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8/15/09

The Independent: The brutal truth about America’s healthcare

For the complete report from The Independent click on this link

The brutal truth about America’s health-care

They came in their thousands, queuing through the night to secure one of the coveted wristbands offering entry into a strange parallel universe where medical care is a free and basic right and not an expensive luxury. Some of these Americans had walked miles simply to have their blood pressure checked, some had slept in their cars in the hope of getting an eye-test or a mammogram, others had brought their children for immunisations that could end up saving their life. In the week that Britain's National Health Service was held aloft by Republicans as an "evil and Orwellian" example of everything that is wrong with free healthcare, these extraordinary scenes in Inglewood, California yesterday provided a sobering reminder of exactly why President Barack Obama is trying to reform the US system.Although the Americans spend more on medicine than any nation on earth, there are an estimated 50 million with no health insurance at all. Many of those who have jobs can't afford coverage, and even those with standard policies often find it doesn't cover commonplace procedures. California's unemployed – who rely on Medicaid – had their dental care axed last month.

3 comments:

Maui-Babe said...

What people don't know about American Health Care. You can go into any drug store and check your blood pressure free. Children can get any immunizations they need at the health department for free.
My daughter needed a Hysterectomy she didn't have insurance she was able to get it for free. You can walk into any emergency room and get treated right away.There are free clinics all over the country. My husband had neck issues spinal cord being damaged. He had surgery at one of the best spinal cord hospitals within a week of diagnosis bu one of the best Nuerosurgeons. It cost us $400.00 our insurance is medicare and suplimental at $90.00 a month. Where else in the world can you get such treatment. This article sounds like it is some propeganda. I have had personal experience right here in the United States. Just to let you know I was born and raised in Holland and nothing comes close to American health care.

Oranje Boven said...

Interesting comment from Maui-Babe, who given her screen name seems to live in Hawaii - nice place to retire if you have the money. Now for the facts: A "free" hysterectomy seems somewhat dubious, unless the daughter of Maui-Babe had a life threatening problem, or the State (one of the few) where her daughter is living has free Health Care for low income residents (like Maine). As to Mauii-babe and her husband, who had a spinal cord operation. He is one of the lucky ones because he is on medicare. But what about the more than 50 million uninsured Americans, who go to the Drugstore as Mauii-babe suggested, and find that their blood pressure needs medical attention, but have no insurance. For them, unfortunately, the party is over....Yes Maii-babe, nothing comes close to American health care when it comes to discriminating against those who have no insurance, or to those, who because of a poor medical record are not allowed to get insurance. Every citizen deserves a medicare type coverage. Not only those fortunate few who have paid into the system. Since Maui-Babe say's she was born and raised in Holland she should probably know better?

Maui-Babe said...

Interesting the comments. Maine is not where my daughter lives. I haven't answered in a couple of days I had a emergency I am not old enough for medicare and I am self insured had everything taken care of for $90.00 American health care is the best in the World when my cousin got cancer he came to the Us for treatment he would have had to wait for months but here in the states he got treated yes he had to pay for it. He couldn't do that in Europe. What I have to say there is medical care in The USA. All I ask for is for the same care the government officials get? Ha