Government run health care?

Comment

Comment by Erika Marie on February 1, 2010 at 4:29pm

thank you for sharing your frustrated thoughts Carol. I have family all around the world including the UK. Like Karen said, no system is perfect. If I were to choose a system, however, I would choose one that gave me the most freedom to make my own decisions about how much I pay, who I see, and when I see them. I am hopeful that our country will take the right steps to open up more opportunites for good health care coverage without taking away our individual freedoms. As far as offering good health care...well that's a different story. ;)

Comment by Carol on January 29, 2010 at 5:04am

Thanks for responding....I was admittedly frustrated when I wrote my post. I am sorry to hear about the loss of your son, but happy that you are happy with your coverage.

I have not had a baby here, though I looked into it at one point (I had a miscarriage at 9weeks) and found that I could not be assured that I would get the induction and epidural that I wanted and needed (I have very precipitous labors) and was told there were no private obgyn's in this area, besides, I would have to deliver at the one maternity hospital in town anyway. They would take everything into consideration and the doctors would make a decision in my best interests....I was assured. But, no, they couldn't guarantee it. I know that this is because those procedures are costly. I know that there is the midwife at home prospect here, but realize that is a cheap alternative for the health care industry. Of course they encourage it. The kindness and virtue of the nurses/midwives is all very wonderful, but that is not exclusive to government run health care at all.

Personally, I would rather know what things cost. I would rather not be forced to pay for everyone else's health care, especially when I don't know what that may entail (abortion, or other moral evils). I agree insurance companies can be difficult to deal with, but that could be seriously improved by government getting their hands out of the insurance industry. For example, people should be able to buy a health insurance plan that suits them, itemizing what they want covered---now state and fed gov determines what must be covered--; health insurance ought to be able to be sold across state lines. Even your government run health care has regional limitations. It costs more in certain areas, you have fewer choices in other areas. We live in Aberdeen...kind of remote, but still a city. As I said before, you don't have a choice of hospital, you can't find a private obgyn (though they exist in London) and you can't get an NHS dentist (only private). "Government run" is no reassurance of quality, quantity, or efficiency. In fact, the only reassurance you have is that it will be cost effective....for the government (since it is costing you a lot!)

As for taxes, the small amount you pay at tax time, or the refund you receive, as you said yourself, are dependent on what was deducted...it really doesn't reflect how much of your hard earned money the government takes from you before you even see it.

Comment by Karen Murphy Corr on January 29, 2010 at 4:30am

My experience in Canada is completely different. I have the choice to give birth with a midwife, doctor, or OB. I can choose which doctor I see. If I don't like one, I can select another. I do not have to get approval from any insurer for my healthcare choices. We do need referral from a doctor to be seen by a specialist.

I have friends who had successful VBACs under the care of both a midwife and an OB. I've never run into roadblocks with doctors in respect to my children's health. We've never been denied tests. When I was uncertain of a strange brown spot on one son's foot I had no trouble being referred to a dermatologist. When our baby was tragically stillborn in May I had two midwives attend me in hospital (only one is required in hospital - two for a homebirth - they wanted to support me because our full-term boy had died and were with me as I laboured and delivered) and extra time in hospital as they knew I had to go home to four surviving children. When my bleeding didn't stop I had an ultrasound within hours of my midwives calling the hospital. I then went straight to an OB for his consult - and he was the chief OB at the hospital. He scheduled me for a D&C that weekend (it was a Friday). The hitch was my surgery was postponed by a few trauma cases, so it ended up being the Sunday rather than the Saturday. All things considered, fair enough. I wasn't in dire need.

For our middle-class family of two adults and four living children we pay a monthly fee of $114 in our province (most provinces don't charge this way - it comes off taxes - and most employers here pay the MSP but my husband's employer is based in California and refuses - despite us highlighting that even Wal-Mart and McDonald's pay this MSP fee for their FT staff).

One of my nurses in hospital had just had a radical mastectomy and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer. She told me she had no idea what her procedures cost and after having discussions with Canadian nurses returning from the US she was thankful she's in our country and didn't have to worry about how to pay for her care and treatment as she battled cancer.

Some Americans believe our taxes are outrageous. I've got to say that in my experience we usually get a small refund or have to pay a few hundred dollars at tax time, depending on deductions for the year. I'd rather pay this than lose my home or opt not to have medical care because we couldn't afford it. It breaks my heart to hear of babylost mothers in the US being harangued by creditors for medical bills for their dead babies and engaging in long and horrible disputes with insurance companies over what will be paid and not paid. I have no idea what any of the care for my pregnancies, births, or surgical procedures cost - and I'm glad.

I'm sorry you've been so frustrated by the UK national health system and I'm sorry you have encountered situations where you aren't having your concerns dealt with the way you'd like.

I have friends and family there. No system is perfect - our Canadian system included - but I've never in my life met a Canadian or a Brit or an Aussie who would opt NOT to have universal healthcare. There is, I've heard, a Twitter group on why Brits love the National Health.