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World's Best Medical Care? »
Posted by: Beau7890 2 years, 6 months agoMany Americans are under the delusion that we have "the best health care system in the world," as President Bush sees it, or provide the "best medical care in the world," as Rudolph Giuliani declared last week. That may be true at many top medical centers. But the disturbing truth is that this country lags well behind other adva
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Beau7890
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Comments: 101
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deathray
Aug. 11, 2007, 10:50 p.m.The disparity in the availability and quality of medical care is just a subset of the larger issue of increasing disparity between the haves and have nots.
The American health care system is fabulous if you have access to it, and you might as well be in a third world country if you don't.
When people perceive too much inequality, of any sort, there is social unrest.
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SlapALib
Aug. 11, 2007, 11:28 p.m.The insurance part has always bugged me.
With Romney bragging that everyone in Massachusetts had to have medical insurance by law, I have to ask: What's with the Middleman? I mean besides the profit motive.
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FormidableComment has been removed: Hard Banned
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natashas
Aug. 12, 2007, 12:09 a.m.I pay my own health insurance. I think the price of my plan is crazy. If politicans think health insurance is great in the U.S. they should come and visit me. I have a few choice words for them.
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Radiofreeeuropa
Aug. 12, 2007, 3:37 a.m.If we must pay taxes, it would seem the common good of the nation would be where it is spent. Universally available health care and education seem like the best use of public funds there could possibly be. Get the private insurance companies out of healthcare. Why do we need their profits added to the cost?? European countries have this, on average they pay 10% more in taxes than the U.S. Yes rich people might have to wait 6 months to get their liposuction. Who cares?
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Harbeas
Aug. 12, 2007, 11:53 a.m.According to recent study, America is rated 42 in the world in longevity. And some people have the nerve to say we have the best health care in the world!
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RetiredMilitaryMan
Aug. 12, 2007, 12:39 p.m.Why am I not surprised that in most postings the major 'concern' is the cost of health care in the U.S...
Yes, health care coverage is, for the most part, on the costly side. But I can state from personal first-hand experience having either lived or extended stays in many foreign countrys, that there is NOT a better health care system anywhere else.
If you think that the U.S. system is flawed, you do NOT want to fall ill in a socialized medicine country. I cannot even began to describe the frustration I felt when dealing with health professionals in mant other countries.
One example, when I was living and working in Canada, my son was injured playing sports and I took him to a hospital emergency room. Because I did not have Canadian health insurance, BEFORE they would even examine him, they demanded payment UP FRONT. I asked how they knew what it would cost and was told that ER services cost the same across the board? It was 10 and 1/2 hours before he was treated!
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Miami_med
Aug. 12, 2007, 1:11 p.m.We do have the best medical care in the world. We also have the most expensive. You can't have both. Most arguments against our healthcare system are related to cost, not the availability of amazing treatments. The reality is, that everyone in the US can get healthcare, but it will bankrupt a certain percentage of those who seek it. By and large, Americans have become fat and unhealthy, contributing far more to lower life expectancies and inequality in health outcomes than in other nations. We can have the best interventional cardiologists on earth, and they won't be able to compete in outcomes with a population that doesn't need cardiologists.
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B737Tech
Aug. 12, 2007, 5:48 p.m.People like Bush, those born with that silver spoon in their mouths, don't have to worry about affording health care. They have daddy to take care of them all their lives....get them out of active duty, bail them out of financial difficulties, etc.
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catstevensComment has been removed: Retracted by user
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ballbuster2
Aug. 12, 2007, 6:19 p.m.i am a 100% disabled veteran and the cause of my illness' was determined by numberous military and civilian doctor's, as being associated with agent orange. i am attempting to throw the proverbial wrench into the fan. being the disabled veteran and documented as a victim of A.O. not many civilian doctor's will treat me, because they know little about the cause and effects of the chemical's used to make up A.O. now hear is the real kicker, i am uninsurable! i could have million's of dollar's and could not buy health, dental or life insurance, i am a "high risk", so i am stuck with the veterans clinics/hospitals and for those of you who never had to use one, they are scary! to give you all an idea it took me between 4-5 year's to get an appointment in the pain clinic, in the tucson,az facility. to get an appointment with my primary care provider takes month's, my last visit took 14 month's to get the appointment.
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TimALoftis
Aug. 12, 2007, 6:47 p.m.America Can and Must Do Better! Hold our 2008 Presidential candidates accountable on this very important issue.
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evelyna
Aug. 12, 2007, 6:56 p.m.They plan to do nothing about healthcare because they are going to merge Canada and Mexico together and impose the same for profit on them.
They are telling canadians they have to turn in their guns. Why?
As of right now-people do not know but the programs run by the states for children are for adults too.
The vets program is very limited and they do not want people to get the care they need.
People from other countries get free healthcare here. Since our politicans do not care if we have health care or not you would think they would eliminate this. I thought they wanted to save money?
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Locky12
Aug. 12, 2007, 7:29 p.m.When Michael Moore gets sick, does he go to Cuba?
Bunch of morons on this board.
According to the posters on this board, everybody should have crummy healthcare instead of a few having none at all.
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comfortstrike
Aug. 12, 2007, 7:50 p.m.Dont people realize how much a hospital charges a patient for 2 tylenol , between $50.00-$100.00. That is one example of why insurance costs are so high.
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baltman001
Aug. 12, 2007, 9:39 p.m.I am a Republican.....and all partisanship aside....I know our health care system is lacking.
I am a small business owner, and not belonging to a network, my premium was up to almost $800.00/mo for family.
I got it lowered to $465.00/mo only by raising my deductable to $5000.00 *2......and I suspect the premium will probably be back up to $800.00 within the next 7 or 8 years, with the high deductable.
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KnightsDragon2
Aug. 12, 2007, 10:30 p.m.Mikey Moore is a bloated toady , this guy is more anti american then the most die hard musslun or islamics. its true we have the best ....for those that can pay . or are political people but the avarage person....well you know . and Vetrens don't have it any easer.I'd like to see across the board health care . to pay for for it ....we stop giving money to last world countrys and close all our over seas bases .
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wildman6557
Aug. 12, 2007, 10:33 p.m.The biggest contributer to bad health in the US is the car. That is why we are so fat. Even in Europe where cars are common, it is not so bad because people have to walk a long way from the parking.
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canadianrancher57
Aug. 12, 2007, 10:56 p.m.I'm always amazed when it comes to stories on an universal medical plan for your country. Your country put men on the moon, You have on of the greatest and well equipt military in the world, and yet when it comes to the health of the people who pay for such things you are so backwards it is not even funny. You talk of a medical plan as being socialist and yet how many services are allready being supplies by government, There are all sorts of groups in your country fighting for rights and yet something that would benefit all is completly ignored, as for the rich or middle class paying for it and others using it just look at something as simple as garbage removal, is it not the same and I don't hear a great complaint about that. I guess on of the rights that many overlook in your country is the right to get sick and die, maybe things aren't that great in the good old U.S.A.
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texangelwings
Aug. 12, 2007, 11:50 p.m.Thanks for the headsup on the article, Beau!
Healthcare is a serious problem for people who can not afford to purchase the insurance. Most seniors around here can't afford the increasing costs of medicare A & B, plus meds.
Maybe someone needs to make a documentary right here in the USA, interviewing people from all walks of life, from coast to coast, covering peoples access to healthcare and addressing the quality of healthcare.
Our local county hospital closed three years ago. The hospital in the next county has been taken over by the another county hospital district. The ambulance fee is $1,500.00, the ER costs start at $2,500.00 and up.
Everyone should be treated like a human being by having access to quality healthcare. Per our constitution; "We are all created equal"!
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Harbeas
Aug. 13, 2007, 12:13 p.m.Disagree Miami
The difference is that we have 48 million people without health care or insurance in this country! If you want to call that a function of life style, so be it.
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bennett864
Oct. 20, 2008, 2:51 p.m.Yes the worlds best medical care’s are for the rich peoples like Bush. Even medical transportation services are the best service providers.
http://www.1800ambulance.net
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