[SteveM]

I visited the USSR in the 80s and despite the food lines and poverty, they were convinced that they had the best system going. A combination between not knowing what was really beyond their backyard, combined with patriotism, no one could tell them differently. How is this any different than US health care?

[GeneV]

I visited the USSR in the 80s and despite the food lines and poverty, they were convinced that they had the best system going. A combination between not knowing what was really beyond their backyard, combined with patriotism, no one could tell them differently. How is this any different than US health care?

Propaganda is propaganda, regardless of which way it goes.

[shooz]

Or who puts it out.
Perhaps we need to sue the corporate citizens under the RICO act, while we still can.

[dankoBanana]

I have Crohn's disease and I'm VERY happy to live in Croatia
I had 2 surgeries last year. One was Crohn's related and the other one was to fix a knee problem. Both were done by the best surgeons (according to their peers) for that specific problems in Croatia. Both surgeries set me back 0 $.
I have no problem with paying taxes for the ease of mind when I get sick (and that others can have it too). Even if it means that a new K5 costs 30 % than in the States.

and to illustrate an example how a private and social security can coexist. since my knee problem wasn't anything life threatening, I would have needed to wait about 2 months to see a knee specialist for an exam (the waiting period was so long because I wanted the best. its about half as long if you want someone without the "best" reputation). since I'm into sports and wanted to continue to train as soon as I could, I decided to go to a private clinic, payed 50 $ for an exam and later 300 $ for an MRI. The surgery was done in a private clinic, which has a contract with social security, so I didn't have to wait long for it (2 weeks) and didn't have to pay a thing.
subsequent surgeon and specialist checkups were free, and so was my rehabilitation.

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Last edited by dankoBanana; 07-10-2011 at 04:03 PM.

[GeneV]

The faster appointments here are something of a myth. It depends greatly upon where you are. In my city, to see a Urologist on a non-emergency basis is about 3-4 months. Some are triple booking.

[dankoBanana]

The faster appointments here are something of a myth. It depends greatly upon where you are. In my city, to see a Urologist on a non-emergency basis is about 3-4 months. Some are triple booking.

I was recently in a need for an urologist and I got an appointment the same day

[Parallax]

Just to illustrate the variability of the availability of care:
Here, if you go to the emergency room, you may have to wait for the physician, or PA, on call to get there from home. There isn't always a provider in-house.
There are several disadvantages, as well as advantages to living in the exact geographic center of nowhere.

[GeneV]

I was recently in a need for an urologist and I got an appointment the same day

I got one to come down and perform surgery for kidney stones on an emergency basis, but his office informed me that if I hadn't had an emergency, the wait was four months.

[GeneV]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but I also found this article very enlightening. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/sep/30/health-care-disquieting-truth/