U.S. lags behind other nations in health care

[PUGalicious]

(Originally posted at The Subjective Scribe)


From Forbes.com:

The United States lags behind several other nations when it comes to medical errors, high out-of-pocket health-care costs, and foregone health care as a result of those high costs, according to a new survey released Thursday.

… More U.S. respondents (34 percent) reported having experienced at least one of four types of errors: medication errors, incorrect test results, delays in receiving test results or a mistake in treatment or care. In Canada, 30 percent of respondents reported at least one of these errors, as did 27 percent of Australian respondents, 25 percent of those in New Zealand, 23 percent of those in Germany, and 22 percent of those in the U.K.

… Americans tended to have to pay more for their care, spending more than $1,000 out-of-pocket in the past year. Half of the adults surveyed said they didn't seek help when sick, didn't fill a prescription or didn't get recommended treatment. By contrast, 13 percent of adults in the U.K. reported foregoing care because of costs, and two-thirds said they had no out-of-pocket costs.

… In Canada and the United States, patients were significantly less likely to get same-day access to health care. In the other countries, 45 percent to 58 percent reported being able to get same-day appointments. Waiting times for elective surgery or specialists were shortest in Germany and the United States.

"The lack of waiting time in Germany was notable because they spend a lower percentage of their gross domestic product on health care than we do," Schoen said.

We have long been told the our health system, with private insurance carriers rather than universal healthcare, is the best system and best standard of care in the world. Seems that's not quite the case. And we have nearly 46 million Americans who have no health insurance at all. That statistic and the story quoted about puts the whole U.S. healthcare system in the proper perspective.

[Shaggy]

(Originally posted at The Subjective Scribe)


From Forbes.com:


We have long been told the our health system, with private insurance carriers rather than universal healthcare, is the best system and best standard of care in the world. Seems that's not quite the case. And we have nearly 46 million Americans who have no health insurance at all. That statistic and the story quoted about puts the whole U.S. healthcare system in the proper perspective.

Whatever. Have you noticed that in the last 7 threads you have started have received no replies? That tells me that people don't care about your views on Bush or politics. I imagine these intelligent people are tired of you bashing their president. Yeah, I know, I know, you have facts. Big deal.

[PUGalicious]

But you've responded to the last two!

Whether people respond or not, makes no difference to me. I post because there are, in fact (oops. there's the word again), some members who read my posts and want me to continue posting, even though I had taken a break because the facts I was presenting was becoming too burdensome for other posters and creating too much angst. However, after email requests from certain members to come back, I acquiesced. Perhaps they simply enjoy someone bringing facts to the discussion rather than mere opinion.

What you call bashing, I call exposing and holding accountable. Keep in mind, I voted for Bush in 2000. After discovering that his talk was mere talk and his walk looked quite different, I could no longer support him.

Interestingly enough, I didn't mention Bush once in the original post, yet you took a factual study that proved to be unflattering of the U.S. health care system and automatically equate it to Bush bashing. That seems like paranoia to me. Facts are so threatening to you that you automatically perceive it as an attack on your belief system, and by extension, your "beloved" president.

You seem to want to ascribe the liberal label upon me. From your far-right perspective, anything to the left of you, including the center, is "leftist" or "liberal." However, to many on the far left, I'm still too conservative for their liking. But, if that helps you sleep better at night, to chalk me up as a liberal with all these facts and things, then by all means, call me a liberal. It makes me no difference.

And, yeah, I know, I know... your mind is made up, don't confuse you with the facts. I get it.

[Intrepid]

Whatever. Have you noticed that in the last 7 threads you have started have received no replies? That tells me that people don't care about your views on Bush or politics. I imagine these intelligent people are tired of you bashing their president. Yeah, I know, I know, you have facts. Big deal.

A lack of replies does not necessarily mean that people disagree with his posts.

Perhaps people aren't replying because he does HAVE facts and doesn't spout off random words without any meaning?

I may not reply to every post he has, but I do, in fact, read his posts, and most often agree with them. But that doesn't mean I always respond.

Look at the number of times the post has been read, not replied. To me, that holds a lot more weight than replies. One can obviously see the topic and author before they even dive into the post, and yet, they read it anyway...again, another nod in my book.

Mr. Bush is my president by virtue of winning an election, w/o any mandate I might add. He is not, however, my president when it comes to the important issues, like health care, like the economy, like the unjust war he brought us into without any true evidence.

I think the fact that you don't think the facts are a big deal says more about your posts, than Scribes. But that's just this poster's opinion.

[Shaggy]

A lack of replies does not necessarily mean that people disagree with his posts.

Perhaps people aren't replying because he does HAVE facts and doesn't spout off random words without any meaning?

I may not reply to every post he has, but I do, in fact, read his posts, and most often agree with them. But that doesn't mean I always respond.

Look at the number of times the post has been read, not replied. To me, that holds a lot more weight than replies. One can obviously see the topic and author before they even dive into the post, and yet, they read it anyway...again, another nod in my book.

Mr. Bush is my president by virtue of winning an election, w/o any mandate I might add. He is not, however, my president when it comes to the important issues, like health care, like the economy, like the unjust war he brought us into without any true evidence.

I think the fact that you don't think the facts are a big deal says more about your posts, than Scribes. But that's just this poster's opinion.

You and Scribe are brothers, aren't you? You agree with everything he says, and you always back him up, no matter what. You can get a pretty brown nose by doing that.

Sure, he has facts, but many people that post here have opinions, which are more important to me than the facts. I can go to MSNBC, FOXNews, ABC, CBS, NBC, or any other major news network and get all the facts I want. I don't waste my time trying to put facts in my posts because I like giving my opinion. Some like to boost their ego's by posting facts. They like to quote newspapers, magazines, and post every fictional poll they can find, just to show they are a big shot. I like to read opinions. If I want facts, I'l go to reliable sources, not from you or your brother, Scribe.

Again, the "news reports" that are given on this forum regarding our president and his administration are boring. It's sad to see such hate for our president on this forum.

[PUGalicious]

It's sad to see such hate for our president on this forum.

It's almost as sad as all the ignorance and foolishness of people who express opinions that seem devoid of reason, logic and factual/historical support.

And for the record, I don't hate the president. I distrust him and strong disagree with his policies and priorities.

Facts may be boring to you, but should you choose to employe them, they lend credibility to your opinion. To you it's a waste, to others it says that you know what you're talking about, not just spouting ignorant, baseless, random thoughts off the top of your brain.

And, for the record, Intrepid and I are not brothers or related in any way (that I'm aware of). Your implication that the only way that someone can agree with me is if they are related to me or if they have "a pretty brown nose" is not only boorish, but quite infantile. But if it helps you sleep better at night, we're brothers.

[Shaggy]

It's almost as sad as all the ignorance and foolishness of people who express opinions that seem devoid of reason, logic and factual/historical support.

Facts may be boring to you, but should you choose to employe them, they lend credibility to your opinion. To you it's a waste, to others it says that you know what you're talking about, not just spouting ignorant, baseless, random thoughts off the top of your brain.

And, for the record, Intrepid and I are not brothers or related in any way (that I'm aware of). Your implication that the only way that someone can agree with me is if they are related to me or if they have "a pretty brown nose" is not only boorish, but quite infantile. But if it helps you sleep better at night, we're brothers.

Man, you must read the dictionary a lot. Devoid, baseless, boorish, infantile. Facts have to be credible, not opinions. I like "spouting" random thoughts, because at least they are my thoughts and not an article that I copied and pasted to the forum to make myself look more intelligent than other posters. Maybe if you got off your high pedestal and had a little bit of sense of humor, more people would be willing to listen to you.

By the way, I sleep great all the time. I don't let this petty stuff bother me.

[PUGalicious]

If it helps you sleep better at night to say that I'm trying to "make myself look more intelligent than other posters" and that I'm on my "high pedestal" will little "sense of humor", then by all means keep telling yourself that.

I share stories and articles that I've come across during my daily reading. On some stories, I "spout" my random thoughts and opinions with them. I have no need to make myself "look more intelligent." I really could care less what you or anyone else thinks of me. I don't need to make myself look any particular way because I simply don't care. If the posting of facts and articles makes you feel less "intelligent than other posters," that's not my intent. But I think your own comments probably serve that purpose all on their own.