Hamill was in Iraq to pay for a heart operation for his wife...SHOCKING!

[glarius]

I'm starting this thread because of something I heard this morning on CNN...The American who escaped from his Iraqi captors, Thomas Hamill, was apparently working for the Halliburton subsidiary KBR, in order to earn money to pay for his wife's heart surgery....This is unthinkable to anyone in Canada, or most other western democracies....Our universal health care covers everything, including the most expensive, complicated surgery. I know people who have had it (the surgery, I mean.)...My own husband, who's a diabetic with heart problems saw a world renowned surgeon in Toronto...Cost to us...nil....I'm not saying we don't have some problems....We do...which are being worked on...But everyone has equal access to all medical services and specialists....When I heard the report this morning about Mr. Hamill, I was reminded of a thread in The Lounge from Saturday, and a comment by a poster from the USA who bad mouthed Canadian health care. (I see he's been tombstoned since.) ...I'm not saying "see what we have and you don't", I'm saying I pray for you good American people to have a similar health care system, where you are all looked after without financial hardship.....:loveya:

[madmax]

1. Thank you, glarius

I've been saying this for years. The US can have as good a system as Canada. Yes, there are some problems but, Canada will work them out in time and the US could do the same. :hug:

[RobertSeattle]

2. My thoughts exactly

If it weren't for our convulted system where the middleman basically doubles the cost of medical care, Thomas Hamill would have never had to go to Iraq in the first place.

And where did Thomas Hamill go as soon as he was released? To the essentially "socialized" medicine provided by the US Military...

[Jacobin]

3. Unfortunately the drugs companies own the government here

as well as the "health insurance companies" which are nothing more than ponzi schemes for the plutocrats to raid.

Our government is soooo corrupt and bought off, I don't see anything reasonable happening on this front with the likes of the current crop of candidates of either party.

[Bertha Venation]

4. Yeah. It sucks.

I was on an MB for women needing/having/who'd had hysterectomies. I bemoaned the cost. Women from Canada bemoaned the fact that, although their need for the surgery was clearly proven, and they were suffering terribly, many of them had to wait for years for "their turn."

It's hard to say what I would've preferred for my sister, who suffered for years. FHMOBPOS* doctors kept telling her "you're too young, you don't need a hx; here try these hormones" -- which really means "you're still of childbearing years and we're not going to give you a chance to sue us down the line for robbing you of the ability to have more children" even though she was ready to sign her life away. She was on the verge of suicide for years because of how she suffered. In Canada they probably would've helped her more quickly.

(I got "lucky" -- mine was an emergency. They tend to take you seriously when you're bleeding to death during an exam. :shrug: )

* Fucking HMO Bastard Pieces Of Shit

[ewagner]

5. Thanks glarius

It has been sticking in my craw for years: In the US, the quality of your health care is directly proportional to the size of your wallet.

The way health care is trending, we will soon have a completely bifrucated system: Upper income will get all the care they need and the lower income will get rationed healthcare paid by government programs.

I'm so angry I could spit! I SELL HEALTH INSURANCE forcryingoutloud and I have had many people who simply cannot afford to pay for coverage and also so many with previous health problems who end up going into the state "pool" because the risk it unacceptable to private carriers.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[barbaraann]

6. My mother-in-law died of cancer that went untreated because

she did not have health insurance. She didn't tell anyone she was sick until it was too late.

The day she became qualified for Medicare (age 62) she did go in for treatment but by then she had cancer in every organ of her body but her heart and brain.

Republicans will do absolutely ANYTHING to insure that people like my mother-in-law have no access to health care. They are so evil, they'd probably be kicked out of a satanic cult.

[Lars39]

10. This happens a lot. I know several people to whom this has happened.

Another thing that happens is the person with cancer will start the treatments, claim that it just makes them too sick. The reality is that they can't afford the transportation or medicines. Just breaks your heart to hear. Sorry for your loss, barbaraann.

[barbaraann]

21. Your thoughts are appreciated.

I know a lot of other examples, too, but my mil's story is always the one that pops into my brain first. To me, her story is a clear case of murder by rightwing politics.

[lebkuchen]

7. I hope that piece of information filters into German news

Germans are upset w/Schroder because they are now having to pay more out of their pocket for medicine. It's still nothing like it is in the U.S., but the Germans fear they will "soon be like the US."

Of course, a lot of US soldiers are in the military because they feel they can't afford a college education. Higher education is free in much of Europe, all paid for, if you can make it into the
gymnasium. If not, vocational schools are paid for as well. You will receive free training in some profession.

[democratreformed]

8. Thanks for your prayers, glarius

I took note of the fact that he was there to pay for a medical procedure as well. Our health care is definitely a mess. I just recently paid off my last outstanding medical bill. Then, I got to thinking. It's the first time in TWENTY YEARS that I am not paying payments on some type of medical procedure. No kidding.

[seemslikeadream]

9. Eugenics is being practiced in America

It's the health care system.

[Lars39]

11. Yes.

Genocide happening before our very eyes. Most don't recognize it as such, though. We've been conditioned to think this is normal, the way things are supposed to be. :(

[seemslikeadream]

13. That's why some are not worried at all about outsourcing jobs

they're planning on the die off of a whole segment of the American population, the ones that used to have those jobs.

The whole world is in jail



& we're plotting this incredible jailbreak.

~Hugh Rommey aka Wavy Gravy

[Lars39]

14. That is the only conclusion you can make when they know longer

view us as human, needing food, shelter, medical care, etc. It's so warped and sickening.

[glarius]

12. I have actually seen Jerry Falwell say Cndn parents can't take their child

for medical help unless the child is delirious with fever!....What his stake is in opposing universal health care, I have no idea....Every time one of your politicians tries to do something about it, they are immediately said to be promoting "socialism" or even "communism"....It's ridiculous....The latest poll showed that 96% of Canadians want to keep our system....Do the people in the USA who oppose it think this whole nation is stupid?....

[readmylips]

15. My neighbors are Canadian citizens....

born in China. When they need major medical care, they fly back to Canada. The wife needed an operation last year and had it done in Canada. They have American health insurance through their work, but they say that it is still too expensive to use their work health insurance when facing a major health problem. They have no intentions of becoming American citizens just because of their much better Canadian health insurance.

[Randers]

16. I am hoping

this can be an issue at the Democratic National Convention.

It is sad how it is related to the Iraq War. :(

[newyawker99]

22. Hi Randers!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[dutchdemocrat]

17. Here in Holland

Most plans cover medication even (Prozac, AIDS drugs etc). They are pulling dental from the main government plan which has been hugely controversial.

All that for 42 euro a month.

Good doctors and good hospitals to boot. But the current government is chipping away.

http://www.zn.nl/international/english/about-zn/dutchhealthcare/background.asp

Canada's system is being privatized slowly but surely, which is a shame.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1083190209948&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

[glarius]

18. Don't believe it....Harper will NEVER be elected as P.M of Canada

He's trying to equate his health care plans with the Liberals, but we're too smart to buy his lies...The Liberals KNOW they must keep our system out of privatization if they want to stay in power...Anyway, I don't believe Martin wants to privatize it....

[Stuckinthebush]

19. In so many way, Canada is a much better country than the US

Health care among them.

But, we have heard all of our lives here in the good old US of A that there is no better place on earth to live and that we are the best democracy in the world. In fact, when you discuss problems with our system here in America, it is not uncommon to have someone say, "Well, at least it still is the best place in the world to live."

We've been brainwashed. The US is not the best place in the world to live precisely for the fact that we don't give a damn about our citizens. If you can afford health insurance, great - if not, tough shit, buddy.

That's not a characteristic of a great country.

[prolesunited]

20. Poverty draft in action

But in new and different ways. Can you imagine being so desperate as to risk going into a war zone to secure adequate medical care. Sounds like this man is literally risking his life to help save his wife's life.

No one should be EVER be forced into this situation. It's much the same story with education. Many of those serving did so to help pay for a college education because there were few options for them.

How many rich people have to risk their lives to obtain and education or health care?

They are going to do nothing to correct these situations because they need the cannon fodder. It will likely get worse.

They need angry, desperate people to wage their wars. How many happy and content people want to kill others?