Thank god for out of country pharmacies

[eakinj]

Ok, first before I go on (what might end up a rant) I want to say - I make good money. I have a secure job. I am not hurting by any means.

So as I have mentioned before I am a care provider for my mom. She had breast cancer in 91 and in the last year or so she's been fighting cancer again (that broke off apparently from the original cancer and metabasized(however you spell it) in here hip.

Now she gets bonescans ever few months etc. The problem is, since our president "fixed" health care she now has to have medicare D with her insurence she pays for out of pocket (guh) so she has I believe 2000 that can be spent on meds. Well the meds for just the cancer are almost a grand, that's for three months. Which makes me wonder what the medical industry expects people to do for the other six months of the year.

Anyway, so we found the meds online and it's a third the price. Thankfully it's the same stuff and the cancer is still well under control. But if I had to come up with a grand every three months on top of everything else, things would get tight.

I just don't understand why in this country we don't take better care of people. You pay out the nose for insurence and the fuckers barely act like they can to even keep you alive.

*THANKFULLY* as I said, I make good money and can afford it, even with out the imported meds, but what about all the elderly who can barely afford their section8 housing or a pot to piss in..

I just don't get how this works. I really don't. I may be a "Right wing" guy for the most part, but we really need to get on track and start really taking care of our own. For those who can afford it, it's an inconvienence, but those who are scraping by? I know there's programs but a lot of them treat people like shit.

I'm no bleeding heart, but this system is broken

[emperor_black]

I watched the Michael Moore's movie in which he shows how great the health care systems are in other countries and even though he's known to twist the truth the way he wants, there has to be better health care systems out there. I agree. It totally sucks.

[Endrik]

I just don't understand why in this country we don't take better care of people.

because some people think it's cough cough communism


hope your mom will be fine

[gotwtt]

health care is free in the UK thank fuck. sorry for your mom having to pay for medication she needs thats wrong

[nsubulysses]

Yes it's sad that there are many poorer countries than the United States but many of them take a lot better care of their citizens.
It's like they actually value them!

[zeegler]

It's one of the few factors preventing me from moving back to the states. Canada is sort of halfway between US and England. In other words, basic medical care is free. However, we do have to pay for drugs and dental care, which are ludicrously expensive. Maybe I should move back to England. I am a citizen, sp I could move back there whenever I want, and get a job.

[~K~]

You do have to be careful importing those things because customs will flag them and hold them until you prove they are legit. If you are working on a schedule they can get tied up for more than a month or two...

[~K~]

It's one of the few factors preventing me from moving back to the states. Canada is sort of halfway between US and England. In other words, basic medical care is free. However, we do have to pay for drugs and dental care, which are ludicrously expensive. Maybe I should move back to England. I am a citizen, sp I could move back there whenever I want, and get a job.

That health care isn't the greatest. My wife's family lives in Liverpool and they have had some pretty bad experiences because of that health care system. Her Grandmother needed a surgery and she got put on a very long waiting list because of it. Her uncle had a mini stroke, they told him to go home and rest. Then he had a major heart bypass surgery and they gave him a car so he wouldn't have to walk anymore ...

I shudder at this country getting Govt sponsored health care

[Cleveland Metal]

That health care isn't the greatest. My wife's family lives in Liverpool and they have had some pretty bad experiences because of that health care system. Her Grandmother needed a surgery and she got put on a very long waiting list because of it. Her uncle had a mini stroke, they told him to go home and rest. Then he had a major heart bypass surgery and they gave him a car so he wouldn't have to walk anymore ...

I shudder at this country getting Govt sponsored health care

For once I agree with you... Totally...

Canada has the same issues. For my friends wife with cancer, she was forced to travel 600 miles to get treatments and stay for weeks in hotels they couldn't afford. They jacked her around so much she died from a cancer that was basically treatable in the US.

There has to be a better way, but I worry what it would gov ran care would bring. Not like they do anything else right...

I can't expect them to NOT run a school system into the ground, let alone control my healthcare that could affect my life.

[GodOfRhythm]

There has to be a better way, but I worry what it would gov ran care would bring. Not like they do anything else right...

I can't expect them to NOT run a school system into the ground, let alone control my healthcare that could affect my life.

This is a much deeper problem. Even the current candidates running for president have this as one of their top 3 'scoring' cards: distrust in govt. That's just so wrong.

Furthermore: it is probably the great opposition to a govt ran healthcare plan in the PAST that has cost the US the ability to ever have a decent functioning govt-ran healthcare system. Allow me to explain:

First of all: now that pharmaceutical companies and insurance actors and whatnot have gained so much from a supposed 'free market' system, they have deeply rooted lobbying systems in place along with other ways to exert influence on govt.

Secondly: no matter how fucked it is and regardless of distrust in govt. most Americans seem somehow mortified of even the littlest of socialism (equating it to *communism*). It almost looks like they've been brainwashed to believe 'an unregulated market is the best market'. As soon as someone raises 'higher taxes' card the entire country seems to be in distress. An unregulated market favors the already wealthy and those with a firm marketing system in place already. (revert to point 1) Touching back on the 'distrust' issue: anyone saying they oppose socialism (as in: the govt midlly regulating the market and providing healthcare) because they would never want a govt as bad as the one they have to actually have this power (and A LOT of people are saying this) are being ridiculous, lethargic, lazy, apologetic and downright UNPATRIOTIC. If you don't understand that,...(read further for the paradoxal solution).

What seems to be lost on most is the fact of SOLIDARITY, meaning: yes you would pay higher taxes if you were to implement a govt ran healthcare system, AND you could be paying taxes for the next ten years without falling seriously ill, thus having zero to no return on your 'investment', so to say: BUT you DO have the safety net. That is a form of 'wealth in health' that the common individual just CAN NOT provide for himself. Solidarity implies EVERYONE helps pay for it, but not EVERYONE gets to enjoy the benefits at the same time (not everyone is gravely ill at the same time) instead: EVERYONE has the RIGHT to be helped if problems DO arrise, once you do get really sick: BAM you're taken care of. That is ease of mind and ease of burden I would happily pay 4% more tax for. And let's face it, you guys aren't that heavily taxed as it is.

It is a dichotomy you often hear cited here in Europe: the average American probably has more money available to him: he can buy his guitars, his pick-up trucks, his big house, his pool, but the second someone in the family gets seriously sick or hurt, they almost crumble under the financial and economic stresses of providing for the individual. While here in Europe people are more heavily taxed and thus have less liquid funds to spend on stuff off the bat, but with that extra tax several govt systems have been put in place to provide for the citizen: through SOLIDARITY.

I'm sorry to say but I don't see it changing anytime soon. The only way would be to finally elect an administration that was completely lobby-free and free of corporate influence, which is a paradox since you can't seem to be elected nowadays without major corporate and wealthy backing.

The only way that paradox can be broken is if the people UNIFY and DEMAND it, but REALLY demand it, almost a revolution. But the notion of US citizens rising up as one and declaring: 'we'll pay 7% more taxes if that means someone earnest can clean this country up, provide for its citizens and make the US of A civilized again', seems to be ludicrous and unimaginable, unfortunately.

[zeegler]

I suppose what it boils down to, is that if you have the money, you're all good. You can go where the health care is best, and pay for it. If you're poor, you have two choices, live in the US and get fuck all, or live somewhere with socialized health care, and get put on a waiting list so long that you die anyway. Nice.

[phill_up]

I watched the Michael Moore's movie in which he shows how great the health care systems are in other countries and even though he's known to twist the truth the way he wants, there has to be better health care systems out there. I agree. It totally sucks.

I saw that movie, "sicko" that was funny as hell when they was talking about how good of health care the "evil do'ers" was getting in Guantanamo bay so they loaded the boat up with sick people and took them there, then the siren went off! I guess if you get too sick you can claim to be a terrorist.

[GodOfRhythm]

and get put on a waiting list so long that you die anyway. Nice.

We have waiting list problems for institutions for the elderly and institutions for the mentally or physicalle challenged, but you get financial aid until you do find a place to put your suck relative in. As far as ilnesses are concerned: I don't see that many waiting lists here to be honest. You get cancer: you get treated.

Depends on the quality of the system in place I guess and I would wager, with what you've said, Canada doesn't seem to have the nicest of systems.


Furthermore, govt-ran healthcare should go much deeper than merely pooling some taxmoney to give to the sick to use as they see fit. It should go directly into hospitals and to doctors, in combinations with legislation and infrastructure that ensures whenever someone falls seriously ill he is treated without discrimination of any kind and as fast as humanly possible.

[joelayres]

I don't pretend to know what the solution is, but the health care system here in the US is definitely whacked. Prescription medication is for the most part completely out to lunch. What I don't understand is this:

My Wife's medication in the US costs $6.60 per pill. I can get the exact same brand from an online pharmacy in India for $0.92 per pill - all sealed in blister packs. Why is this considered to be OK by the powers that be, and if it truly is a free market why is it not legal to purchase from India? (I do it anyway - would be a complete fool not to) This is not counterfeit, but name-brand medication.

Any way you slice it, this is plain not right.

Insurance should not be required in order to afford basic health care. Insurance should come into play for major illnesses, but in this day and age doctors don't even want to see you if you do not have insurance and if they do, they charge the uninsured three times what they would bill an insurance company. Am I the only one that finds this appalling?

[AK47]

Commies the whole lot of you.

If you read the Democrats plan for Socialized Healthcare you will see that their are "strings attached" which eventually will lead to mandatory drug testing and HIV/AIDS testing in order to continue to receive benefits.

What is wrong with the system is the insurance companies and the "pre existing condition"-denial so those who can afford insurance cannot get it. This I beleive is criminal.

See if eakinj can afford the meds every month he could afford private insurance for his Mom but because of the "Pre-existing Condition clause" he can not get insurance for her.

This is fucked. Been through it with my family as well.