General Medicine

» redback - Can't afford to get sick

'Sicko' has yet to screen here and I'll probably see it when it does.

This issue is about universal health care as provided by various countries contrasted to what the USA doesn't do. And what the US federal government and its citizens allow private health insurance companies et al to get away with.

Yep, private insurance is critical if we travel abroad, not least of which is the grossly obscene costs if we were unlucky enough to fall sick or injured in the USA. Option: Don't visit the USA if you can't afford travel insurance. In fact, don't go overseas at all without travel insurance. But the relative value and affordability of travel insurance is a different matter to private health insurance coverage and what people should get for their tax dollar eg public health systems.

If you are brave enough, go to Vietnam etc for various surgeries which will cost you far less than in your own country PLUS get a free holiday. But if it goes wrong, who ya gonna call?

Different countries have different costs of living...even State to State...so sometimes it's like comparing apples to oranges. But give me Australia's universal health care system any day. Even if we can't afford to buy the best warships from you.

-- posted by redback

» Jennifer Gerics - Can't afford to get sick

In response to Can't afford to get sick posted by redback:

Sounds like every healthcare system has its gliches, but it's all a matter of how much a person wants to spend for such gliches. I asked for some feedback about the Canadian health system and learned that there are problems with wait times, but people are generally happy with their system. Now if only I could get some personal stories about France, which appears to top the chart for satisfaction.....

» redback - Can't afford to get sick

In response to Can't afford to get sick posted by JenniferGerics:

I'm not sure to which chart you refer but the French system comes at some cost:
http://www.nchc.org/facts/France.pdf

Check for the last heading: 'What are the primary issues in France for health care'

In any public taxpayer-funded health care system, there has to be waiting times. I'd suspect one hell of a lot of wasted taxpayer dollars to think a surgical team should be on standby just in case I need it or that a major hospital exists in every hamlet.

I wonder if population and other factors make the major difference. France has about 60(?) million people and is less than the size of Texas. OZ has 21 million and excluding Alaska is about the size of the USA. The USA has 220 million and is its own size.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/profileguide.html

The above website gives standard comparisons but not much specifically on health care.

-- posted by redback

» Jennifer Gerics - Can't afford to get sick

In response to Can't afford to get sick posted by redback:

Hey Redback---

I'm trying to find some info about the ranking of the world's healthcare systems. Apparently, France is very high on the list for satisfaction and function. Yaeh, seems like in order to serve the masses, waiting is necessary. I'm in a densely-populated area myself (less than 2 hours outside of New York City.) I looked at the link you provided for France, but I'd like to find info from a non-US source, since the US and France aren't the best of friends. Seems the US is ranked low (37th?), so where is this "list", and who created it? On with the search!.....