American Health Care

[Queen Victoria]

Mitt Romney says that his Massachusetts health care plan is good for Massachusetts, but not for the rest of America.  I'm honestly stumped by that statement.  Besides the obvious answer that Massachusetts is better than the other states, what does he mean?

[jman]

Mitt is as Mitt does. He's a tool and is not fit to be President. Their's a reason the people of Mass. hated him.

But while we're on the topic of healthcare, one thing I do agree with him on is that Obamacare needs to go 

[renaeden]

Why does Obamacare need to go? (Not picking on you, just taking the opportunity to learn more about it)

[Lestat]

US health care sounds like it fucking blows.

The whole insurance thing....

I am so thankful for our NHS here in the UK. Yes, its often slow, and sometimes inefficient, but at least those in need, who are poor, don't get simply left to die if they can't stump up an obscene amount of cash.

Í have a friend in the US, who has Rett syndrome, and when her former employer screwed her over on insurance payments, she was simply left without her anticonvulsants, she is severely epileptic, and the US health care system would have literally just left her to die.

[luciaelizabeth]

I am so thankful for our NHS here in the UK. Yes, its often slow, and sometimes inefficient, but at least those in need, who are poor, don't get simply left to die if they can't stump up an obscene amount of cash.

I think the NHS is really good! I have never had to wait that long when I needed referrals and stuff. It gets waaaay too much flack!

Do most jobs in the US have health insurance plans?

[Callaway]

I am so thankful for our NHS here in the UK. Yes, its often slow, and sometimes inefficient, but at least those in need, who are poor, don't get simply left to die if they can't stump up an obscene amount of cash.

I think the NHS is really good! I have never had to wait that long when I needed referrals and stuff. It gets waaaay too much flack!

Do most jobs in the US have health insurance plans?

Many full time jobs do, but your wage you earn from doing the job might not be enough to cover the insurance premiums if it's anywhere near a minimum wage job, especially if you need family coverage.

[luciaelizabeth]

I am so thankful for our NHS here in the UK. Yes, its often slow, and sometimes inefficient, but at least those in need, who are poor, don't get simply left to die if they can't stump up an obscene amount of cash.

I think the NHS is really good! I have never had to wait that long when I needed referrals and stuff. It gets waaaay too much flack!

Do most jobs in the US have health insurance plans?

Many full time jobs do, but your wage you earn from doing the job might not be enough to cover the insurance premiums if it's anywhere near a minimum wage job, especially if you need family coverage.

It sounds confusing and scary! I bet free walk-in clinics aren't as nice as portrayed in House either.

Where do you guy's taxes go instead of the health service, then? Your schools must be rich.

[Lestat]

Not sure, I'm a brit, not a seppo

The NHS is really good on the whole, but I have had a lot of problems, getting referrals can take a lot of time.

And one problem I have, is that docs here can be REALLY conservative when it comes to giving out meds that can be abused. I've had to fight tooth and nail for YEARS to get on my oxycontin, before that all they would give me was first codeine, then dihydrocodeine.

I'm lucky in that I have a really compassionate, well educated doc that is good at his job, and won't leave me to suffer when I am in need. He still takes some pursuasion at times, when it comes to getting said possibly abusable meds, but he knows full well I know my medical procedures and pharmacology/molecular biology/neuropharmacology/cognitive neuroscience pretty well, and is willing to work with me when I have a problem that needs fixing.

And importantly, he doesn't judge me when he knows I use recreational drugs, and is often willing to let me have my meds early, if I am busy, or going away, etc. etc. etc.

I just got my oxy, chlormethiazole, clonidine etc. nearly a week early (giving me a nice extra lot that I can simply sit back and shoot up, not that he knows that I shoot most of my oxycontin. Lol I don't think he would be quite that forgiving and understanding :P:P)

Our taxes go to line the pockets of the greedy, self serving rat-bastard whoresons of syphilitic guttersluts that are our political underclass.

And one MAJOR problem I have with the NHS, is that I have tried, and tried, begged on my hands and knees almost, for memory supporting medication, but I can't get it funded. Even alzheimer's or dementia patients are routinely denied. As are cancer patients who need the latest medication to live, or to give them a few extra months or years of life.

For that, we have to thank an organization called 'NICE', standing for 'national institute of clinical excellence'

Who are certainly not excellent, clinically or otherwise. They basically just exist to find reasons not to fund medication for those in need.

[Callaway]

I am so thankful for our NHS here in the UK. Yes, its often slow, and sometimes inefficient, but at least those in need, who are poor, don't get simply left to die if they can't stump up an obscene amount of cash.

I think the NHS is really good! I have never had to wait that long when I needed referrals and stuff. It gets waaaay too much flack!

Do most jobs in the US have health insurance plans?

Many full time jobs do, but your wage you earn from doing the job might not be enough to cover the insurance premiums if it's anywhere near a minimum wage job, especially if you need family coverage.

It sounds confusing and scary! I bet free walk-in clinics aren't as nice as portrayed in House either.

Where do you guy's taxes go instead of the health service, then? Your schools must be rich.

You are right that it's very complicated and confusing.

I think the biggest part of our taxes go to people who draw money from the government, like people on Social Security, for example. 

Our schools are supported more by local taxes, although they do get some money from the federal and state goverments as well. 

Free clinics aren't that bad, but you're right that they aren't like the one on House.  If you walk in, you might have to wait a long time for care.

If you meet certain income limits, you can get low cost insurance coverage for your children, at least, even if you aren't poor enough for Medicaid, which is the insurance for the poorest Americans.

[luciaelizabeth]

I am so thankful for our NHS here in the UK. Yes, its often slow, and sometimes inefficient, but at least those in need, who are poor, don't get simply left to die if they can't stump up an obscene amount of cash.

I think the NHS is really good! I have never had to wait that long when I needed referrals and stuff. It gets waaaay too much flack!

Do most jobs in the US have health insurance plans?

Many full time jobs do, but your wage you earn from doing the job might not be enough to cover the insurance premiums if it's anywhere near a minimum wage job, especially if you need family coverage.

It sounds confusing and scary! I bet free walk-in clinics aren't as nice as portrayed in House either.

Where do you guy's taxes go instead of the health service, then? Your schools must be rich.

You are right that it's very complicated and confusing.

I think the biggest part of our taxes go to people who draw money from the government, like people on Social Security, for example. 

Our schools are supported more by local taxes, although they do get some money from the federal and state goverments as well. 

Free clinics aren't that bad, but you're right that they aren't like the one on House.  If you walk in, you might have to wait a long time for care.

If you meet certain income limits, you can get low cost insurance coverage for your children, at least, even if you aren't poor enough for Medicaid, which is the insurance for the poorest Americans.

It sounds sad  unless you have huge $$$ amounts. I feel really ashamed about bitching about having to pay like £7 for a prescription in the uk  shaaaaaame.

[TheoK]

So you don't live in Oslo anymore, eh? 

We have another system in Sweden. We pay at most 1900 kronor during a whole year for all medication.

[Callaway]

I am so thankful for our NHS here in the UK. Yes, its often slow, and sometimes inefficient, but at least those in need, who are poor, don't get simply left to die if they can't stump up an obscene amount of cash.

I think the NHS is really good! I have never had to wait that long when I needed referrals and stuff. It gets waaaay too much flack!

Do most jobs in the US have health insurance plans?

Many full time jobs do, but your wage you earn from doing the job might not be enough to cover the insurance premiums if it's anywhere near a minimum wage job, especially if you need family coverage.

It sounds confusing and scary! I bet free walk-in clinics aren't as nice as portrayed in House either.

Where do you guy's taxes go instead of the health service, then? Your schools must be rich.

You are right that it's very complicated and confusing.

I think the biggest part of our taxes go to people who draw money from the government, like people on Social Security, for example. 

Our schools are supported more by local taxes, although they do get some money from the federal and state goverments as well. 

Free clinics aren't that bad, but you're right that they aren't like the one on House.  If you walk in, you might have to wait a long time for care.

If you meet certain income limits, you can get low cost insurance coverage for your children, at least, even if you aren't poor enough for Medicaid, which is the insurance for the poorest Americans.

It sounds sad  unless you have huge $$$ amounts. I feel really ashamed about bitching about having to pay like £7 for a prescription in the uk  shaaaaaame.

I'm lucky enough to have pretty good insurance, but I have to pay a copayment of $15 every time I see a doctor, $15 for generic prescriptions, and $30 for name brand ones that don't come in generic form.

[TheoK]

I pay between $15 and $45 for seeing a doctor, but after I have paid about $130 I don't pay anything for a whole year.

[luciaelizabeth]

So you don't live in Oslo anymore, eh? 

We have another system in Sweden. We pay at most 1900 kronor during a whole year for all medication.

Yeah, I am still in Oslo. I'm British though, so that is why I know NHS meds prices 

[TheoK]

När ska du flytta till Sverige då?