Comments on: Sicko: Is the alternative any better?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:08:00 +0000

I'm from the UK and have to say the NHS (National Health Service) is pretty good actually. Only non-emergency treatments require you to wait for a few weeks, otherwise things happen pretty quickly. Blair has also pumped an enormous amount of money into the system since he came to power, which helps.

To be honest, when I read many USians objections to "socialized" medicine, it's more often than not like the tale of blind men describing an elephant i.e. they really don't have much of a clue what they're talking about.

I've seen SiCKO and I think, when you see it, you'll agree that universal health care is a basic human right and a truly wonderful thing (and perhaps the French make an even better job of it than us in the UK)!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 21:30:00 +0000

The author of this article is wrong. Kaiser Permanente is for-profit, specifically their managed care end of the business, which was the arm Moore was attacking.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 17:14:00 +0000

The American public is used to an all-you-can-eat buffet of health care. Asking them to switch to canned rations will be impossible politically – which is why none of the major Democratic contenders are proposing single-payer.

So Chris, you’re backing the wrong horse.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 17:12:00 +0000

Actually Chris I work with multiple docs from Canada. Also Britain, Italy, France, and much of the rest of western Europe. Maybe you just don’t see them in the ER. A complaint they have always had about the nationalized system is how long it takes to get things done. For a socialized system (and make no mistake that is what it will be) to work Americans will have to accept increased waits and rationing. In my years of practice that is something I have never found americans to be acceptable. Come now chris you are an ER RN you certainly have many experiences with this subject. Additionally with increased waits and rationing the whole present system of malpractice will have to be thrown out the window because very simply, at time docs will be overruled on the medical judgement by government officials for “business” reasons. I am not saying the answer is easy chris but may I suggest you take a good long look at what you are wishing for

By: Jeff Barson

Jeff Barson — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 17:05:00 +0000

It’s a film. You can’t state that there parts of current medicine that are ‘inexcusable’ and then start excusing them. This is a good debate to have and no one is going to like the film.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:52:00 +0000

Chris,
I would be interested to see the proportion of international medical grads in Canada versus the US.

I also don't see a flood of American physicians going to Canada, the UK or France.

Bottom line is, every health care system is going to have warts. Moore and other single-payer cheerleaders seem blind to its significant limitations. I simply argue that dismantling our system for one that has its own problems doesn't make sense to me.

btw - how do you know that I haven't seen the film already?

Thanks,
Kevin

By: Chris, RN

Chris, RN — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:03:00 +0000

You may want to reserve judgement until you actually see the film.

Kaiser is one of many HMOs used as an example. If you think Kaiser physicians aren't told to forego evaluative tools (let's say) to keep costs down, you haven't worked at Kaiser.

BTW, how many of your colleagues come from Canada, France & Britain? *crickets chirping* How many of your colleagues come from Russia, Philipines, India, South America, Africa?

If a government run health care system is so terrible, we'd have a flood of physicians from Canada, at the very least.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:34:00 +0000

Just shut up and bend over. Hillary will take care of you.

By: Megan

Megan — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 07:57:00 +0000

I belong to a diabetes message board and there are a lot of people from various countries on the board. There are several people, I’d say 50 or so, that frequent there that use insulin pumps. All but 1 of them are American. The people from the UK and Canada just can’t get the funding for it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 07:08:00 +0000

“a right to address my grievances in our courts of law somehow subordinate to my right to healthcare?”

Does the US Constitution say anything about your
“right” to healthcare?