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| |  Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help.
Hello Foreigners!  If you live in a UHC country, I would like to know your opinions on your health care system. Specifically:
Are you aware of the rate of medical bankruptcy? How common is it in your country for a person to file bankruptcy because of medical costs? Does it happen?
What about choice? Are you free to choose any doctor you want and do you feel you have a say in your treatment, or do you think the system makes the choice for you?
Concerning culture, what's the general ratio (you can estimate) of those in your country who are for or against the current UHC plan? How are the proponents and those who foster the UHC viewed through a cultural lens? (e.g. “People who support UHC are free-loaders and losers”.)
Concerning quality of care, what about these terrible wait time that Americans hear about? Is that true? Are you receiving poor care because of the system?
Is your system sustainable?
Is your UHC coverage guaranteed? Has your coverage ever been denied ( or others that you are aware of ) and for what reason?
Please tell what country you are from and feel free to discuss anything at all about your UHC system, the good, the bad, the inbetween.
Thanks!
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| | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 2 | 
Apr 20, 2009, 09:42 PM
Re: Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help.
OK, here's my take on things. Originally Posted by GCTMT  Hello Foreigners! If you live in a UHC country, I would like to know your opinions on your health care system. Specifically:
Are you aware of the rate of medical bankruptcy? How common is it in your country for a person to file bankruptcy because of medical costs? Does it happen? Very uncommon. I was discussing this with a group of coworkers recently and amongst the group of six of us none of us had ever heard of a case. I did do some research online but unable to come up with any indication of this happening.Not to say it would never happen but I can't see it. Things that are not covered are pretty trivial.
What about choice? Are you free to choose any doctor you want and do you feel you have a say in your treatment, or do you think the system makes the choice for you? You can go to anyone you choose and you can make your own treatment decisions.
Concerning culture, what's the general ratio (you can estimate) of those in your country who are for or against the current UHC plan? How are the proponents and those who foster the UHC viewed through a cultural lens? (e.g. “People who support UHC are free-loaders and losers”.) Generally we have a much different attitude towards our system than people looking in from the outside. I would say that most Canadians wouldn't trade our system for another, even though it is not perfect.A tax payer funded system that ensures care for all is just a way of life for us and I have not personally heard anyone express the attitude you mention.
Concerning quality of care, what about these terrible wait time that Americans hear about? Is that true? Are you receiving poor care because of the system? I can't say that wait times don't exsist but they are not as bad as they are made out to be. Urgent and emergency treatments are dealth with promptly, elective and nonurgent produres are sometimes a different story. As in any system you do hear horror stories and some cases fall through the cracks but this is not the norm. We recieve generally good care.
Is your system sustainable? I don't know.
Is your UHC coverage guaranteed? Has your coverage ever been denied ( or others that you are aware of ) and for what reason? Coverage is never a question. All licenced practitoners and health care facilities are compensated under the system.Certain things are not covered and some people supplement with private insurance but the big stuff that would lead to bankruptcy are certainly covered. I have to pay for dental care but my eye care is free because I am diabetic and there is a free foot care clinic in my area which I can make use of as much as I need to. I get checkups regularly with the chiropodist and get my nail care done there as well. UHC pays for care from all licenced practitioners including specialists and healthcare facilities.
Please tell what country you are from and feel free to discuss anything at all about your UHC system, the good, the bad, the inbetween. I am from Canada and I am grateful for our system. As a single parent I never had to wonder if I could afford to get the care my children needed. My eldest daughter was born at 24 weeks gestation and required 15 weeks in the hospital. She had specialists treating her and was at one of the best hospitals in Canada. They never hesitiated to do what ever they needed to to ensure her survival and she received wonderful care. We had follow up care with specialists for two years afterwards as well. This was all covered. These are just my observations. Maybe others have more to add.
Thanks! | | No. 3 |
Apr 23, 2009, 04:02 PM
Updated
Apr 23, 2009 at 04:13 PM by sharrie
Re: Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help.
I've put my answers in red for your Originally Posted by GCTMT Hello Foreigners! If you live in a UHC country, I would like to know your opinions on your health care system. Specifically:
Are you aware of the rate of medical bankruptcy? How common is it in your country for a person to file bankruptcy because of medical costs? Does it happen? It's not something I've ever heard of in the UK, nor have any of my colleagues so I would say it's very rare.
What about choice? Are you free to choose any doctor you want and do you feel you have a say in your treatment, or do you think the system makes the choice for you? You tend to choose a general practitioner within your area but there are usually more than one doctor in each surgery so if you don't get on with a doctor you can chose another. For referrals to secondary care your GP will usually refer you to the local hospital or regional specialist. I suppose that choice of medics would be less than in the US as you don't actually go and pick your doctor you go to the one that is within your area and referrals to other doctors are made from there
Concerning culture, what's the general ratio (you can estimate) of those in your country who are for or against the current UHC plan? How are the proponents and those who foster the UHC viewed through a cultural lens? (e.g. “People who support UHC are free-loaders and losers”.) I think that the NHS has been a part of UK culture for that long that healthcare for all is considered as a right, I don't think that there are many who would consider those that support it as free loaders. It's a way of life, you don't have to pay for healthcare and we pay national insurance.
Concerning quality of care, what about these terrible wait time that Americans hear about? Is that true? Are you receiving poor care because of the system? The waiting times in the UK are vastly improved to what they used to be, we are not perfect and there are some specialities that struggle to meet the government targets. Your time to treatment for non urgent patients should be 18 weeks and within my area we are achieving this (just) urgent treatment is treated much more quickly for cancers we are trying to achieve 1 month.
Is your system sustainable? I really don't know, there have been so many cutbacks and staffing problems where I work, there are times that I wish we did have a different system but I am not sure that I would want to give up the right to healthcare as a compromise.
Is your UHC coverage guaranteed? Has your coverage ever been denied ( or others that you are aware of ) and for what reason? Coverage is guaranteed, although there are some treatments or drugs that may not be covered if they are felt to be too expensive for the benefits that they provide, that's not to say too expensive because of the money but the benefits do not warrent the cost to the NHS if that makes sense.
All care is covered including medical treatments, therapies and some dental work although finding a NHS dentist is quite difficult. We get free prescription medicines where I live as well so we don't pay for any drugs or dressings
Personally I am very grateful for our healthcare system as I have spent the last 2 years needing surgery and post op care / physio, combined with being unable to work because of an injury for 6 months and I had full pay for this time, I dread to think how I would stand financially if I didn't live and work in the UK health service
Please tell what country you are from and feel free to discuss anything at all about your UHC system, the good, the bad, the inbetween. UK, I like the idea of healthcare free at the point of access, I don't mind paying extra national insurance to cover it, I've always done it so I don't notice that it's not there. I do feel that nurses and nursing is a scapegoat because of underfunding, poor care is blamed when there are too few nurses on the wards to be able to provide adequate care.
I don't like identifying a need for a new service and then being told that there is no funding and it's going to have to be done neutral cost _ HA!!!!!!!
I don't like the fact that in August we are going to have to reduce our junior doctors ours to 48 hours a week and again this has to be neutral cost. How on earth are we to manage that.
I dont like that social services and healthcare are 2 different entities working to different targets, so that when we say we need to discharge a patient because they are medically fit it can take weeks to get a social service input and a placement in appropriate care. Then we have surgical patients in inappropriate areas because the surgical beds are full of those that should be in rehab / care homes / residential homes
We have a good pay structure, and excellent holiday and sickness benefits with 27 - 35 paid holiday days annually and 8 bank holidays, 6 months full sick pay and 6 months half pay. The pension is one of the best in the UK.
I like the concept and idea of universal healthcare and subscribe totally to it, but I do think that we need to do it better in the UK.
Thanks! | | No. 4 |
Apr 23, 2009, 04:50 PM
Re: Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help.
Canada again.
Never heard of anyone going bankrupt due to healthcare costs. Thought only Americans did that.
We're free to choose the family doctor of our choice, if they have space in their practice. Referals to specialists are at the GP's discretion or if you have had good reports about a specialist they will usually refer to your choice.
Emergency and urgent care happens when you need it. Personally I was diagnosed on Friday evening and had surgery Monday. Not life threatening but painful.
Elective surgeries are usually where waits occur. But having said that there are time frames in place in my province ie: hysterectomies: usually from diagnosis to surgery under 90 days. Hip and knee replacements, the waitlist usually depends on where you live.
Sustainability? Hhm, that depends on what is considered realistic. Should every alternative treatment be available or should only basic healthcare and surgeries be covered? Is Bariatric surgery a need or a want?
Never been denied coverage or service.
What do I find bad? People's unrealistic expectations that everyone should be saved or fixed because the taxes pay for it. Is it realistic to full code a 98yo with kidney failure, brittle diabetes, and a history of MIs? Should breast reductions be paid for? Should bariatric surgery be available without a documented history of weight loss efforts?
I loathe it when family members tell me they pay my wages, I've had to bite my tongue and ask them if they'd do what I do for $28/hour. My taxes contribute to police, fire, EMT, education, and yes healthcare and I've never used that line on a teacher or police constable.
Do I want two tiered health care? No. I honestly don't believe that because you can buy your way to the top of the surgical list you should be able to. My hospital fixes those hip surgeries, gastric bands, and breast implants done overseas and that have gone wrong.
| | No. 5 |
Apr 23, 2009, 04:54 PM
Re: Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help. Originally Posted by GCTMT Hello Foreigners! If you live in a UHC country, I would like to know your opinions on your health care system. Specifically:
Are you aware of the rate of medical bankruptcy? How common is it in your country for a person to file bankruptcy because of medical costs? Does it happen? Never heard of it, the only time people talk about money is for treatment not ocovered by the nhs some IVF and new life to years cancer drugs
What about choice? Are you free to choose any doctor you want and do you feel you have a say in your treatment, or do you think the system makes the choice for you? you can choise your GP. in my area you have (chose and book) whereby you get to pick the facility oof treament for refereals to secondary care and you can dissucs with your gp i think what conultant ou are reffered to.
Concerning culture, what's the general ratio (you can estimate) of those in your country who are for or against the current UHC plan? How are the proponents and those who foster the UHC viewed through a cultural lens? (e.g. “People who support UHC are free-loaders and losers”.) The NHS is part of our culture a sacred cow that can be tinkered at the edges but never drastilly changed. Their are some who gold private insurance who would like not to pay national insurance as thye don't use the NHS but their is no provate helath providers of emergency health care.
Concerning quality of care, what about these terrible wait time that Americans hear about? Is that true? Are you receiving poor care because of the system? emergency and urgent care is given immediatly, non emergent and elctive care ahas 18weeks targets. Care is rationed and at times decison are based on clincial need using the whole picture not pt perfernce always. As you may know what someone wants and what they need can be different.
Is your system sustainable? Not sure medical costs are increasing as new treatments cost more. our system was set up in the idea we could treat the causes within years of its conception but the defintion of what helat care is is ever changing. perhaos we will need to mae decisons as a nation to what we want and what we are prepared to pay. I feel at times that because we don't get a bill pt aren't aware of the cost of care yet depmand services.
Is your UHC coverage guaranteed? Has your coverage ever been denied ( or others that you are aware of ) and for what reason? never for me we but have a clinical body called NICe that decides if treatment drugs are efficent use of money therofore soem treatment comestic., IVF and life to years cancer drugs are denied as not efficent. or are only funded for a limited amouth of time.
Please tell what country you are from and feel free to discuss anything at all about your UHC system, the good, the bad, the inbetween. The UK
our UHC is taxpayer funded exclusion at free at the point of use are dental optican and prsciptions i'm in engalnd so we still pay (Wales. Scotland and Northen ireland have simialr but different policys) However if a gp writes a prescritpion the pharmicist will advise you if he can sell you it without a prescription in a simialar form .
I wish the part of the general public and the tabliod media would unerstand more of what goes inot providing healthcare and when they scream about a lack of funding in an area they report what good there is in that area. I would hate to be the ones makong the decions to fund or not fiund some aspect of care. however i wish that the nothern ireland model of intergrated helath and social care existed in england so that discahrging pt who need social care was smoother as pt are coccuping hosptal beds as unless care is in palce to go home they will bounce back in as a social problem(it still happens though
Thanks!
hope this helps
| | No. 7 |
Apr 24, 2009, 08:35 PM
Re: Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help.
I've related all of this before on similar threads, but I don't mind repeating it if people don't mind reading it. I was born and raised in Canada, except for the last three of my teen years which were spent in Duluth, Minnesota.
I have had three high risk pregnancies and two crash C-sections, the second of which came after a hair-raising helicopter med-evac. My youngest child was born with a transposition of the great arteries and the palliative procedure failed within hours, so he had 7 hours of open heart surgery on his second day of life. He spent the first 15 days of his life in hospital, most of those in NICU. He was readmitted only a week later with suspected necrotising enterocolitis and spent 4 days in isolation before it was determined to be something benign. Costs to us for his delivery, surgical repair and hospitalization? Gas to and from the hospital.
When he was 2, he was diagnosed with stage 4 (multi-system) Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a malignant blood disorder. What followed was a series of diagnostic tests, 3 1/2 years of chemotherapy, several radiotherapy treatments, numerous brief hospitalizations, subsequently leading to end-stage liver failure. The cost to us? His antibiotics for when his WBC was just too low to protect him.
When he was 5 1/2 he was worked up for a liver transplant and had that surgery 10 weeks later. That led to 155 days in hospital, 49 in PICU. He had complication after complication and was near death several times before ultimately recovering. With a severe brain injury. He received physio, OT, speech therapy, custom made bracing for his spastic limbs and long-term follow-up of the heart defect, blood disorder, the liver transplant and his brain injury. Our costs? My lost wages for 6 months and parking costs. A service group paid for my Ronald McDonald House stay and my husband's employer paid for the plane fare for him and our daughters to fly to the hospital where the transplant and the brain injury took place, at the time it was thought he would not survive. We were able to take out a low-interest loan to cover my lost income, and 20 years later it's like a dream.
Our daughters have had many athletic injuries requiring physio, bracing, and for one injury there was a surgical repair needed. One of them has also had several gyne procedures and there ahs been no financial burden placed on them either.
As I've gottne older I too have had a number of health issues that ultimately led to surgical treatment. No financial impact fell on me for any of them except for the cost of parking at the hospital for the pre-op diagnostics.
Of course there are problems in our system. But no one here loses their home because of health care bills. In constant terms, the per capita cost of universal health care in my province has been relatively stable for more than a decade. Can it be all things to all people? No, nor should it be. Common sense and a focus on the common good will eventually bring improvements. Canada sees things from a community perspective more than an individual one and although there are a few who complain about their tax dollars being spent to provide health care for people they view as beneath their contempt, most of us like the notion that all of us are going to be looked after in our moments of need.
| | No. 8 |
Apr 27, 2009, 08:20 PM
Re: Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help.
To give you some background, I moved from the UK to the USA in 1999 at age 27 with a five year old child, Are you aware of the rate of medical bankruptcy? How common is it in your country for a person to file bankruptcy because of medical costs? Does it happen?
It didn't happen in the UK. It would be unthinkable for this to happen. What about choice? Are you free to choose any doctor you want and do you feel you have a say in your treatment, or do you think the system makes the choice for you?
I went through pregnancy in the UK and could choose midwives and OB GYNs. I also had a lot of choice in birthplans and far more choice than US counterparts on natural birth (which I had in a birthing pool) than I would have in my local area in Colorado. Concerning culture, what's the general ratio (you can estimate) of those in your country who are for or against the current UHC plan? How are the proponents and those who foster the UHC viewed through a cultural lens? (e.g. “People who support UHC are free-loaders and losers”.) I don't think a lot of UK residents know any different from our National Health Service culture. To be charged for seeing a doctor is something you choose through signing up for private health insurance. Unlike Canada, there is a private system which is mostly offered as a perk in compensation for a job, though I say it is a perk and not a benefit which is needed like in the USA. My parents had private health insurance throughout their working lives, but stopped having it once they were retired. There are some grumblings about people who drink or smoke and then expect treatment for related illnesses off the NHS. However, it is well documented that the very high tariffs on tobacco and alcohol actually pay towards our National Health Service (NHS) Concerning quality of care, what about these terrible wait time that Americans hear about? Is that true? Are you receiving poor care because of the system? I can only go on personal experience and that of my family. I was always a healthy individual - most of us are at age 27 but my mother was given a quadruple heart bypass within a week of being diagnosed. It did take about three weeks from her reporting her symptoms to her GP, then going to specialists, to being given the go ahead for the surgery, so I suppose four weeks in all. My father had a TIA and was scheduled an MRI three days after leaving the hospital.
[i]Is your system sustainable?[I/] I'd have to leave that for current UK residents to answer. Is your UHC coverage guaranteed? Has your coverage ever been denied ( or others that you are aware of ) and for what reason? I was only covered when I was a UK resident. It's possible that some people are denied surgery however I'm not sure of the ins and outs of it. Normally it's something I read in the papers. As I work in a rehab facility in the USA I'm always amazed at how some 85 year old with alzheimers gets a total hip surgery and then dies a month later. I'm sorry she fell and broke her hip but I've never seen one of these surgeries in a very old patient with other underlying dx's go well. However, medicare will pay so under the knife they go. Please tell what country you are from and feel free to discuss anything at all about your UHC system, the good, the bad, the inbetween. I do think that the taxpayer shouldn't be funding some forms of elective health care, for example, IVF or sex change surgery. If you're that desperate for either thing you'll remortgage your house or do something dramatic but don't expect the tax payer to pick up that tab. I also think if you're looking for UHC and how it really works it would have been better to look at the UK pre 1997 when Tony Blair took power, look at Canada, look at Sweden, France or other European countries. But the New Labour government of Britain messed a lot of things up including our National Health Service.
Also, as a European that grew up with a National Health Service, I believe that health care is a right, just as Americans believe that having a police force might be a right. Just because you work at McDonalds does not mean your life is worth any less than the CEO of said organization. Just because my neighbours house is burning down, I don't think that my taxes are going towards the saving of his house and I wouldn't get mad or jealous about it. I'm just glad the guys house is saved, and into the bargain not catching mine on fire. Same goes for health care, surely? As a Colorado nurse we were meant to give care regardless of creed, color or status (read ability to pay). As a human being I want to do that, not just as a nurse.
| | No. 9 |
May 27, 2009, 02:56 PM
Updated
May 27, 2009 at 03:16 PM by scared'o'needles!
Re: Nurses in UHC countries, I need your help. Originally Posted by GCTMT Hello Foreigners! If you live in a UHC country, I would like to know your opinions on your health care system. Specifically:
Are you aware of the rate of medical bankruptcy? How common is it in your country for a person to file bankruptcy because of medical costs? Does it happen? Never heard of that happening, can't imagine it would.
What about choice? Are you free to choose any doctor you want and do you feel you have a say in your treatment, or do you think the system makes the choice for you? I recently moved and in the area I live there is 3 medical practices within walking distances , I chose one that was more convenient to me. The truth is I believe most GP's are there to provide a service, and how they deliver care and what services they provide are pretty much the same.
Concerning culture, what's the general ratio (you can estimate) of those in your country who are for or against the current UHC plan? How are the proponents and those who foster the UHC viewed through a cultural lens? (e.g. “People who support UHC are free-loaders and losers”.) I have recently heard remarks like this and that has been directed at immigrants. Mostly by politicians and Migration Watch (official government body). Our indiginous population pretty much see it as the right of everyone to be looked after(health wise) and do not have any qualms when paying tax for this purpose....when our tax is used for other things i.e., sex change, unnecessary cosmetic surgery, etc., (and I imagine gastric banding soon as that is one of the goverments initiatives (to reduce obesity), so lots of people will be getting that at the expense of other dept.s ) well that is a different story and there can be heated debates in the pubs, lol
Concerning quality of care, what about these terrible wait time that Americans hear about? Is that true? Are you receiving poor care because of the system? Ok, let me just put this into perspective a bit. Our system is not perfect, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Our system is driven by need and not ability to pay e.g., I woke up one day feeling sick, I went to the dr around 10'sh and by 6 in the evening I was in the OR having my appendix out. That was free at point of delivery, all costs assosiated were met by the social too, ambulance, rehab, sickpay, perscriptions etc. On the flip side I have a chronic condition and I waited 16 weeks for a test to confirm that I had a certain problem prior to getting proper treatment. I waited so long as I was not seen as an emergency. Having said that, I was not so ill I couldn't function, I was in pain at times and my social life suffered but now that I have been 'diagnosed' I will no longer wait for a review etc'. At the time I was pretty upset at the wait, but can appreciate the cause of it.
Is your system sustainable? God yes! Yes! and Yes again...the problems we are seeing in the NHS today as I see it, is mostly down to government policys and targets. Mismanagement of funding. Large amount s of our money was poured into the nhs when blair got in but instead of distributing it were it should be i.e., ward level (staffing, equipment) they have used it ineffectively, we have a computer system which is at best almost adequete, and for every bed in an nhs hospital there is now something like 1.2 managers. Not to mention government initiatives ( not the three killers though that is their only good one) Where are these people and what are they doing? I know in my ward there is regularly only 2 reg nurses caring for 20 pt's, so they are not in wards. What kind of nhs would we have if that money was redirected to frontline things (good I expect). I believe that the only barrier to this being a wonderful thing is goverment policys:-(. We pay more than enough in tax and only a small proportion goes on direct care. Governing bodys need to be held more accountable for what they are doing. Rant over
Is your UHC coverage guaranteed? Has your coverage ever been denied ( or others that you are aware of ) and for what reason? As mentioned in other replys certain things can be restricted, refused, but they have to provide good reasons for this. Personally I haven't heard of anyone being denied anything.
Please tell what country you are from and feel free to discuss anything at all about your UHC system, the good, the bad, the inbetween. UK ) I feel privileged to have the system we have. I have benefited from it as has many people I know. On the whole I have a lot of faith and confidence in this system. There are problems, but I do not think it is due to the fact that we cannot afford to offer these services, or that there is not enough money already allocated to it. I think any problems with the nhs are due to outside influences and that we can influence what goes on when we go to the polling stations.
Thanks!
Sorry for getting so political, can't help it:-( |
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