On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 02:55:24 GMT, "Bernard farquart"
He asked if anyone had experience with a health care system outside of the US.
I don't have direct experience, and I wasn't with him when it happened, but I believe the first-hand accounts I heard.
I've heard accounts of the British having to wait months and even years for medical treatment (surgery, or whatever). I think I've heard the same about Canada's health care system, although I'm not sure if I'm just confusing those with stories I've heard about Britain's NHS.
I'm sure I've heard of specific cases of Canadians coming to Houston for medical treatment. That's not a short trip to the hospital, is it?
One thing you seem to be ignoring is that if you show up in the ER in a US hospital, they will treat you even if your condition doesn't warrant a trip to the ER.
If you call 911, paramedics WILL come and they will transport you to the ER if necessary.
Most employers in the US have some form of health insurance and if you're not employed, there are gov't programs.
We believe in free markets, and unlike Canada, we believe that pharmaceutical companies aren't just in it for humanitarian reasons. We understand that they are motivated by profit and as such we do not put price controls on drugs.
One thing Bush said last fall that really irked me was to say that we couldn't import drugs from Canada because they were unsafe. He didn't have the balls to explain that we do not have price controls in the US and there is good reason that we don't have them.
Well, I guess this whole sub-topic is OFF-topic.
