5 Myths About Foreign Health Care

[Jim Schue]

Thought this was pretty interesting. It's a reprint that appeared in yesterday's C-J.

 

 

5 Myths About Foreign Health Care

[Clyde]

Dude, haven't you heard? Some BGPers actually KNOW Canadians so they know what you referenced is not true.

[cch5432]

FWIW, isn't Viagra from Pfizer, an American company?

[Jim Schue]

FWIW, isn't Viagra from Pfizer, an American company?

 

It was developed overseas, in the UK.

[cch5432]

It was developed overseas.

By American-financed labs.

 

Nevertheless, there are absolutely things we can learn from foreign healthcare, and the article does a good job discussing those. It's insane(ly awesome) that Germany has 200+ private insurance companies- I'd imagine repealing laws against interstate insuring would help with that over here.

 

I'm of the belief that automatically dismissing ideas because they come from foreign countries' healthcare systems is ignorant, as well as simply assuming that EVERYTHING about foreign healthcare is better. We should be debating specific reforms (laws on insurance across state lines, medical licensing laws, tort reform, government insurance vouchers, etc.) rather than criticizing or praising the broad term of "foreign healthcare."

[Jim Schue]

By American-financed labs.

 

Nevertheless, there are absolutely things we can learn from foreign healthcare, and the article does a good job discussing those. It's insane(ly awesome) that Germany has 200+ private insurance companies- I'd imagine repealing laws against interstate insuring would help with that over here.

 

I'm of the belief that automatically dismissing ideas because they come from foreign countries' healthcare systems is ignorant, as well as simply assuming that EVERYTHING about foreign healthcare is better. We should be debating specific reforms (laws on insurance across state lines, medical licensing laws, tort reform, government insurance vouchers, etc.) rather than criticizing or praising the broad term of "foreign healthcare."

 

I'll buy that for a nickel, and then some. :thumb:

[NEXT]

In Austria and Germany, if a doctor diagnoses a person as “stressed,” medical insurance pays for weekends at a health spa.

 

Sign me up.

 

 

On a serious note we need reform, and the 200+ private insurance programs would be a huge step in that direction and its more cost reofrm than actual system reform.......I think............

[cch5432]

Sign me up.

 

 

On a serious note we need reform, and the 200+ private insurance programs would be a huge step in that direction and its more cost reofrm than actual system reform.......I think............

Certainly cost reform should be the first step, IMO. However, a hypothetical- if a more systematic reform, such as government health care vouchers (i.e. government gives vouchers to each and every citizen, and those citizens use the vouchers to purchase basic health care from any private insurance company, and the individuals have the right to purchase more with their own money) would cost LESS, would you be opposed?

[Run To State]

It's not Foreign Health Care that concerns me, it's what this administration has proposed and the fact that they aren't willing to explain in it's entirety to us that concerns me.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I was wondering if how they are handling the Swine flu vaccine shots can be any indication of what it will be like with government health care.

 

According to a family member who works in a health department, not everyone will be allowed to get one.

 

The most suspceptible will be allowed while others will not.

 

She talked about a senior citizen who called in and was worried and she did not have the heart to tell him, he probably wouldn't be getting one since he is not one of the groups that are considered to be in danger.

[ladiesbballcoach]

It's not Foreign Health Care that concerns me, it's what this administration has proposed and the fact that they aren't willing to explain in it's entirety to us that concerns me.

 

I don't think they know since they have no plan.

 

As good as Obama has been in getting His plan out there and across, he seems to have lost his position on this one.

[Hatz]

I was wondering if how they are handling the Swine flu vaccine shots can be any indication of what it will be like with government health care.

 

According to a family member who works in a health department, not everyone will be allowed to get one.

 

The most suspceptible will be allowed while others will not.

 

She talked about a senior citizen who called in and was worried and she did not have the heart to tell him, he probably wouldn't be getting one since he is not one of the groups that are considered to be in danger.

 

Doesn't a private physician have access to that flu shot? Can the individual get the shot from that resource. Public funding only goes so far today (or any day) and they have to have some screening towards who best benefits from the flu shot.

 

I for one would be happy with the idea that I'm probably not at risk. :thumb:

[Jim Schue]

It's not Foreign Health Care that concerns me, it's what this administration has proposed and the fact that they aren't willing to explain in it's entirety to us that concerns me.

 

I don't think they know since they have no plan.

 

As good as Obama has been in getting His plan out there and across, he seems to have lost his position on this one.

 

Um, isn't it the Dem congress' plan moreso than Obama's? That's part of why Ted Kennedy's death was so untimely — he was one of the chief architects of it.

[Run To State]

Um, isn't it the Dem congress' plan moreso than Obama's? That's part of why Ted Kennedy's death was so untimely — he was one of the chief architects of it.

True, but as we know, the President gets credit or blame in most cases. At least, anymore.

 

Either way, my concern is legit.

[MountainThunder]

The CEO and HR director where I work have been going thru the proposed health care plan that may pass. The only thing that frightened them was that IF your companies insurance or health care expenses increase, the company would have to sign on to the government health care plan. I haven't read this as I did not read the proposal (but then again, neither have many of those set to vote on it), but this is what I was told. So technically, it is correct to assume that the government won't require you to change to a government plan UNLESS your plan's costs increase.

 

Correct me if I have incorrect information, but this is what I was told this morning.