WELL. If everyone’s posturing and no one’s debating, DO allow me to get in on the brawl. I have no idea what the bill states and have some pretty strong views for an ex-pat. Living in Norway has its pluses and minuses, but I find that the national healthcare system (among other nice socialistic perks, such as the one year paid maternity/ paternity leave) to be increasingly like golden handcuffs. Anders and I have often talked about moving to the US, though we’ve never really discussed the nitty-gritty. My head starts aching when I think about navigating American healthcare and bureaucratic systems again.
I remember distinctly when I read my friend’s blog after he wathced Michael Moore’s Sicko:
“I've forgotten the sensation of living in utter economic fear of ever getting sick or hit by a car, as I often did in the U.S. I say economic fear, because I wasn't worried so much for my health--I was fairly sure, correctly or not, that I'd make it through fine--but that I'd catch something or break something that would make me go into bankruptcy.”(Mind you, I still haven’t seen Sicko, but I am merely posturing here.)
Then and now, I wholeheartedly agree with Ian. My European compadres like to tell of horror stories they hear on the news about Americans being turned away from a hospital because they either didn’t belong to the same HMO that runs that particular hospital or being turned away for not having any insurance at all --or worse yet-- being dropped by your HMO in middle of, say, chemotherapy. This is utterly and completely unimaginable to Europeans. Then again, Europeans see health care as right and not a luxury. After experiencing both, I have to say I agree with the Europeans.
That’s not to say the various national healthcare systems aren’t without their flaws. For one, they’re tailored to the culture/ nation they serve. I’ve heard some crazy stories about friends who’ve received healthcare in places like Japan, Romania, Germany and the UK. We shake our heads, laugh in disbelief at the “they did what?!” aspect of the story and continue the conversation. What never, ever enters the conversation is how we didn’t have access to healthcare in our time of need. And this is where I lose the plot in the US debate: Isn’t and shouldn’t the Healthcare Reform be about accessibility?
What also astonishes me is how Americans who actually have healthcare do not view their monthly deductions as a kind of tax. Different companies have different options, but almost everyone pays XXX amount to their employer every month. If I recall correctly, I paid close to $200 month for my healthcare (no dental, no eye coverage) at Temple U. That was on top of my federal, state and local taxes, which at the time totaled about 32% of my income. Right now, I pay about 32% of my income to the Norwegian government and get to keep the $200 per month that otherwise would’ve gone to an HMO because healthcare is already included. (Hmmm, what on Earth should I do with this yearly saving of ca. $2400? I know! I’ll use it to fund my 5 weeks of vacation!)
Lastly, what is this nonesense about the governement “Death Panels”? Seriously, people. Don't you know that the private, for profit HMOs already have their own? My aunt died from liver failure because the healthcare company flat-out refused the transplant that would have saved her life. Had she been 69, it would have been granted, but too bad for her, she was 71. Everyone in my family has good genes and longevity on their side, living well into their late 80’s to mid-90’s. But to the private health insurer’s Death Panel, an odd 20 or so additional years wasn’t enough of a reason to grant a transplant. Honestly, what’s the difference between Uncle Sam’s or the HMO’s Death Panel? It’s not like the average Joe has a chance in hell to appeal a decision from either one.
