[All_Smiles_RN]

Originally Posted by catcolalex

with sue-happy lawyers looking for outlandish settlements, illegal immigrants recieving all the health care they need, and politicians wanting it all to be free

You've got that right, that's a big part of the problem!
...Jennifer...

[efy2178]

Living in the Midwest and working at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics I would have to disagree with some of the statements. We serve indigent Iowans from all over the state many of whom cannot pay for care. Yet they receive the best healthcare has to offer. Especially those who receive care for Ophthomology, ENT, Orthopedics which ranks tops in the country if not the world. I work in the Heart Care clinic and often refer patient to social workers who do not have health care but can apply for 'state papers' and get the necessary care. However, we are not the 'poor man's' clinic.
I take some issue with this article suggesting that we (the US) are very lax. Yes, as a world power we should be tops but being 13 in accordace with this rating criteria is not neccessarily the worse. MOST countries have little more than palliative care without medicine. OK, many of the European countries fare well but again I don't think you can say all of healthcare is worse off given their benchmarks. I work in Heart care. How does infant mortality measure that? Or low birthweight babies? Point is there are many benchmarks missing.
Definitely I think we need improvement. Definitely I think there are those in control who make too much money for what they contribute while those without money to pay for medicines (which, BTW are produced in the US and sold cheaper in Canada--same drugs but sold cheaper because of bulk buying) struggle deciding whether they should pay for food or medicine. I certainly believe in healthcare reform but it will be a long haul. My best advise is what I have known for many years now. Want good health care? Ask a nurse who should you go to and where to go. They know.


'Your system is mine too. I'm an American citizen so I still have the right to "choose" to live anywhere I want. And yes, I choose to benefit from the system where I live and I also contribute to it, same as everybody else. Where did I badmouth the US exactly? I am honest about the problems with the American healthcare system, just like I am with the Canadian healthcare system. What's the problem with that? Should I pretend the US system is perfect? Why the defensive reaction?

As far as the second statement you don't like, I'll explain. I don't believe people should be denied care because of money and I don't like having to constantly be thinking about it at work (seeing the treatment of the medicaid vs private pay, seeing the hospital lay off workers because they have been stiffed on too many bills, etc). It isn't something you see in Canada. I like my wages here in American dollars because putting my American dollar paychecks on my Canadian debt is helpful thanks to the exchange rate. It's simply an honest discussion of the pros and cons of living in each country. I maintain the US has more opportunities for nurses, but it isn't where I would want to get sick. Life is always about tradeoffs and that's the one I have made for now. I will most likely choose to live in Canada again in the future where my career opportunities are not as good, but the benefits are better. If you can point me in the direction of a perfect country, I'll happily leave and stop annoying you.[/quote]

[fergus51]

I don't know what part you disagreed with? The part that money plays a role in care? I don't mean to imply that ALL care is ALWAYS just about money in the US, just that it is a factor and it does impact certain aspects of care. I don't think it is possible to ever say anything that applies to every healthcare institution in the US or Canada for that matter since both countries are so huge. What happens in a small town in Iowa is going to be very different from a large city in California for instance.