Universal Health Care
This is in a follow-up to yesterday's more tongue-in-cheek post.
The important realities of universal health care is not only that it exists in all the developed countries of the world aside from the US, or that health care is a human right for all people, or the actuality that we do have socialized health care plans in America (it's called Medicare and Medicaid), but that while no universal health care program is perfect, they do work for the majority of people. While I believe everyone, not just the majority should have health care that works for them, right now in the US the majority do not have good (or any) health care and the numbers are growing.
Yes, I know that here in the UK I play the 'postcode lottery' (referred to this way because medical practices are available by zone. for full disclosure purposes, there is more critique of the system ,here and here) with my universal health care that comes with my residence visa, and it's a hassle to try and get a new Dr every time I move. It's not a perfect system and it doesn't work for everyone. But it does work for most people who need preventative care, emergency care and maintenance for common medical illnesses. And I know that if God forbid, I should get hit by a car on my bicycle that I don't have to worry about a passerby calling an ambulance for me before my health insurance company can authorize it (if I did have insurance) or paying thousands of dollars for my medical care (should I be denied or not have insurance). And I know that I will never have to pay any more than £7.45 for a prescription that my doctor deems necessary. That I can go as often as I like to the doctor, (and people here do!) and there are no co-pays or forms to fill out, just me and my doctor. It eases my mind knowing that if I am too sick to get to my doctor they will come to me, at my house, or give me a consultation over the phone.
And you know what, comparing my income in NYC to a comparable income here in the UK I would be paying exactly the same amount in taxes.
Some of you reading this know very well why we need reform because you are in need of medical care and can't get insurance for one (or many) of the various cost-effective reasons the for profit insurance companies give. I for one would rather have a cost-effective health care system that was overseen by doctors and scientists in a not-for-profit arena rather than by business managers who are trying to earn bonuses. I would also rather have a universal health care program that is better than the existing ones around the world, modeled for contemporary US society.
But then, this is not just my opinion, here's one from our president:
Why We Need Health Care Reform by President Barack Obama
EDIT: here's another informative link on what health care costs for the US.
The important realities of universal health care is not only that it exists in all the developed countries of the world aside from the US, or that health care is a human right for all people, or the actuality that we do have socialized health care plans in America (it's called Medicare and Medicaid), but that while no universal health care program is perfect, they do work for the majority of people. While I believe everyone, not just the majority should have health care that works for them, right now in the US the majority do not have good (or any) health care and the numbers are growing.
Yes, I know that here in the UK I play the 'postcode lottery' (referred to this way because medical practices are available by zone. for full disclosure purposes, there is more critique of the system ,here and here) with my universal health care that comes with my residence visa, and it's a hassle to try and get a new Dr every time I move. It's not a perfect system and it doesn't work for everyone. But it does work for most people who need preventative care, emergency care and maintenance for common medical illnesses. And I know that if God forbid, I should get hit by a car on my bicycle that I don't have to worry about a passerby calling an ambulance for me before my health insurance company can authorize it (if I did have insurance) or paying thousands of dollars for my medical care (should I be denied or not have insurance). And I know that I will never have to pay any more than £7.45 for a prescription that my doctor deems necessary. That I can go as often as I like to the doctor, (and people here do!) and there are no co-pays or forms to fill out, just me and my doctor. It eases my mind knowing that if I am too sick to get to my doctor they will come to me, at my house, or give me a consultation over the phone.
And you know what, comparing my income in NYC to a comparable income here in the UK I would be paying exactly the same amount in taxes.
Some of you reading this know very well why we need reform because you are in need of medical care and can't get insurance for one (or many) of the various cost-effective reasons the for profit insurance companies give. I for one would rather have a cost-effective health care system that was overseen by doctors and scientists in a not-for-profit arena rather than by business managers who are trying to earn bonuses. I would also rather have a universal health care program that is better than the existing ones around the world, modeled for contemporary US society.
But then, this is not just my opinion, here's one from our president:
Why We Need Health Care Reform by President Barack Obama
EDIT: here's another informative link on what health care costs for the US.