A New Heart, Tangled in Red Tape

They say "Socialized health care rations treatment." In America it is rationed too. Those who have good insurance or lots of money get unlimited care. Those with poor insurance get some care. Those without money get almost none.

They say, "Socialized medicine causes long waits for care." The last time I needed to see a doctor, I had to wait two months for an appointment. A specialist may take a longer wait. Some inner city ER rooms, I have heard the wait can be all day or even a couple days.

They say, "America has the best healthcare in teh world." Midwives deliver 60-80% of babies in Europe and Japan at a cost of about 1/3 of what we pay. America has the highest mortality and morbidity rates for both moms and babies of any of these countries.

I have a friend in his 40's who paints houses for a living. No insurance. He hurt his arm. It can be fixed with an operation. He can't pay. He can go to ER without paying and get some pain meds, but no operation. He now paints houses with only one hand. HIs income is less than half of what it used to be.

"We have the best healthcare in teh world." Yes, we do. For some of us.