Talking Heads - Healthcare Reform

[bellemere]

My son is  a teacher in a small private school. His share of his employer's insurance plan is 700 dollars a month, 8,400 a year. That is for himself, his wife, (also a teacher) and one baby.  Plus, he has a condition that could be called pre-existing, a bicuspid heart valve.  This week a cardiologist is checking the baby for the same thing.  Thank God for the Health Reform Bill.  I believe he may qualify for a subsidy, and if he or the baby run into trouble and need surgery , it will be covered.  If I hear one more time,
The American people don't want this bill" I think I will scream. 

[nlhome]

Bellemere, I agree. So many people are excited over nothing. They don't realize that they or their children will be helped by the bill.

[Steph]

Babi, I agree with you, but I cannot get over the number of people who simply hate him.. Conservatives are great haters and I really dont quite understand why.

[Babi]

 I think the radical conservatives feel threatened, STEPH.  Fear is a great promoter of hatred and violence.

[bellemere]

I agree that many conservatives feel threatened.  One reason might be demographic, the fact that white people are going to be the minority soon.  the economists say there is no arguing with demographics, but some don't believe them. 

[Steph]

I live in Florida, so although I am white, etc, we seem to be a minority here. I must admit that I get testy when I enter a store and the clerks english seems sketchy.. And I  really do not agree when our latins try to push stupid rule changes and illegal behaviour because it is traditional for them.. Street racing is a good example.. What a stupid way to live and die.
So.. I guess I am conservative in that I really believe that you should come to the US legally and I dont mean the cuban boat people.. You should learn English as rapidly as possible and you should obey our laws.. Hmpph

[bellemere]

Steph, you are right, our laws are for everyone and nobody's culture trumps them.  But learning a language is really tough, and until you have found yourself alone in a foreign country not knowing the language and trying to buy something (like Preparation H !) you will never know just how hard.  Eventually most immigrants do.
Immigration reform is going to be another big donnybrook.  I don't even want to think about it!
Street racing is not a custom inMexico where I visit.  they have tons of speed bumps, all over the country.  did you know the English call them "sleeping policemen?"  Seriously!

[bellemere]

Steph, street racing is not a tradition in the part of Mexico that I visit.  There are huge speed bumps all over the place!  I heard the English call those "sleeping policemen".  Seriously.
Our laws are for everyone and are not trumped by anybody's customs.
Learning a language is tough, and you never realize how tough until you are alone in a country where you don't speak the language and are trying to buy something (in my case, Preparation H!) Eventually most immigrants manage enough English to get by.
Immigration law reform is going to be another donnybrook.  I don't even want to think about it!

[bellemere]

The op/ed columnist Ruth Marcus raises an interesting question:  Will more health insurance lead to healthier people?  So much ill health today seems to be linked to " lifestyle" like overeating  and under exercising, not to mention drugs and alcohol and still there are people smoking.  Childhood obesity?  Seems more like a matter of educating parents than selling them insurance, doesn't it?  it will be interesting to see how people react to this.

[bellemere]

Apologies for th e disgraceful double post!  My bad!

[Steph]

I suspect that the people who need to make life changes are not the people who go to doctors.. It is hard to give up old habits.
NO... Puerto Rico is where the street racing is condoned.. Not Mexico.. Puerto Ricans are heavy on the ground in Florida and they are very militant about not learning english.. or doing anything that might be good.. I am sorry to say that I have been keeping track recently because of our accident and the arrests are about 70% latino names.. Young males to be exact..

[bellemere]

Young males have always delighted in risk-takng behaviour to the anger and frustration of the rest of us.  I guess Florida has to keep after them, confiscating vehicles, cancelling licenses, fines, some jail time, sooner or later they will get the message, don't you think?  They need more than a slap on the wrist.
Remeber the "chicken" game with cars, back in the fifties?  An even more stupid way to get killed.
Behavior changes are slow, but look how many people gave up smoking ?  (I was on a pack a day_today, I can't stand the smell of smoke. )

[kiwilady]

We have a healthcare system paid entirely out of our taxes. Its not completely free at the Family doctor level but there are heavy subsidies and its affordable to all. Kids under 6 are no charge and drugs are free for them. Most of us pay from $33 -$60 to see our family doctors. Low income people and seniors regardless of income are heavily subsidised. My drugs cost me from $3 for three months supply to $8 a month for one drug that has to be picked up monthly. Hospital care is free for all no matter what your income. Dentists are not free and just as expensive as anyone else in the world. Opticians and Optometrists are not free either. Physiotherapy has a co pay charge. Some people are finding it difficult to pay for rehab phsyio if they are on a fixed or low income.

30% of the population choose to take out private medical insurance and use both the private and public system. My DIL goes to a Neurologist in the Public system as he is one of the foremost authorities in the world on her condition. Nobody uses the private system for serious accidents as the public hospitals are far better if you need ICU care. People do use the private system for elective surgery so they can have it done immediately without going on a waiting list. My medical centre ( family medicine centre) has theatres for some small elective surgeries
and they can also set bones etc and have a plaster room. There is a radiology unit too. There is  a co pay on these procedures. I would probably find it hard to afford some of the services offered.

[bellemere]

Excuse me if you already told us this, but are you in Canada?

[maryz]

bellemere, Carolyn (kiwilady) is in New Zealand.

[Steph]

The New Zealand system sounds really good. I wish people would look carefully at other countries before going on and on about how great our system is.. It is not..thats a fact, like it or not.

[ginny]

We really appreciate all of the great comments here during this historic time. This discussion will be closed but perhaps in the future when the effects of this new legislation begin to trickle down we may reopen a topic, like  Dealing With the New Health Care Legislation.

This topic is now closed, thank you for making it such a viable, and useful discussion. I have learned a lot.

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