[Phil1]

I have a little second hand experience with Mexican health care. For the basics it is good and cheap. Ditto with dental. Anything a little out of the ordinary you best head to El Norte. The meds are cheap, I suspect a bit of fake stuff or mis labled stuff or switcheroo goes on in the unregulated pharmacias. You pays yo money and takes yo chances. No Dr. prescriptions are required, last time down I bought tetracyclene as a touristas preventative on a 1 week mule trip in the mountains of Baja. A relative retired down there in northern Baja. He used the dental stuff and a local Dr. and was happy. He was VA eligable and crossed the border annually for VA work. That was good by the way and he was pleased.

An interesting thing Mexico does with Dr. training; as the gov't subsidises it, graduates are required to spend time in the boon docks assisting the rural areas. A great idea. Some time back an aquaintance tagged with us for a week of beach camping, diving and Zodiac island hopping. The environment was grimey as you can imagine and we both told him to leave his contacts at home. This putz was from NY so he brought them. He proceeded to get a nasty eye infection with foriegn matter. We had to pull up camp and drive about 80 miles to Loreto the closest clinic. The young Dr. spoke perfect english, did a through check and prescribed an eye ointment/anti biotic. Putz's eye cleared up in two days. The whole fee was $8 for a non citizen walk in. Unexpectedly cheap. Putz had to go to HIS eye guy when he got back and related that the Mexican intern treated it perfectly. HIS guy cost him about $90 to say the $8 guy did fine. Don't travel with idiots.

On the other hand, some horror motorcycle accidents and such require a US Coast Guard chopper flight into Mexico for return to San Diego med treatments. I would suppose Mexico City has very good care at a higher level though I have heard of cases refered up to the US if they can afford it or get a charity hook up.

There are a number of US Drs and Dentist groups that fly down and do charity work as well. There is one group of plastic surgeons that fix cleft palates for kids.
Wonderful stuff.

[Phil1]

I forgot to mention Steve McQueen went down there for cancer treatment too. I think it was the coffee enema place. He was terminal with a rare lung cancer before he went so it was a last shot. Needless to say he came back up to LA to die but raved about the treatment before he expired. That was some time back.

There were and probably still are a few flakey cancer clinics that take your money down there. If I recall they too were unregulated and if they were it wouldn't say too much anyway.

Well Gary, if anyone saw mexico they would agree however. Let's face it once you're out of the tourist traps it's... well, it's.

If mexico is so great why do they risk there lives coming here illegally? Why can't you drink the water in mexico?

Europeans tend to have a different POV to those whose foreign travel is limited to venturing across a connected border for a day trip, that's if they do any foreign travel at all. Your view of Mexico is much like your view of what's going on in the rest of the world, jaded, ill-informed, and naively parroted verbatim from "Conservatism for Dummies".

An interesting thing Mexico does with Dr. training; as the gov't subsidises it, graduates are required to spend time in the boon docks assisting the rural areas. A great idea.

It's unfortunate that doesn't happen in Britain, the healthcare system would have a lot more cash in the coffers if it did. Doctor and Nurse training is also subsidised by the tax payer in Britain. Once they have qualified, the best get cherry picked by the private sector so the people don't get to benefit from their financial investment. A year or two in the NHS after qualification would make a huge difference.

[larryinlc]

And from what I can tell from this chart the US is about tied for #1 spot for corporate earnings. So we tax the hell out of US companies. No wonder so many go offshore. I really want to live in Belgium though. 55% of what you make goes to the government. How do you guys survive?

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This is a bit misleading. I recall reading a Warren Buffet article which states that even though corporations are taxed at a high rate, the tax receipts received by the government have never been lower post WW2.

As the old saying goes: it's not what you make...it's what you keep. Corporate America is doing a nice job of keeping their profits courtesy of the IRS loophole system. I'm not arguing whether or not taxes are too high or too low, but lets get all the facts, not just those on the surface.

[larryinlc]

Anyone who goes to mexico for "treatment" gets what they deserve. Just what I want. mexican doctors working on me.

Oh they probably go for the coffee enemas for colon cancer and other such wonderful treatments. Just ask Michael Landon. Oh wait. He's dead.

Huh? Goodness, have you ever been to a border town in Mexico? The basic medical and dental treatment is top notch for little money. Your perception is unfounded.

Larry

[Wheatfield]

And from what I can tell from this chart the US is about tied for #1 spot for corporate earnings. So we tax the hell out of US companies. No wonder so many go offshore. I really want to live in Belgium though. 55% of what you make goes to the government. How do you guys survive?

Interesting chart.
You guys pay a little less than 30% to the government, and then on top of that, you get to pay for managed health care insurance, and (I suppose) pray that you've bought enough of it to pay for whatever calamity befalls.
In Canada, we pay slightly over 30% to the government, and in turn we get government funded health care that doesn't cap funding on treatment.
I can only venture a guess as to who pays more out of pocket in overall terms...
ummm... let me think....















you guys in the USA.

An interesting thing Mexico does with Dr. training; as the gov't subsidises it, graduates are required to spend time in the boon docks assisting the rural areas. A great idea. Some time back an aquaintance tagged with us for a week of beach camping, diving and Zodiac island hopping. The environment was grimey as you can imagine and we both told him to leave his contacts at home. This putz was from NY so he brought them. He proceeded to get a nasty eye infection with foriegn matter. We had to pull up camp and drive about 80 miles to Loreto the closest clinic. The young Dr. spoke perfect english, did a through check and prescribed an eye ointment/anti biotic. Putz's eye cleared up in two days. The whole fee was $8 for a non citizen walk in. Unexpectedly cheap. Putz had to go to HIS eye guy when he got back and related that the Mexican intern treated it perfectly. HIS guy cost him about $90 to say the $8 guy did fine. Don't travel with idiots.

If I need a heart valve replacement I think I'll stick with US doctors. Maybe like at Johns Hopkins in Chi Town. Actually I think I'll stick with US doctors for all my medical needs. Well at least until the Big O takes over health care.

Well at least with prescription drugs if I get them in a US pharmacy and assuming the pharmacist fills it properly there is some modicum of inspection and safety. Guess you can't say that about mexican drugs.

Interesting chart.
You guys pay a little less than 30% to the government, and then on top of that, you get to pay for managed health care insurance, and (I suppose) pray that you've bought enough of it to pay for whatever calamity befalls.
In Canada, we pay slightly over 30% to the government, and in turn we get government funded health care that doesn't cap funding on treatment.
I can only venture a guess as to who pays more out of pocket in overall terms...
ummm... let me think....


you guys in the USA.

Thing is Bill our illustrious government has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt they CAN'T do it. At all. Again look at Massachusetts, the VA and Medicare. 3 times they have proven they can screw it up.

All I am really saying is if whatever plan they might implement ALL citizens, including Federal, State and local officials and employees must pay into it and MUST use it. No exceptions. All the cushy plans we pay for like the Florida governor's? Gone. They do that then we have a good plan I would back. Until that happens forget it.

As for your last comment. Yeah we pay more. Unfortunately it's not for healthcare directly. Someone has to pay for those absurd handouts to lawyers. And that's not about to change anytime soon. At least until there is tort reform.

[Phil1]

'All I am really saying is if whatever plan they might implement ALL citizens, including Federal, State and local officials and employees must pay into it and MUST use it. No exceptions. All the cushy plans we pay for like the Florida governor's? Gone. They do that then we have a good plan I would back. Until that happens forget it.

As for your last comment. Yeah we pay more. Unfortunately it's not for healthcare directly. Someone has to pay for those absurd handouts to lawyers. And that's not about to change anytime soon. At least until there is tort reform.'

Well said.

I might ad the utterly idiodic billing and payment hassles that the ins cos put the customer and the Dr. offices through ad a huge cost in the total. It is so stupid it has to be deliberate. I will not bother you with my stories but a child could do better.

[Wheatfield]

Thing is Bill our illustrious government has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt they CAN'T do it. At all. Again look at Massachusetts, the VA and Medicare. 3 times they have proven they can screw it up.

All I am really saying is if whatever plan they might implement ALL citizens, including Federal, State and local officials and employees must pay into it and MUST use it. No exceptions. All the cushy plans we pay for like the Florida governor's? Gone. They do that then we have a good plan I would back. Until that happens forget it.

As for your last comment. Yeah we pay more. Unfortunately it's not for healthcare directly. Someone has to pay for those absurd handouts to lawyers. And that's not about to change anytime soon. At least until there is tort reform.

Which leads us back to the question about why is corruption so ingrained into your government that you treat it as business as usual and demand nothing better?

You liberals just keep stealing from those you represent. It's not the meager amount. It's the principle. Stealing from the kids. Good grief.

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon leaves the courthouse after being convicted on a single charge she took gift cards intended for the city's poor, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, in Baltimore. Although Sheila Dixon was acquitted of a felony theft charge, her conviction could force her from office.

BALTIMORE— Mayor Sheila Dixon's misdemeanor fraud conviction fails to meet a key standard necessary for her removal from office, her attorney said Wednesday as the mayor resumed her regular duties a day after the verdict.

Her criminal defense lawyer, Arnold M. Weiner, said the guilty verdict reflected testimony about actions that weren't part of Dixon's duties as City Council president, the post she held at the time.

State law requires removal of elected officials who are convicted of crimes related to their public duties and responsibilities.

A legal expert, however, said the argument that the conviction didn't pertain to her public responsibilities would be weak.

It's not clear if her defense team would have an opportunity to argue that point before a suspension took effect, or whether such a claim would be decided by the trial judge or another court.

Her defense team plans to appeal the conviction.

Meanwhile, former mayor and fellow Democrat Kurt L. Schmoke said Dixon owes her constituents an apology if she plans to fight for her job.

"The city has been put through a very traumatic situation. She should apologize for having placed the city in this situation and maybe ask the city for forgiveness," said Schmoke, who served as Baltimore's mayor from 1987 to 1999 and is now dean of Howard University's law school in Washington.

Dixon's conviction of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary of $525 worth of gift cards carries a penalty ranging from unsupervised probation to five years in prison. Her sentencing hasn't been scheduled. The jury acquitted her on three other counts, including felony theft, and failed to reach a verdict on a second count of misappropriation.

Under state law, Dixon must be suspended upon sentencing for a conviction that's related to her public duties and responsibilities and involves moral turpitude. She would be removed permanently and replaced by the City Council president if she loses all appeals.

Which leads us back to the question about why is corruption so ingrained into your government that you treat it as business as usual and demand nothing better?

Because it's a "good old boy" network. We've had a few good ones up there. Like Adam Putnam from my own state. And I am sure there are others. But these anointed officials are for the most part lawyers. And none of them want you to take any money out of their pockets.

[Parallax]

Why have so many of you righties got your heads permanently stuck up your arse?

It isn't Permanent, we just do that occasionally to try to see things from a lefty's point of view!

[deadwolfbones]

You liberals just keep stealing from those you represent. It's not the meager amount. It's the principle. Stealing from the kids. Good grief.

Yeah, I steal from people I represent all the time.

Or maybe this is just more of the same from freaking Baltimore.

Haven't you watched The Wire?