Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rhonda Boyer on June 13, 2011 at 4:13pm

That is usually true.  However, unfortunately, there are times when things don't go well at certain VA treatment centers.  There was a VA dental clinic in the St. Louis area that had some problems a few months ago.  I must say, the place was temporarily shut down, and the problem corrected quickly.  I don't say this to discount the VA.  I only mention it because any institution can have an occasional problem.  A

I agree with you about the influence of drug companies on healthcare.  Also, the insurance companies have more control than they should.  I guess it is all a balancing act as long as profit rules the day.  How good the care is still depends on the individuals providing it, and their ability to do well, even with difficult, if not impossible, rules governing what they can do.

 

Permalink Reply by Grace Fitzpatrick on June 13, 2011 at 4:57pm

The VA is so variable from one hospital to the next.  Veterans really have to keep them on their toes to get the best care.  When we moved across the country and switched VAs, it turned out I was consistently getting good care every where, but dh was not.  He's getting much better care where we are now.  I feel like he's finally getting the care that he should have gotten 15 years ago.   At least with the VA, there's a system in place where you can complain and be heard. 

 

One thing I find annoying at our current VA is no one seems to work after three pm.  However, that is a city wide problem, because I could not get ahold of the water department or the trash removal people after 3 either even after multiple calls over several days.  I just take it to mean even if a business says it's open until 4:30, around here it means "will not answer phone after 2 pm".  Very annoying. 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Tonya Wynn on June 16, 2011 at 11:00am

Grace, the VA model is a GREAT example of how a public health care system would work: multiple suicides by veterans getting nearly no counseling, veterans living in very shabby 3rd-world-looking hospitals, nearly 90% of doctors imported from foreign countries...  yeah, REAL smart!!  

It can't work!  What is needed to improve America's health is each individual caring and studying up on their own health...reading and practicing good health and cleanliness.  Second, and far less important, more regulations on health care...perhaps grading doctors and setting A FEW set prices and rules...like clearly posting lab prices and medical procedures.

Will Faithless, the Chinese (and especially Japanese/Okinawans), take great cultural pride in being very proactive in their healthcare, mainly through diet and exercise. Westerners, especially Americans and Canadians,are VERY far behind.  America is the 26th healthiest country in the world, though tops in wealth.  Money and government is NOT the issue.  Culture is.  Ignorance is dangerous.  Educate yourselves!

Permalink Reply by Andrew Lowry on June 13, 2011 at 7:36pm

We'll all be better off when we learn to invest in each other, both in medicine and education. It won't happen in the U.S., because we're still stuck in the Cold War mentality that social programs=Communism. Or at least the Party of No is.

Permalink Reply by Chris Breman on June 14, 2011 at 1:49am

Here in the Netherlands we always had a very good system of non-profit healthcare insurance for everyone, and I was proud to take part in such a system. But they are slowly turning the system in the direction of the American example - there should be profit (for whom?) , you have to pay extras when you claim costs, there are ´own risk´costs and much more trouble.

But I should be glad that we still have got a common healthcare. It´s hard for me to understand why people would refuse such an insurance. Can anyone explain this to me?

Permalink Reply by Natalie A Sera on June 14, 2011 at 2:14am

No, no one can explain it to you because it is entirely irrational, governed by emotions played upon by our rich oligarchs who play the populace like a pipe organ. We are NOT a rational democracy, not by a long shot, and we are subject to the whims of the rich people who govern us, and they are not ABOUT to share what they consider rightfully THEIRS with anyone else, especially because they believe they EARNED what they have, and if the rest of us don't have so much, well, it's because we were too dumb and didn't work hard enough.

I would happily pay even more taxes than I already do if I thought it was for the common good, and not to line the pockets of corporate fat-cats. Capitalism taken too far is just as bad as communism taken too far -- Europe seems to be successfully treading a middle ground, and I hope they don't get taken in by Americanism.

Permalink Reply by Chris Breman on June 14, 2011 at 2:44am

Thanks for your reply, you made it very clear to me!

Here we are also stuck with more and more people who think along the ´money = riches´lines, and I hate that! You cannot even talk to them, they understand nothing of what you say.

If I say: education = riches, they only think of the money you can make that way, they don´t even know what good education does for you. They´re pathetic, even when they´ve got power.

Permalink Reply by Susi Bocks on June 14, 2011 at 9:36am

"They´re pathetic, even when they´ve got power."

i'd tweek this just a bit.. they're pathetic, ESPECIALLY since they've got the power.

Permalink Reply by Clarence Dember on June 16, 2011 at 6:54pm

Let's see how Europe and the wrest of the world take care of health care when they operate all of the military bases Americanism has built for their security once we stop providing that security.

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on June 16, 2011 at 7:45pm

Yeah, because none them have a military.  Could you be any more arrogant?

Permalink Reply by Clarence Dember on June 16, 2011 at 8:41pm

Perhaps if I was a war monger. Actually I feel no more arrogant than people who never served in the military mouthing off about how bad everything is with respect to every damn thing. What the hell do you mean could I be more arrogant? I'm not a rock you found in your back yard.

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on June 16, 2011 at 9:23pm

Rocks are arrogant?

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