Thread: Opinions On Gov. Sponsored Health Care Outside of the USA

Chee is describing just about exactly what happens in germany as well.
The government has a hard time to keep the pharma lobby at bay, if ever.

Just cast my vote "for". I'm 51 and I've never earned much money - maybe $40 000 in my best year - and I've had a pretty good life so far. Thank God, I've made very few demands on Canada's health system but it has always been there and worked admirably when I needed it to, regardless of what my circumstances happened to be at the time. I think most Canadians would agree that publicly funded health care has been a blessing for our country.

goshawk

just to clarify i am in no way in favour of private health care. i like the idea of what i system should be and have always been satisfied, but i really dislike the drug companies and how the health care system is based around them.

so yes to public health care, no to drug lobbying!

Since I live in the US and don't have experience with another health care system, I will ask a question rather than make a comment.

How intrusive has the government become in deciding how interactions between physician and patient take place, What kind of therapies are offered and to whom while compelling providers to offer services they to which they object?

There are rumors of a provision in the present bill that requires anyone over the age of 55 to meet with their Dr about a "Health Care Directive". This would include execution of documents like a living will or a health care power of attorney.

Other rumors include limiting the availability of therapies such as dialysis on the basis of age and compelling Dr.s that object to administering the "morning after pill" to prescribe it.

Originally Posted by Pyment

How intrusive has the government become in deciding how interactions between physician and patient take place, What kind of therapies are offered and to whom while compelling providers to offer services they to which they object?

There are rumors of a provision in the present bill that requires anyone over the age of 55 to meet with their Dr about a "Health Care Directive". This would include execution of documents like a living will or a health care power of attorney.

Other rumors include limiting the availability of therapies such as dialysis on the basis of age and compelling Dr.s that object to administering the "morning after pill" to prescribe it.

Pyment

Noone in Canada is compelled to make a will or issue a power of attorney as a condition for obtaining health care, nor is anyone's doctor chosen for them. As far as I know Canadians are not disqualified from receiving any
medical treatment on the basis of age. Nor are doctors compelled to prescribe, or to refrain from prescribing, any legal medication.

Our biggest concerns here are wait times and finding a GP.

goshawk

Originally Posted by goshawk

Pyment

Noone in Canada is compelled to make a will or issue a power of attorney as a condition for obtaining health care, nor is anyone's doctor chosen for them. As far as I know Canadians are not disqualified from receiving any
medical treatment on the basis of age. Nor are doctors compelled to prescribe, or to refrain from prescribing, any legal medication.

Our biggest concerns here are wait times and finding a GP.

goshawk

The same in Australia, accept we don,t have any trouble finding a GP.
Everyone pays a levy of 3% of their wage into Medicare.If you want you can pay extra for Medicare Private or use a private health insurer.
You can also get ambulance cover, ground and air for $80 dollars a year per family, if you want it.
The only intrusion by goverment is you must have a referral from your GP to see a specialist,this is basically to stop people self diagnosing and going straight to a specialist,waisting their time and the specialists time thus clogging up the system.
It seems that the Commonwealth countries have all based thier health care systems on the English NHS.

what was the longest someone has had to wait and what for??

and someone you know? (not crap from the paper)

Originally Posted by gratewhitehuntr

what was the longest someone has had to wait and what for??

and someone you know? (not crap from the paper)

A friend had to wait 10 weeks for a knee reconstruction.
The system works on a type of triage. That the more the likelyhood that you will die if not seen to, gets you higher on the prioritory list. My friend was not going to die from a dicky knee so his 4 week wait turned into 10. He wasn,t whinging though as he knew he had the option of private cover if he had wanted it.

Can you tell I'm worried?

The lightning there is peculiar; it is so convincing, that when it strikes a thing it doesn't leave enough of that thing behind for you to tell whether--Well, you'd think it was something valuable, and a Congressman had been there.

- Mark Twain's Speeches, "The Weather"


Clemens didn't think much of congress and I am leery of putting my health care in their hands.

Originally Posted by Pyment

Can you tell I'm worried?

- Mark Twain's Speeches, "The Weather"


Clemens didn't think much of congress and I am leery of putting my health care in their hands.

This is the point ,in Australia you have a CHOICE, both systems operate together.If you want all the extras of the private health system, you just pay extra.
I personaly don,t care what hospital I go to or getting a private room with room service a view and flowers, I just want to get fixed up. So long as you have the freedom to choose there should not be any concerns.