IMHO it is an abomination

[Stan]

When folks have to choose between Health Care and their home...

Of the top 20 developed countries there is only one that makes their citizens do this.

ANYONE care to guess which one? HINT

[Cosmin M.]

Canada?

[Gail]

Uh, no. That is NOT our problem!!

[Nan]

Not Canada, they provide.

The US.

How bad that what this man got at a discounted rate when he was insured, because of agreement between his

employer and the health care provider, he now must pay full price.

Does the US not have discounted rates for those on benefits like unemployment?

[phkrause]

How about the good old US of A! The only country I know that the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. What middle class? haha

pk

[there buster]

The country does not force such choices. If we would enact tort reform, we could reduce medical costs dramatically.

However, I DO know of a country that forced an 80 year old woman with cataracts to wait 8 months for an appointment to evaluate her cataracts, and even longer to schedule surgery, if any. That same country now insists that labor rooms be reserved 10 months in advance! How's that for planning.

Another country now authorizes involuntary euthanasia, if relatives and doctors concur.

And a third country had a large number of its doctors involved in a terrorist plot.

[Cosmin M.]

Insurance is one of the biggest mafias around. They take your money and when you ask for it to be given to you because you are sick they say no.

[phkrause]

Mafia huh, so I guess they just break your legs...

pk

[there buster]

Being able to buy medical insurance across state lines would also reduce costs significantly.

[Cosmin M.]

I am not joking pk.

[GoLions]

After 9/11 insurance rates for everything went sky high. My employer took on all of the expense. Except that our office visit and prescription pay also went up a little. It SEEMS as if, with the economic problems we are facing, that the govt. wants to us to go to socialized medical care. Lets see the govt. taking over banks, insurance, lending institutions, the auto industry and now MAYBE medical care. Other countries asking us for help in bailing out their banks and whatnot. Talk of having only one currency for the world. It all sounds like a big set up for a one world government. Which is pretty much needed for the time of trouble to occur.

It is through stories like these that will get the general population fired up for govt. to take over what has been the best health care system in the world. The govt. will not make it better.

[Cosmin M.]

Can you give us a source on the part with the one currency for the whole world? Thanks.

[Amelia]

All of the drug companies have plans where people can get free medicantions. All they have to do is apply through their doctor. Of course this does not apply to experimental medicines. Almost all clinics will let you pay monthly instead of all up front. Just ask at the billing office.

Here is what one drug company says about their free Rx program

Quote:

ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS

Patient Assistance Program

Patient assistance programs (PAPs) are programs created by drug companies, such as ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS, to offer free or low cost drugs to individuals who are unable to pay for their medication. These Programs may also be called indigent drug programs, charitable drug programs or medication assistance programs. Most of the best known and most prescribed drugs can be found in these programs. All of the major drug companies have patient assistance programs, although every company has different eligibility and application requirements.

The ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS patient assistance program offers free medication to people who otherwise cannot afford their medications. Patients must meet financial and other program specific criteria to be eligible for assistance.

To find out how to apply for medication assistance from the ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS patient assistance program, visit our Patient Center and use our Database to search for the medication needed.

In the U.S. you have to be proactive about your medical health. There is no or very little infastructure set up to get all this information to the people who need it. That is why so many go without. They just don't know how to find things out.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I agree with Cosmin. My husband has insurance with his employer, which he never uses, because he is one of those people you'd have to knock out and carry in on a stretcher to go to the doctor. We have the option of putting me on the policy, but have chosen not to do it. I do not like handing my money to some third party so they can tell me what I can and can not do with it. My preferred choice in general health care is not covered by insurers. There has never been a year in which my costs that would have been covered by insurance has even come close to what insurance would have cost.

I have thought in the last few years that maybe now that I'm getting older I should get put on the policy. But the coverage the company had the last several years would have been of little use to me, and would have tied up our entire medical budget paying for insurance, leaving us nothing for co-pays. None of my health care providers was on their list, meaning I would have to pay most of the cost anyway.

The company switched providers at year-end, but they could not find out exactly what policy terms would be offered until the names were in and they knew how many would be involved. Hubby's employer is a small company of probably 50 employees or so. I didn't want to put my name up and commit to an expense that would leave me unable to afford medical care at all, because of high co-pays on top of the cost of unsurance, so I am still without coverage.

[Gail]

Wow!

[GoLions]

Can you give us a source on the part with the one currency for the whole world? Thanks.

I may have jumped the gun on that one. Sorry about that. Here is one article that talks of the seriousness of the situation.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/02/22/germany.financial.summit/index.html

Also, the major press here in the states are in trouble, and may need "help" from the govt. (fox here's the hen house we need you to watch).

[Joe_in_RP]

Go Lions. Now that is funny.

For the non sports fans like me:

The Detroit Lions are the only team in NFL history to lose all 16 regular-season games, going 0-16 in the 2008 season.

[GoLions]

Go Lions. Now that is funny.

For the non sports fans like me:

The Detroit Lions are the only team in NFL history to lose all 16 regular-season games, going 0-16 in the 2008 season.

Being a lions fan, it helps to have the Calvinistic background, you know, you can never quite suffer enough

Growing up it would be OK to play catch with a baseball on Sunday...only if you didn't use a mit.

[Cosmin M.]

Alright, thanks.

[GoLions]

Originally Posted By: Cosmin

Can you give us a source on the part with the one currency for the whole world? Thanks.

I may have jumped the gun on that one. Sorry about that. Here is one article that talks of the seriousness of the situation.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/02/22/germany.financial.summit/index.html

Also, the major press here in the states are in trouble, and may need "help" from the govt. (fox here's the hen house we need you to watch).

Here is another link, still I jumped the gun on that statement.

http://www.mosnews.com/world/2009/03/06/156/

[Bravus]

And now, Stan, you know why that situation will continue: there is a massive number of Americans that thinks the solution (socialized medicine in some form) is worse than the problem.

[Dottie]

My husband has always had insurance. Now he is FORCED to take "medicare" for his primary, and another company for secondary. His insurance has paid for several hospitalizations for me, as well as heart surgery, and multiple types of medications. We happen to like it, and will keep it if and when he retires. He (at almost 70)is planning to work until he can't any more, or until forced to retire by the fiscal policies of our government.

By the way, now that we have change, how many of us have any hope (other than the Saviour)??

[GreatLakesGramma]

Politics is not the solution to our country's problems.

[Bravus]

Agreed: actually getting in and solving the problems is the solution. Unfortunately, politics gets in the way.

[Woody]

My husband has always had insurance. Now he is FORCED to take "medicare" for his primary, and another company for secondary. His insurance has paid for several hospitalizations for me, as well as heart surgery, and multiple types of medications. We happen to like it, and will keep it if and when he retires. He (at almost 70)is planning to work until he can't any more, or until forced to retire by the fiscal policies of our government.

By the way, now that we have change, how many of us have any hope (other than the Saviour)??

Medicare is my secondary and it really works out nice.