[Peace-discuss] Healthcare elsewhere

[C. G. Estabrook]

[A counter to the silly things Rep. Tim Johnson is saying about health care -- 
and has said for a while.  Unfortunately apparently a good number of his 
constituents have been misled enough to believe him. The evidence that seems to 
work is anecdotal. --CGE]

	Katharine Zaleski zaleski at huffingtonpost.com
	International Health Care: HuffPost Commenters Share Their Stories

Last Friday I wrote about my experiences with a foreign health care system. I 
praised the quick, effective and very inexpensive treatment I received in 
England for a blinding migraine that kept me in a nauseated, bed-ridden state. 
My post brought out numerous stories from the HuffPost community about peoples' 
experiences with health care outside the United States. I wanted to highlight 
some of the stories posted under my piece.

alandkd:
I got pneumonia while in Germany for work. After seeing the doctor (she 
apologized for the half-hour wait because it was busy and she was the only 
doctor on call), within 10 MINUTES, she did an exam, an ultrasound, took blood 
for a test, and wrote an order for an X ray.
10 minutes to get the X ray, 10 more for it to be developed, and in another 10 
minutes I was leaving with a prescription. They copied my US health insurance 
card and didn't charge anything.

---
RAF3:
20 years living with the "inferior" Canadian system got me a knee 
reconstruction, an ankle reconstruction, a thumb reconstruction, 2 beautiful 
children born via C-section, multiple trips to the doctor and emergency room, 
etc. etc. etc.
Quality of care and surgery -- at least as good and as prompt at I have ever 
gotten in the USA.

Never cost me more than my monthly premium ($70 per month, more or less, for the 
family and included dental) -- lots of dental visits too, now that I think about 
it -- and a few minor co-pays at the drug store.


---
Artemis34:

"Go home and call the doctor!" my colleagues said.
I was in Argentina, sick, and like all good American workaholics, at work!

"I"m American, we don"t go to the hospital unless we"re going to die [because 
then you don't have to pay the bill]" I said.

Story continues below

They explained that I could get care in Argentina and I needn't worry about my 
pocketbook.

They sent me off to my apartment with a phone number. I called and shortly after 
a doctor and nurse ARRIVED AT MY APARTMENT!

They examined me, said it was going around my neighborhood, gave me medicine and 
a prescription if I needed more, and gave instructions for follow-up.

No bill, FOR A HOUSE CALL!

I lived in Argentina for four more years and was very satisfied with the public 
care.

We call countries like Argentina and Chile "third world" but they can deliver 
care to their people and the US cannot.

---

RuWii
some years ago my brother in law was vacationing in Madeira (an island of 
Portugal) where he had acute apendicitis and needed emergency surgery. He was 
operated on and had to be hospitalized for 4 days. His wife stayed with him in 
his room. Not being Portuguese citizen he had to pay for his treatment. Being 
American he was terrified. The bill came in under $200!

---
rextrek

A few years ago,I was on vacation in Costa Rico and got hurt...I had hurt my 
ankle/foot & by taxi went to the ER...got 2 xrays/and a RX for pain 
pills....with instructions to apply ice..but it was NOT broken! Whew....what a 
relief...sure,the rest of my week was spent with my foot up,ice packs - at the 
bar..and pool...at a total cost of $30...I can ONLY Imagine what it would have 
cost in America!
---
enilorac:
I was in a head on car collision accident in England a few years ago. My father, 
my mother and myself were wearing seatbelts, so we survived a bad crash. The 
most amazing aspect, however, was what Katharine experienced. An amubulance took 
us to the Emergency Room at the big hospital in York. We were x rayed, my mother 
spent the night under observation and my father and I were treated and then 
released.
The doctors and nurses, even the police, were professional, kind and very 
respectful. I filled out a number of forms with all our U.S, based addresses, 
etc. We never got a bill, just what I have described.
So I too, got treated to First World Health Care, and I know we would have been 
treated with the same respect and care for our health and safety, no matter our 
nationality, race or creed. Of course, as Katharine pointed out there are issues 
with the British system, but to its core it aims to care.

---
sodisenchanted:

I lived in Wales, UK for 16 months during 2007/2008. I have many health problems 
and won't begin to go into the problems I've had with insurance over the years.
I had to see a Dr. for an emergency as soon as I arrived in the UK and expected 
a huge hassle since I wasn't yet set up with NHS. I called the local surgery 
(Drs office) and had an appointment within 30 minutes. I saw a Dr. within 30 
minutes of my arrival there. I tried to pay but was told they wouldn't know what 
to do with payment. (This surgery became my regular Drs.) I walked across the 
street to fill my prescriptions and when I tried to pay was informed all scripts 
filled in Wales written by a Welsh Dr. were free. COOL!

This level of treatment continued for my entire stay and I miss my Welsh Dr. I 
did wait about 6 weeks for a first visit to a specialist. It takes 5 months to 
see the same kind of specialist here. I could always see my GP same day there. 
It's a 3 day wait here sometimes just to see the nurse practitioner. My Welsh 
Dr. diagnosed and solved 2 problems I couldn't get any of 4 Drs. here to 
acknowledge.

---
enzosmom:
My 70-year-old father was knocked down by a horse-drawn carriage in Florence, 
Italy this May. Although he didn't lose consciousness, we were worried that he 
could have a head injury not unlike that which took the life of Natasha 
Richardson. We went to the closest hospital, which turned out to be the 
smallest, most crowded, and, according to our friends, the "worst." He was 
triaged as a 'green" patient (stable) upon arrival, received xrays and an MRI. 
Because he's on anticoagulants for a heart condition, they wanted him to remain 
overnight for observation, but they didn't have a room. He was given comprensive 
discharge instructions in English, by the English-speaking doctor, along with 
the xrays and MRI, so that he could follow up with his physician in America. My 
mother and I followed the instructions with respect to observing him for the 
next 24 hours, with no complications.
He was not charged for the treatment. The entire episode lasted four and 
one-half hours.
This was Italy. One of the (relatively) less affluent Western European nations 
regularly mocked for its inefficiency.


If you want to see more comments go here. Unfortunately I couldn't include everyone!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/13/international-health-care_n_230961.html