It seems that we hear the extremes of experience from people who are subject to government medical programs. Some write of never having to worry, never waiting, never paying. Then, we hear other extremes. A recent answer related the experience of a relative dying in a hallway at a hospital that had put him on a waiting list for treating an infection in his foot.
Granted, it is impossible to prove these anecdotes, but I would like to at least hear from the personal experience of people writing here. If you like government health programs, have you had the need to put them to the test? Or has your health care been routine?
When I was in the service, it worked pretty well until September. The federal fiscal year starts 1 October, and it wasn’t unusual to run out of money before the new year, so there were annoyances but nothing serious for two or three weeks.
I was treated for an accident when I was on Medicare when I was 17. I was admitted late at night, knee surgery performed the next morning for a severed quad tendon and the fact that my left kneecap was ground through the bone. They kicked me out of the hospital 6 hours after the surgery. Though I appreciate the fact that the system was there (a system to which I’ve paid back in taxes dozens of times over the years) to treat me, the point was minimum care and then booting me out to save money. I say “no thanks” for instituting a universal a single-payer system, in my state or at the Federal level. It motivated me even more to get through college (pretty much on my own) and get a job with healthcare as a benefit. 50% of the people without health insurance didn’t even bother to graduate high school. Why should I vote to pay more in taxes than I already do for the single-payer system for senior citizens (Medicare) and the one for my state (Medi-Cal) only to be forced into the same crappy system of minimum care? No one in their right mind would either.
ok i did the whole ” sign a piece of paper and see a doctor thing” one time when i was on med hold
in FT Gordon, i waited behind about 4 or 5 moms with a few kids then about 2 hours at least (the place was packed the only reason i got fast service is because of my status) then when i finally saw the doctor he barely listened to me and looked like he was in a huge rush. I was not happy.
never seen anything like that in the medical care i got in the civilian world never
I work with a head start program for developmentally disabled children under 5. Nearly all of our patients have had problems with their HMO’s. They are children of middle class–and some poorer class–parents who HAVE health insurance, and who have always had insurance for their children. Because these children are significantly behind other children on speech, eating, drinking, walking, and other developmental factors, they are routinely dropped from their parents policies. More often, they are not dropped, but their premiums are increased significantly and they are labelled with ‘pre existing’ conditions that deny them care for their disability. We have children who COULD be treated fairly cheaply and efficiently, who are denied that care and who’s parents are forced to pay out of pocket for any medical care the child receives. That’s where I come in. If a child cannot be insured for life saving issues, the state will allow that child to be placed on medicaid if the parents income is low enough. Unfortunately, most parents make too much money to qualify, but too little to pay full price for medical care. Thus, parents are forced to quit their jobs to qualify, or they will keep their jobs and file medical bankruptcy when the bills have overwhelmed their savings. Only then can they qualify for medicaid. Medicaid will cover all necessary medical care for these children. It isn’t a perfect system, but it is the ONLY resource for more than 100 children in my care. Many of these children cannot eat without a feeding tube, cannot walk at age 3, cannot sit up or stand at 2. They need preventative care–so that they can live healthy, productive lives…..but the HMO’s see them as a liability and either push them out with outrageous premiums or drop their coverage alltogether. And, sadly, once you are labeled with a ‘pre existing condition’ no other HMO is going to cover you.
Overall my experience and of the people I know has been good. Belgium has a mixed system.
It’s not exactly government health care
http://www.expatica.com/be/health_fitness/healthcare/belgian-healthcare-system-1493.html
I’ve been lucky myself mostly as far as sickness goes but close friends and relatives had their lives saved more than once. Though obviously here it’s also true all you have is my word and Lord knows the Internet is full of people who take the truth lightly when it’s politically opportune. (which my speak to my honesty because this is not exactly the most pro socialism post I could have thought up)
But for what it is worth I’ve been amazed at the quality of care several times. Here it’s probably also important to note the doctors do not “work for the government”. The part that’s “government run” is the health insurance, not the health care. Doctors get rich here. Very little to do with socialism
No system is perfect, I hear of waiting lists for disabled people who can’t live on their own, but that’s why it’s good our system is also not stagnant. It’s constantly evaluated and improved.
The Netherlands is right next door for example but I would not like to get sick there. We also have Dutch health tourists seeking critical procedures here because their waiting lists are still unacceptably long.
They have a mixed system too(which is true BTW for the majority of European countries. The idea most Europeans have free health care is a myth).
The difference? For several decades Dutch health care was free where Belgians always directly had a nominal fee to pay, a fraction of the true cost but apparently still enough to remind people health care is valuable and to not use it in a frivolous way.
In a world where things are worth what they cost free health care didn’t work. People with other problems, in need of attention for example, abused the system. Since a few years the Dutch have changed their system more along the lines of the Belgian one.
EDIT One of my closest relatives had a brain aneurysm about ten years ago. Very scary stuff. Required brain surgery several times. We got the best specialist of Europe, not some local government employee. She’s totally recovered today . Of course she could have died. To be honest I often thought in the Netherlands she would have. They would have waited too long or tired something cheap.
That’s probably my main point. Not all universal health care is equal. There are a vareety of systems out there, Americans can create their own. Some systems are really good, others not so much
It could be amazing, unfortunately we the people have no effective control over lobbying of political parties and donations to p parties; the result being that due process, equity, fair play, decency, noble obligations and parity are put aside for one simple maxim; make more money out of the services for an elite who care not a hoot for the people that they prey upon, alike parasites.
Our forefathers were often more civilised, disciplined and reasonable, and the entire structure of modern civilisation was far simpler then. Like some bloated McDonald’s addict, these elitist b*stards just keep rolling back to the trough for more, and using sher mass, can push aside others far more deserving, and needy.
I am Canadian and my experiences have been nothing but positive.I have never waited any extreme length of time and I have always received good care.My daughter was born weighing 1 1/2 lbs and spent 15 weeks in the hospital plus had 2 years of follow up care with specialists. All was covered and she received great care.