released scorecard on the performance of the US health system.[7] Outcomes in the United States were compared against those achieved by top countries or the top 10% of US states, hospitals, or other providers. The scorecard evaluated multiple indicators of health outcomes, including mortality, life expectancy, and the prevalence of health conditions that limit the capacity of adults to work or children to learn. The average ratio score for the United States was a 69 out of a possible 100.[7] The United States ranked 15th out of 19 countries with respect to preventable deaths before the age of 75, with a death rate more than 40% higher than the benchmark countries of France, Japan, and Spain. The United States ranked last in infant mortality out of 23 industrialized countries, with rates more than double the benchmark countries of Iceland, Japan, and Finland. The United States tied for last on healthy life expectancy at age 60.[7]
Our best hope lies in voting out the clowns who run our government and voting in officials who care more about people than they do about corporations. Fortunately, November is just a few months away. Yes we can!
Yes, private pay insurance is extremely expensive. I've paid for an entire year with United Health Care and it's basically a hospital/surgical policy. Doesn't cover any of my blood work, meds and only 2 office visits a year. It did pay 80% for bx, CT and endoscopies but that was after I paid a huge deductible. I started tx the end of March so I've been paying out the A$$. My premium is $400 monthly. Last July I thought I should get some sort of insurance because my COBRA ran out and I wanted something in case of a catastrope. Didn't know I had hepc at the time. Fortunately, since I've carried insurance for 1 year without any break in coverage I can now get on my group policy at work (much cheaper) starting July 1 and by law they have to pay for anything pre-existing. Even if I was on chemo for cancer they have to pay. However, I've felt like I was on chemo at times lately!! I did not have to disclose that I have hepc. Going from private pay to group insurance provided by an employer is the only way you don't get discriminated against for any pre-exisiting conditions. I think it's totally unfair for all those that have to buy their own insurance because if they choose to change companies - no coverage on pre-existing and in some case they will refuse to cover you at all!! That ***** and something needs to be done about it. I wish we had a better health care system and if they don't fix it soon the quality of care will deteriorate to the point that people will not seek treatment anymore. It's very sad.
Trin
Trin
Yes, we pay lower taxes than you guys in Denmark, but so what? Many of us are employed as "independent contractors," which means we get no benefits from our jobs and therefore must pay for our medical insurance ourselves. And if we've ever used this insurance, as those of us with hcv have, then we are considered to be people with prior conditions and - if we can even get the insurance - must pay through the nose for it.
I pay, as a single person in her sixties, more than six hundred dollars a month for my HMO. I also have co-payments of $25 for each and every doctor visit and a similar sum for each and every prescription I fill. Fortunately, in less than a year I'll be 65 and eligible for Medicare. I can't wait.
To me, six hundred dollars is six hundred dollars, whether it comes directly from my bank account or whether I pay it in taxes. I've read that if we had a national health system which covered everybody, including healthy young people, the numbers would average out to much less than six hundred a person. I'd be happy to pay higher taxes if I got something for them.
I pay, as a single person in her sixties, more than six hundred dollars a month for my HMO. I also have co-payments of $25 for each and every doctor visit and a similar sum for each and every prescription I fill. Fortunately, in less than a year I'll be 65 and eligible for Medicare. I can't wait.
To me, six hundred dollars is six hundred dollars, whether it comes directly from my bank account or whether I pay it in taxes. I've read that if we had a national health system which covered everybody, including healthy young people, the numbers would average out to much less than six hundred a person. I'd be happy to pay higher taxes if I got something for them.
I found it interesting too Rita and I figured this thread was lost anyway so why not use it.
Mike
Mike
I don't want to get all political here, but I pray for America that your next president is gonna start cleaning up all this mess!!!
I almost feel guilty comparing our health care system to the US. But then again, we pay waaayyyy more taxes than you guys in the US.
Marcia
I almost feel guilty comparing our health care system to the US. But then again, we pay waaayyyy more taxes than you guys in the US.
Marcia
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