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In Reply to: Health Insurance in America: VOMIT! posted by MDG on January 19, 19100 at 18:57:04:

: You non-Americans don't know how lucky you are. The most powerful lobby in America against national health insurance is the Health Insurance Association of America. Some years ago, when Prez. Clinton tried to introduce a plan to insure all Americans, the HIAA went on the warpath with a commercial featuring a "typical" couple called Harry and Louise which effectively destroyed public support for government-provided health insurance (ironically, the Harry and Louise actors both lacked health insurance in real life). Clinton's plan was very flawed, as it kept private health insurers in the picture, but the HIAA did its best to equate National Health Insurance with Satan himself. "Trust us," they said, "we'll make insurance more affordable."

: Now, there are more uninsured Americans than ever - nearly a fifth of the population, and get this: the HIAA is hauling out Harry and Louise ads again, THIS TIME DECRYING THE PLIGHT OF UNINSURED AMERICANS!" These disgusing hypocrites have no shame whatsoever. You folks who aren't Americans can count your blessings.

Well, I am not too familiar with that particular lobby nor their influence, however, having lived in Canada which supposedly has one of the "best" health care systems in the world, I can provide some insight.
First of all, my mother worked in a hospital when we lived in Canada and there are quite a few system suckers. People would come in every other week for a check up because they had a cough and would expect non-essential medicines "just in case." Another issue is the fact that the service is not good. Standard procedure in Canada for a heart attack case would be to do all the scans and stabilize there condition after the initial heart attack, and then they would put there name in and wait for up to six weeks until a bed becomes free for them to get their operation. In the U.S., the entire process takes two days. Which one is better for your health? Well, allow me to add that the longer the people wait to get a bypass the more serious there condition gets and the less chance of a recovery.
Basically, it is a tradeoff. You can have a top-notch system like the U.S. has but have to pay for it, or you can get shitty treatment and not have to pay as much (you get nailed with taxes though).
Personnally, I would feel much more secure in a U.S. hospital.

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