Comment by Mandy on July 31, 2008 at 9:15am

Yeah I'm definitely jealous of your healthcare system over there. I watched the movie Sicko (Michael Moore) and realized just how bad it is here. That trip would have probably cost a couple thousand dollars here? I dunno. But I can tell you this...for my AA when I went to the dermatologist for the steroid shots...my insurance didn't cover it so I ended up spending somewhere around $300 for just the 2 office visits.

Comment by Mandy on July 31, 2008 at 9:15am

Oh and I'm glad your man is ok!! :o)

Comment by rj, Co-founder on July 31, 2008 at 11:12am

It's great to hear that the love of your life received such excellent medical services. However, articles like this one draw far different conclusions regarding socialized medicine. It states (and I agree), for example, that, "While the U.S. healthcare system is costly and does face challenges, the costs were largely brought on by government actions and agencies, not helped by them, and many problems attributed to our healthcare system--such as high infant mortality and short longevity--aren't a reflection of bad healthcare. Those things have other causes. In fact, the United States has the best healthcare system in the world, despite its being hamstrung by government rules and regulations."

Comment by Carol on July 31, 2008 at 11:50am

Only 4 hours! You were lucky! Granted, it's nowhere near as bad, my 10 year old daughter broke her arm in June and we were in the hospital for about 8 or 9 hours on a Saturday. While in the waiting room we had to watch an elderly woman bleed all over the floor for about 2 hours! No kidding there was a giant pool under her wheel chair! I've gone into the same ER and have been out of it in a matter of just a few hours but really it just depends on when you go. It must not have been rush hour when you went. The health care is great when 50 people aren't waiting to see the same doctor at the same time!

Comment by Diane on July 31, 2008 at 4:10pm

Hi Orbit,
Glad your man is all right!! And you bet we have the best healt care!! I've dealt with private insurance while on severe depression few years ago... not fun!!
Diane :-)

Comment by JeffreySF on July 31, 2008 at 11:32pm

Yet another reason to be a Canadian.
Maybe someday the US will get a clue.

Well wishes for a speedy recovery.

Jeff

Comment by sgomez on August 14, 2008 at 2:11am

I'm glad to hear first, that your beau is ok. Four hours! That's amazing! That's great that you don't have to worry about paying for medical care! I can't imagine how it musy feel to not have that burden. Even though in America, we have to pay for EVERYTHING, I do agree that we have the best medical care in the world. My husband gets medical through his work, and then he pays about 200.00 a month for me. I hate my insurance, but I would rather take any little bit I can get rather than pay out-of-pocket. I had to get an MRI last year, and About a month later I received a bill in the mail for 490.00!! I was so mad. The insurance only covered half. Needless to say, I'm still making payments on it. I'm so thankful, though, that I don't have to worry about my kids. They are all covered through state program called Kids Care. I only have to pay 15.00 a month for all four of them, and they are covered for medical, dental, and optical 100%. It's a huge releif. I hope that one day mankind will change there greedy ways, and figure out this whole healthcare situation. It seems that the rich man is getting richer, and the poor man poorer.

Comment by Megan on August 18, 2008 at 11:19am

hi Orbit,
can you email me directly? i posted on saturday about my 5yr old daughter and was inspired by your answer to someone about how you dealt with alopecia as a kid. my email is Megan.Maher@aeny.com. thanks.

Comment by gerald on October 5, 2008 at 9:06am

The U.S. does have " socialized medicine", and of the worst sort.
We leave tens of millions of poor and working class people uninsured, then they go to the ER rooms when they are sick or injured, and the taxpayer ends up paying for that. That is socialized medicine. Other developed countries cover people upfront, and that is less expensive, and they are more healthy than our unisured, including recieving preventive health care.
The other developed countries spend less per capita on health care than the U.S. does, have health care stats as good, if not better, than the U.S., and have universal care.
The reason the U.S. is the only developed country that doesn't have that, is because of the lobbying groups of doctors, lawyers, and insurance companies, who lobby our too often corrupt and reactionary politicians.

Comment by gerald on October 5, 2008 at 9:08am

The U.S. needs to look at various health care systems in Canada, West Europe, Japan, Australia, etc. and see what they are doing and learn from that.

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