Less than three weeks ago, I was sitting at my desk, staring at my computer screen, when I suddenly felt a hair or piece of dust that was lodged in my right eye. After rubbing gently for several seconds, nothing happened. I then tried to rinse my eye with water; nothing happened. At this point, I realized I was seeing floaters in my eye. What I had thought was a hair was in reality a potentially dangerous situation that was threatening my eyesight. I called my optometrist, who agreed to see me later that day. After dilating my eyes, she saw that my retina was torn in at least three places with a long slit running along the bottom of it. She scheduled an appointment for me to be seen by a retina specialist for 8:30 that night. The retina specialist met me in the lobby of his building, led me into his darkened office that had been closed for the day, and performed laser surgery on me that took all of five minutes. My optometrist said that if I had waited until the next morning to take care of this, I would have had a detached retina and significant visual loss. I took a deep breath, feeling thankful and grateful that my blurry vision and floaters were not permanent...and that my doctors were so caring and willing to go out of their way to make sure I received the best possible care.
The next day, I started to wonder about the political ramifications of my situation. I had medical coverage. What would have happened if I hadn't? And what would have happened had I been in Canada or England or another country with a health care system much different from that of the United States and I needed to be seen by a retina specialist in a few hours? Would I have been seen right away or would I have had to wait for days or weeks to get an appointment?
The Wall Street Oasis forum gives us the opportunity to explore this issue beyond having a preconceived notion of what the correct answer is. I would like to learn more about the ramifications of universal health coverage and the effect that Obamacare will have on our economy. No one wants to see the cost of health care in this country skyrocket, nor does anyone wish to have the quality of that medical care decline. However, I would imagine that people would be equally disinclined to deny medical care to patients who really need it--especially in life threatening situations.
I suspect that the solution to the health care controversy begins with being able to listen to all points of view with an open mind, so let's hear what everyone has to say!
who cares
I live in Australia. Have family members in USA who are Doctors who admit life-threatening or not the first thing they look at is the insurance policy of the patient.
Secondly, you are lucky to be able to afford health care where you got covered.
Thirdly the thing about health care in Australia is that everyone who earns around 18k and over pays for Medicare. Then after a certain salary I think close to 90k they are charged a Medicare levy if they don't have health insurance. It works out much cheaper for most people to get health insurance. This way the pressure is taken off the medical system.
As far as waiting in line. It depends. The more urgent your situation the faster the doctor sees you. A personal example. I was at university and was using a bench grinder after completing an exam. Due to exhaustion my hand slipped and I cut one of my fingers very badly. When I couldn't find a proper first aid kit I decided to go to doctors on campus who accept medicare (btw not all doctors do... once again where private can work with public health care). When I went to the receptionist she told me they were fully booked, but the moment I showed her my bleeding hand they ushered me in an a doctor saw me immediately. They used two anaesthetics, a mini scalpel and god knows what else and I was caused no hassle or expenses. On top of that I didn't even have to worry about showing them any cards since I just walked in, so they looked up my patient information from previous visits. However had I gone with something minor I would have had to wait or make an appointment.
Healthcare does work. But if an economy is already in a bad shape maybe its not a good idea. Then again pointless wars could be stopped to save some money and channel it for people's health. I just don't get the constant propaganda in American media where health care is criticised as a stupid idea.
Nice eyes dude
http://i.imgur.com/vV2sD.jpg
There is no governement involvement in the eye surgery field and prices are falling while the quality of care is going up.
For the rest of healthcare, simply get the governement out of there so doctors can compete for clients.
There are more clients than doctors on any given day. No need to compete for anyone.
Obama is a fucktard.
i LOVE obamacare.
This is not a very clever post. There's no such thing as free healthcare ANYWHERE. Someone somewhere pays for it. Just like Obamacare. Just like the current healthcare in the US
i lived in the UK for 10 years. I never EVER lacked for medical care, not ever. Regular checkups, the works. And when my son was born, we had a health worker checking on us every two weeks, checking the baby's weight, making sure he was growing, the works. I also had private care (cheaper than here of course) so the one time I had a sports injury, I got an operation within a week.
The difference however is for the poor people. In the UK, they all get medical cover. ALL. There's a section in your payslip that increases with the amount you earn. It's simply health insurance for everyone, regardless of income.
Government is simply people working together as a society, as a community. I have friends from Africa who were able to go to graduate school because their community banded together and donated money towards scholarships. you know, socialism, taxes, etc.
Why stop there? Your higher taxes currently prop up the finance industry, they pay for schools, pay for roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
Fact: Obamacare is not your problem. Well, at least not yet.
Interesting story Howard.
I respect Obamacare for its principles. Any civilised first world civilisation needs to take care of its vulnerable people regardless of their income. But you're talking about a healthcare plan that's asking people, and the cash-strapped State, to pay into it at a time that the north-end of the demographic curve is about to go postal. Trouble. Pension payments are going to be crippling enough.
It's just not affordable for an economy the size of the US...especially this late into the game. Europe had a head-start & so is better off because it has that buffer.
@ Cluelessfromoz I hear you. Some of the anti-Obamacare vitriol back in the US is a bit OTT. Still, the plan has serious flaws that need to be addressed.
^^^
I agree 100%.
"The next day, I started to wonder about the political ramifications of my situation. I had medical coverage. What would have happened if I hadn't? And what would have happened had I been in Canada or England or another country with a health care system much different from that of the United States and I needed to be seen by a retina specialist in a few hours? Would I have been seen right away or would I have had to wait for days or weeks to get an appointment?"
What would have happened if you hadn't had the resources (either cash or PPO) to get a specialist there right away? You would have lived with decreased vision for the rest of your life. Duh. That's what happens to people without resources. It doesn't matter where you are. The relative income/life expectancy correlation holds right down the smallest unit. If you are on Medicaid in America (depending on your state) if you go to the ER for a fast moving infection, you'll probably be denied by the social worker as they'll tell you to make a PCP appointment for an infection. At that point you hope its not SO fast moving that you lose a leg or die while waiting for one of the small percentage of PCPs that take medicaid reimbursements to see you. There are VERY few health systems where this isn't the case...France, the UK and maybe Germany if you are in the right area are the ones I can think of. But in the vast majority of the world people just live with the detached retina, or the slipped disc, or the failing heart or the broken teeth.
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