Originally Posted by Dusty1000

The ''waiting to see a doctor'' times concerns non-ER room situations. E.G. when you phone your local surgery and ask for an appointment.

Dusty

My experience has been for scheduling up my annual healthcheck, which has been 4 or 5 days. My doctor advises hitting the ER for medical emergencies, which of course is the better plan.

I consider 4 or 5 days for scheduled visits not unreasonable, I consider 12 hours or more for ER waits unreasonable of course, so I naturally prefer the US system.

When I lost a crown on my tooth, I got immediate service, to get it glued back in, and then scheduled a regular visit in two weeks, where I then got scheduled for an implant. Since I was never in pain or inconvenienced much, the wait was not too important. I'm pretty sure that if I had had any actual problems beyond the crown falling out, I would have been upped in the priority queue, pretty quick.


PS forget bridges, implants are the way to go!

Originally Posted by Dusty1000

Good for him. I hope he regains the ability to talk.

Did the health service supply him with the voice aid?

And, why do you think almost half of all adults on low income with chronic conditions in the US are reported to have gone without needed healthcare from 2009 - 2010 because of costs, if there is no cost?

Dusty

THe voice aid didn't cost him anything. Why people go without needed health care, I don't know. Maybe they don't know how to go about it, or maybe they are too proud to get something for nothing. I don't know. All I know is that my step son gets all the medical care he needs. And, it is good care

Originally Posted by mikefast

... Her son however can't, but HE STILL GETS EXCELLENT MEDICAL CARE. And, he hasn't had a drink in about five years.

It looks like a good number of people in the country who have chronic illness's and can't afford to get medical treatment don't get the same care your step son did.

Your son was the exception and not the rule

regards

Originally Posted by mikefast

the voice aid didn't cost him anything. why people go without needed health care, i don't know. Maybe they don't know how to go about it, or maybe they are too proud to get something for nothing. I don't know. All i know is that my step son gets all the medical care he needs. And, it is good care

people can't afford it!!

Originally Posted by erh7771

It looks like a good number of people in the country who have chronic illness's and can't afford to get medical treatment don't get the same care your step son did.

Your son was the exception and not the rule

regards

I don't know that he is the exception. Now maybe the blue states wouldn't be able to give people the care that we can get here in Texas, but I still believe that health care is available to anybody that needs it. My step son is probably the exception in the AMOUNT of care he needed. But, I don't know that others can't get at least an average amount of health care.

Originally Posted by erh7771

people can't afford it!!

I keep telling you that my step son can't afford it BUT HE STILL GETS IT. Why can't you understand that?

Originally Posted by erh7771

people can't afford it!!

Why did liberals put obama care down our throats when its proven that the cheapest plan will be $20k per year well out of the reach of most Americans?

Originally Posted by AintQytRite

Why did liberals put obama care down our throats when its proven that the cheapest plan will be $20k per year well out of the reach of most Americans?

I don't think healthcare was really the issue. I think control was more important to the present occupant of the White house.

Originally Posted by grumpy42

To my UK friends - this is a losing battle. American's just don't seem to get it. There is an overwhelming notion that just because something costs more it must be better. You merely have to look at the stats (as a whole) from those countries with universal healthcare. I am not saying that their outcomes are better than the US, but they are comparable. Some outcomes for some conditions are worse in the US while others may be better, but on balance those that have the privilege to receive healthcare are about as good in the US as other countries. Interestingly, there are major differences in outcomes within the US based on a patient's socioeconomic status

This conversation always devolves into some kind of food fight where people throw out isolated tragic cases or isolated statistics to try and prove that outcomes are somehow worse (or better) in one system or the other. This simply is not the case. The primary difference is ACCESS to QUALITY healthcare. Those countries with universal healthcare provide quality health care to all of its citizens. The US, on the other hand, has been content toss aside a percentage of their population so that the rest could receive what they feel they are entitled to.

This brings us to the tired rationing portion of the conversation. Americans typically argue that there is rationing where people die on waiting lists and old people are refused treatment. This is simply not the case - what does occur is TRIAGE -where those with more severe conditions are given priority (not those who pay more or have a higher tier of coverage). Now, what the US has been doing is essentially rationing, since there is a portion of the population that is denied healthcare so that the rest can get "what they paid for". It seems that many are okay with this arrangement because of some notion that those that cannot afford healthcare somehow deserve their predicament - they brought it on themselves.

Surely "the greatest, best country God has ever given man on the face of the earth" is capable cracking this nut...After all so many "inferior" countries have done it...

grumpy42,

I think we've noticed that...

Well, it's a problem for the US - but when (in most the threads, which are started by Americans, and talk about our NHS - normally with contempt) the thing that really grates are the attempts that we - actual users involved - give to counter the shrill ideological rants are just discounted, often with insults ('subjects', 'Freedom' and all that bollox.. . )

It seems to come down to this belief that nobody can do anything different and maybe be better than the good ol' US of A - despite any data provided!

(I've said before that some Americans ego's seem so big that a) they are legends in their own minds, b) you could send satellites to orbit it! )

Sensible people would examine all alternatives, and take parts of it to improve their lot!

Originally Posted by Norman Adlam

grumpy42,

I think we've noticed that...

Well, it's a problem for the US - but when (in most the threads, which are started by Americans, and talk about our NHS - normally with contempt) the thing that really grates are the attempts that we - actual users involved - give to counter the shrill ideological rants are just discounted, often with insults ('subjects', 'Freedom' and all that bollox.. . )

It seems to come down to this belief that nobody can do anything different and maybe be better than the good ol' US of A - despite any data provided!

(I've said before that some Americans ego's seem so bit that a) they are legends in their own minds, b) you could send satellites to orbit it! )

Sensible people would examine all alternatives, and take parts of it to improve their lot!

What works well for you just might not work well for us. I'm just trying to make the point that health care is available for ANYBODY in the U.S. Can our care be improved, I suppose so, but I don't think that obammykare is the way to go.

Originally Posted by mikefast

What works well for you just might not work well for us. I'm just trying to make the point that health care is available for ANYBODY in the U.S. Can our care be improved, I suppose so, but I don't think that obammykare is the way to go.

I agree!

But those that respond telling us that what we have is rubbish, or other such derogatory low-information comments, is unnecessary.

Originally Posted by Norman Adlam

I agree!

But those that respond telling us that what we have is rubbish, or other such derogatory low-information comments, is unnecessary.

Sometimes we have to, when some posters come on and say that the US healthcare system is bad compared to "comparable European Countries". Just like the OP attempted, with his comment about "Obamacare haters"..

Originally Posted by madsci_guy

Sometimes we have to, when some posters come on and say that the US healthcare system is bad compared to "comparable European Countries". Just like the OP attempted, with his comment about "Obamacare haters"..

This thread is unusual, in that it was started by a Brit, madsci!

There are many earlier threads haranguing non-US Healthcare systems - mainly at the time Obama was trying to address some of your problems, if I remember!

So, in this case it's more understandable

Originally Posted by Norman Adlam

I agree!

But those that respond telling us that what we have is rubbish, or other such derogatory low-information comments, is unnecessary.

We have heard horror stories about the long, long wait times in your system, just like you heard in this thread that no one but the rich or those with insurance get care. I suppose there is a bit of a lie in both sides of the story. My sister spent a few years in Canada, and had nothing but good to say about the system. But then she was in her late teens and early twenties when she was there, so, probably didn't have to use it very much. I, on the other hand, had had insurance most of my life and I can't fault our system at all. I have only had the best of care.

Originally Posted by erh7771

It looks like a good number of people in the country who have chronic illness's and can't afford to get medical treatment don't get the same care your step son did.

Your son was the exception and not the rule

regards

since when do people that dont pay get to buy the exact same things that people that pay do? I dont have a Mercedes like my boss does and im fine with that. People should be able to get better care if they want to pay more.