Are we socialists yet?

James,  I only posted it once from what I can tell.

Our society ceases to exist when we trash our Constitution.  The New World Order is not something I buy into,

Merry Christmas to you also

Jason, thank you for commenting

To answer your question:

Does your medical insurance provider allow you to go to any doctor??  YES

It probably does but you have to pay a premium to use services out of network. NO I CAN GO ANYWHERE I WANT TO GO.

Government run health care does not work in any of the other countries we used as a model.  That's why so many foreigners come here for treatment.

As a question - how many countries that have government run health care have been on the cutting edge of innovative treatments, drugs and medical discoveries?  The United States leads every country in the world.  Our system maybe flawed, but it is not worth trashing and taking steps backward.

Health care reform in this country not only represents change to that industry - gives the federal government almost total control of our lives.

bank bail outs, insurance and care bailouts accounted for the government controlling 30% of our wealth producing industries.  Health care would give them an additional 18%. Cap and Trade and other 6%.  That would allow the federal government to control 54% of the revenue produced in this country.

Sorry, Socialism is not what our founding fathers called Freedom.

Merry Christmas

James,  We do think alike on most subjects concerning the revamping of health care.  A couple of issues I wish to explore.

"Hence, I doubt that much change will come to the HEALTH SIDE, other than providing more early tests."

I believe you will find that early detection will not be one of the goals of this health care reform.  Note that a few weeks before the vote an independent panel announced that contrary to the American Cancer Society findings, their findings indicate iti is unnecessary to perform mammograms for women under 50.  Seibeluis immediately came out and said the federal government would not use those guidelines.

Within one week California instituted those very same guidelines for Medicaid recipients.  Medicaid is a government subsidized program.  This is a peek into things to come.  To save money and make this system cost effective you must cut down on the number of screening tests that are being done. 

A week later the same panel announced it was not necessary for women under a certain age to have tests for cervical cancer.  All the news we have seen regarding that indicate sexually active teens are in danger of contracting a virus which causes the majority of cerivical cancer.

As far as hip and knee replacements for obese people let me interject this.  The majority of the people I know who have had them are not obese.  One friend is a runner.  He messed up his knees trying to stay fit.  Other friend borders on being too thin.  She worked all her life on her feet.  My husband who is not obese has knee problems as a result of being a truck driver.  Your left leg wears out much faster than your right from double clutching a large stiff clutch two times for every shift.  Getting up and down from the back of a truck hundreds of times a day plays hell on your knees and ankles.

A word about obesity.  Recently some studies are showing that obese people may have a bacteria in their digestive system that interferes with the assimilation and break down of food.  This study may lead to a discovery that can be cured with a pill.  If you recall, it was found that the vast majority of ulcers were caused by a bacteria and can be treated with anti-biotics. 

If some of our illnesses, and even cancer are caused by bacteria/viruses, the research maybe severely hampered by reduced health care dollars.

There is currently a vaccine being used in canine medicine to combat malignant melanoma.  I am aware of it because I was involved treating a dog who had melanoma.

Johns Hopkins and other research facilities are in trials with a vaccine for advanced breast cancer.

How far will these programs advance once we are under government control?

I'm not convinced that food and/or lifestyle are the culprits for all of our ills.  Two well known women - Linda McCartney and Olivia Newton John were vegetarians and health food devotees. Both got breast cancer at a young age.

James, I thought your reference to Wonder Bread was interesting. Bread - like Wonder bread expands in the stomach when water is added and interferes with digestion.  Chocolate can kill a dog.  Dogs can be allergic to garlic which is heart healthy for us.  Cats will die from eating Pointsettas - dogs rarely go near them.  Cats eat meat not vegetables. Dogs will naturally eat some vegetables.

James, check out the groups on AR - Silent Majority and Tea Party. You may find quite a few like minded people who post there and engage in debate.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Jason, thank you for commenting.  Let's dispel your assumption about my health care or my health care experiences. 

For 5 years I had a recurring back problem.  I was in an HMO and required to stay in network.  Much like the way the government health care will work.

I would be given an anti-inflammatory and sent home.  The pain went away.  6 months later it was back. Instead of looking for the cause I was given more pills.

I became intolerant to anti-inflammatories.  From November 1989 to March 1990 I was in excruciating pain and almost crippled.  Unable to sit, stand, walk or lay down.  One pill after the other.  One xray after the other.  I begged my doctor to send me to a specialist.  I was finally sent to one. I had to wait 3 weeks for an appointment.  He wanted to try one more pill.  If that did not work he would inject me with Cortisone.  The pill made me violently ill within two days.  I called his office to schedule the appointment for the shot. I was told it was not an emergency and I had to wait a month for his next appointment.  I still had no diagnoses.

Out of desperation I went out of network and out of pocket to a Rheumatolgist. I could not stand up straight and my spine had curved 3 inches. I had a diagnoses, a cortisone shot and a treatment plan on my first visit.  I had Fibromyalgia.  A disorder the ordinary physician or Orthopedic specialist cannot diagnose.  For 6 months I was in such pain I wanted to die.  No one cared.  I had to follow the instructions of the primary care doctor.  Even after the diagnoses the HMO would not pay for my specialist because they were not participating.  The closest specialist they had was 30 miles from my home and had a waiting list to see.

In 1998, again - in a managed care health program I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I was advised by a relative who was an OB-GYN to go to Johns Hopkins.  They were not in my network.  I was able to get a referral to Hopkins for a second opinion only because my condition was life threatening. 

When I went to Hopkins they read my films.  The same films the experts in my HMO read.  They saw two tumors the local doctor had missed.  Additionally they found evidence in my other breast of cells that were a pre-cursor to cancer.  Based on the incomplete diagnoses, which was actually an incompetent diagnoses, I was able to force my insurance company to cover my treatment at Hopkins. 

The route I went through to go out of network, is not known to the average person.  If I did not have a relative who was a physician who guided me, I would not be alive today.

Fast forward to the present.  Shortly after my cancer diagnoses I was no longer covered under my own insurance from my employer.  I went over to my husbands insurance which was Blue Cross.  We pay a premium for the highest coverage possible.  By that time I had personally experienced 3 cases where the HMO had failed to diagnose or handle my health care competently.  Whatever I had to pay was worth it.

In April of 2010 my primary insurance will be Medicare and my secondary will be Blue Cross.  We will pay $700 a month for our secondary insurance on top of $125 per month each for Medicare.  In April I will be under the "government program" as my primary insurance.

Do you know that Medicare will not pay for annual wellness physicals?  If Medicare denies the charge it is a good bet the secondary insurance will deny it too.  That's what I have to look forward to.

So, based on what you now know about me - I have been in an insurance program with a Gatekeeper like the government will use.  I currently PAY for the right to go where I want.  I will lose that ability in April.  I still OPPOSE government insurance.  It will not work.

In order for you to make an informed decision about how health care works or will not work, you need to have first hand experience in both environments.

When you compare government insurance in other countries it is important to explore their economic base as well.  Canada has free health care.  A person earning $90,000 in Canada pays about 54% in tax between income, local and VAT.  In Canada you do not get deductions on your annual tax return. No credit for donations, real estate tax, mortgage interest, personal property taxes or state taxes.  It is an aross the board tax. The complaints about Canadian health care are well documented.  They come to the US for immediate access when they have a life threatening illness when they can afford to pay for it.

The same applies to the British Isles.  Check out how much they pay in tax.

When I was in Ireland I seriously considered moving there.  I talked to many business owners. There is a two tier system in the British Isles.  When you work and pay taxes you have a higher or preferential health care insurance.  If you are indigent you are on the government dole.  Both get health care.  Those who work get access faster, but only if they are actually sick.  Wellness or preventative medicine is not practiced there. Those who are poor wait and wait to get care and often die waiting.  The same applies for those who have the better system. They still are subject to waiting and rationing while it may not be as long.

As an American visiting the country, if you have an accident or get sick you are cared for immediately.  That is only a courtesy and not the norm.  You will find that exists in most European countries.  If a real serious emergency occurs don't count on services like we have in the US unless you buy Ex-Pat insurance when you travel.  If you need to be extradited from a country via a helicopter or specialized medical team you are out of luck unless you have specific insurance to cover it internationally.

The same applies to a cruise ship. You are at the mercy of the country of registration. Moat times it is Panamanian even if it is a US based cruise ship.

I was on a Carnival ship where a man had a heart attack.  We were only out to sea about 14 hours.  Instead of ordering air transport from the nearest port the ship changed course.  They changed course to hook up with the US Coast Guard to fly the person back to Miami.  We had a Mexican port closer. The ship canceled our first port of call and headed to another port instead. Why did they do that? 

If they called for a Mexican air transport the ship would have to cover the costs.  If they hooked up with the Coast Guard it would be free for the American citizen.  They were ill equipped to deal medically with his condition.  They kept him in the ships hospital without proper diagnostic equipment or drugs.  He had a heart attack at 7am.  He was not airlifted until 4pm.  He died en route to Miami.

When you put your life in the hands of the government - any government - you lose.

I belong to several AR groups who are very active on political issues.  Silent Majority and Tea Party. One of our members, Simon Conway is a naturalized citizen who immigrated from England.  He is a political talk radio personality in Orlando and a Realtor.  Look him up and see what he has to say about how well health care worked in the UK.  His own mother died as a result of incompetent government medical care.

Do we need an overhaul in this country?  Of course I believe we do. We have over 300 million in this country. Should we change the entire health care system to cover 30 million people?   In my opinion, you build on what you have.  Capitalize on what is good and fix what is bad. Let the government expand Medicaid for the uninsured.  We already have a system.  Why invent a new one?  Would I be wiling to pay more tax to support expanded Medicaid?  yes I would.

Let me address your comment about traveling to other countries for health care.  People do go to Mexico for cheap drugs, dental work and cosmetic surgery.  Have  you been there?  I have.  There are only a few - very few cities where you would want to "sit" in a clinic.  I belong to some RV Retiree groups. I know a lot of RVers who park in the US and cross over to one Mexican city to get RX's filled and dental work done.  Only one clinic is recommended and they cater to Americans.

I have investigated both dental work and cosmetic surgery in Mexico.  They do not adhere to the ridig requirements for sterilization and medical protocols we have in this country.  The clinics are not equipped to deal with an anesthetic emergency. You don't usually die on the table. You die as a result of complications which occur after while you are coming out or recovering.  They do not have adequate follow up to detect blot clots or other system failures. You are still putting your life in the hands of a third world medical community. It's not worth the risk.

How many people have you heard of who have traveled outside the US and been cured of cancer or some other incurable disease in a foreign country?  Any advance in cancer treatment is announced internationally and immediately studied by every major university in the US.  Farah Fawcett the most recent celebrity to seek treatment outside the US did not have a positive outcome.

Funding for research universities such as Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Boston Mass, MD Anderson, Duke or any other cutting edge facilities come from endowments, private sponsorship, corporate sponsorship and public donations. Government grants are given for project specific research.The government does not support these facilities.

University hospitals are able to by-pass government gatekeeper over sight because they are privately funded - not funded by tax dollars - nor are they a for profit organization.  My family will go to a university facility over a private facility because they are able to practice medicine unrestricted by government intervention.

I have been treated at Hopkins, Medical College of Virginia and Hershey Medical center.  I can tell you first hand the differences and the cutting edge treatments available at those facilities.  Hershey is funded in large part from endowments from the Hershey Corporation.

It is not a matter of my having a premium plan and not caring about the rest of the country.  I know the system far more intimately than most people on AR from both sides of the fence.