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US Health Care Debate

Avaaz members react on the health care debate in the US

  • Hi - Thanks for supporting the global petition to US Congress and American People. Please use this form to send a message about the health care system in your country and why you wouldn't give up your national care. Thanks for joining the debate!
    by Avaaz at 8/19/2009 5:13:06 PM
  • The Uk does not need Insurance, we have the best Health care system in the NHS. If you don't believe it come and see, don't just sit and listen to lies from those who are profiting from your Insurance Premiums. And what about those who can't afford to be insured? Isn't America Democratic any more?
    by B.Templar at 8/19/2009 6:07:31 PM
  • Although both New Labour and the Tories are trying to privatise it, the NHS is still much better than any of the alternatives.
    by Jeremy Wade at 8/19/2009 6:07:33 PM
  • As Chair of the Southwell (in Nottinghamshire) Medical Centre Patient Participation Group I am aghast at the lies and distortions about the NHS being spread by the Republicans and Neo-Cons in the US. The vitriol and scaremongering being used is outrageous and is a disgrace to serious debate in a so-called democracy. What is more alarming is that many US citizens seem to believe them, which is a tragedy for the millions who are in desperate need of a comprehensive health care system provided on the basis of need and not ability to pay. Southwell is a prosperous mainly middle class town but all the patients surveys and meetings that we have organised have shown overwhelming, if not unanimous, support for the NHS and the principles upon which it is based.
    by Tony Morris at 8/19/2009 6:07:34 PM
  • Our system does support those in need.
    by gill at 8/19/2009 6:07:36 PM
  • The problems with the NHS are not problems with public healthcare - they're the result of 'private finance initiatives' and 'public private partnerships' taking money away from patient care and giving it to consortia headed by big private firms who donate money to the big political parties.
    by Duncan McFarlane at 8/19/2009 6:07:48 PM
  • One of the best things about living in the UK is that EVERYONE is free of the worry of finding the cost of healthcare when it is needed. The NHS is far from perfect, but does the job, and as a nation we discuss the faults and seek to put them right. Private care is available for those who want it, but is subject to many provisos and largely fails to deal with the problems of the elderly, to the extent that I was advised by the Health Insurance Company my mother (aged 80 at the time) was paying into as they said they would not cover her likely needs!
    by Susanne at 8/19/2009 6:07:49 PM
  • Over fifty years since it was estabished by Aneurin Bevan the British NHS remains an institution that is supported by the vast majority of people in Britain, with 80 to 90% support in every opinion poll.
    by Duncan McFarlane at 8/19/2009 6:07:51 PM
  • Over 50 years after it was established the NHS retains 80-90% support in every opinion poll in the UK.
    by Duncan McFarlane at 8/19/2009 6:07:53 PM
  • I have M.s. and always find the N.H.S.Very quick to find me an appointment or treatment if necessary , I have no complaints! Carol Jasper, wife of a U.S. citizen
    by Carol jasper at 8/19/2009 6:07:54 PM
  • As a Brit, I have nothing but good things to say abut the british national health service. if it wasn't for the fast actions of the midwife and doctors when I was in labour - i needed an emergency c section - my son wouldn't be her today. he is a strong and healty 14 year old. Two of my sister in laws have survived breast cancer and my father in law is ungoing treatment for cancer at the moment and he has received the very best of care!
    by barbara at 8/19/2009 6:07:55 PM
  • The UK health care system is not great - it does ration services because the UK Government wants it to run on the cheap. The UK system compares badly with most European continental systems, such as the Czech health care system, which I personnally know. In that sense, the opponents of the US health reform picked their soft target correctly. However, the UK system is still better than what the US currently has, that is when you fall seriously ill and are not rich, you are going to lose most or all of your property. If you are poor in the USA, you probably have no access to a doctor unless you've had a bad accident. So, let's support Obama all we can!
    by Vit Novotny at 8/19/2009 6:09:16 PM
  • The British health care system may not be perfect, may not always get it right, but there is no substitute for every single person in this country knowing that, if they are ill and have a need, the NHS will provide them with care, relief and, more likely than not, a cure. In the UK every citizen can rely on this as a basic right, that has nothing to do with how much is in the bank. It is a wonderful provision.
    by Lindsey Shaw-Miller at 8/19/2009 6:09:17 PM
  • My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2008. She had surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy which has only just finished all completely free, superbly and sensitively handled throughout - outstanding.
    by Simon James at 8/19/2009 6:09:18 PM
  • My brother is currently undergoing treatment for cancer with the NHS, it has been fast and efficient and of course completely free at the point of use. I myself have been treated on several occasions for smal and more serious issues over the last 50 years without being asked to part with a single penny.
    by Clive Higginson at 8/19/2009 6:09:19 PM
  • My family has faced devastating health problems and always received timely and
    by Marion Poliakoff at 8/19/2009 6:09:23 PM
  • highly professional health care services in
    by Leah Massey/KOCO Newsroom at 8/19/2009 6:09:23 PM
  • Canada. Yes, there are some delays, but in
    by Leah Massey/KOCO Newsroom at 8/19/2009 6:09:24 PM
  • total the Canadian system is excellent!
    by Leah Massey/KOCO Newsroom at 8/19/2009 6:09:25 PM
  • As a UK citizen I think the NHS, despite its flaws, is one of the best examples of healthcare provision in the world. Please don't listen to these ignorant and ridiculous ramblings from the reactionary right.
    by Anja Dalton at 8/19/2009 6:09:25 PM
  • I have several complex health issues, including nerve damage from a back injury and S.L.E (Lupus) I have received continual support from the NHS since I first became ill at 19 (am now 35) I do not qualify for Health Insurance due to the conditons that I have. I cannot imagine what kind of a life I would be able to have without the NHS. I am an intelligent educated woman ( I have a PhD) and I contribute greatly to my local commnuity as fully as my health allows. Which, without the help of the NHS I would not be able to do. Caring for the sick is a vital part of any society and engenders an ethos of mutual respect and concern that is intrisic to any 'healthy' community. Putting a $ value on people's right to health is not compatible with any ideas of quality of life: personal, social or national.
    by Josephine Humphrey at 8/19/2009 6:09:44 PM
  • It makes such a difference to our lives in Britain, knowing that we will receive health care. I recently had a hysterectomy, that I would not have been able to afford myself, that has changed my life - I am able to do so much more and am back to being a fully functioning and contributing citizen.
    by Ros Day at 8/19/2009 6:10:23 PM
  • I am a british citizen, aged 67. I am one of the huge majority of people here who really value our NHS, the fantastic staff that we have, the way that we do not have to worry about accessing health care at any point and the excellent standard of care that we receive. Also as a Christian, I think that it is extremely important that we all share the system here together and that poorer people are not disadvantaged in their access to health care. The NHS is one of our great achievements and nobody should under-estimate its value in our society.
    by Claudine McCreadie at 8/19/2009 6:11:29 PM
  • Free at the point of use, comprehensive and based on need, not ability to pay. Paid for out of general taxation. Now what could be fairer than that?
    by Robert Parker at 8/19/2009 6:11:32 PM
  • The NHS is available to all, and offers care ranging from good to excellent. There are no millions untreated in this country because they can't afford insurance: you're ill, you receive treatment. My daughter has needed a great deal of care, which has been provided unstintingly; my 86-year-old mother, too, has just received a knee replacement - working very well indeed.
    by Val Gaize at 8/19/2009 6:11:43 PM
  • It's a real shame the American people are being taken in by this corporate, profits-driven 'scare spin'! Our NHS is an outstanding example of what the American Dream shoudl stand for - the freedom and liberty to be entitled to free health treatment and care, regardless of race or background, from cradle to grave. Sadly turning the mirror the other way, while there are countries throughout developing Africa that I would happily receive hospital treatment in, the one country I would not... is the USA under their current system. Wake up and smell the coffee America! (But then, you could always go to Cuba for more effective health care...)
    by Craig Owen at 8/19/2009 6:25:36 PM
  • The NHS is flawed, but it's a long way ahead of the US system. I'm happy to pay the extra tax to help pay for the NHS, and I take great comfort from knowing it's there when I and my loved ones need it.
    by Nathan Thomas at 8/19/2009 6:43:46 PM
  • I'm amazed at the lies Americans are being told about the Canadian system. We don't have waiting lists for anything but elective procedures, and even those are not long. We don't have to go through the crazy private-insurance bureaucracies that Americans do, and our doctors make medical decisions on medical grounds, not on some insurance bureaucrat's assessment of our health. I wish the American people well, but it sure sounds to us as though you're being betrayed right now by a lot of people who put greed over good citizenship.
    by Susan Kent Davidson at 8/19/2009 7:02:41 PM
  • Is the NHS perfect? Not by any means. But it does provide excellent care for every citizen free at the point of delivery at a GDP cost to the country of less than half that of the US healthcare system. This is hight quality healthcare that is currently denied to more than 46 million US citizens. If I were American, I would be asking why do US elected representatives and officials continue to be so keen to deny such healthcare provision to so many US citizens? The answer cannot be for the good of their health, so what other reason could there be...?
    by Mike Bird at 8/19/2009 7:09:31 PM
  • My personal experience with the Canadian medical system has been extraordinary. I had arthritis in both hips which I had replaced with no cost what so ever to me and after deciding to get them done the first procedure was done by a surgeon of my choice, within 3 months.
    by Don Storey at 8/19/2009 7:14:12 PM
  • I feel so fortunate that as a Canadian I have access to public medicare. Recently a family member had need of emergency medical services. Those services were prompt and efficient. Cost did not enter the picture. I understand that we too are under attack from private insurance companies that are trying to erode our public system and "Americanize" it. Canadians are overwhelmingly in favour of our public medicare system and we cherish it and do not want to lose it. The late Tommy Douglas is credited as the Father of Medicare and we voted him the greatest Canadian of all time!
    by M DellaVedova at 8/19/2009 7:19:01 PM
  • It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from. If you're in need of medical help it will be given. No questions asked. Who wouldn't want the security of knowing that care comes first?
    by Sachkewich at 8/19/2009 7:27:15 PM
  • During my life (I'm 63)I have experienced both the Canadian and British health care systems and both have provided everything I needed in the way of treatment. The demonization of these compassionate systems by unscrupulous individuals for their own selfish interests is utterly shameful.
    by Liz Coppock at 8/19/2009 7:28:46 PM
  • I have one child working in the UK covered by their national health care , I live in Canada covered by national Health care ,and one child in USA covered by private insurance . which one do I worry about .... you guessed it UAS ! . Why, co- pay can break you .... one hospital covers the blood test but not the scan ooops pay before you go....... and God forbid you loose your job.... Well you loose your pants too !!!!! this is not health care . This is just wear and tear until you care no more and are standing palms up.... Get smart ... and open your eyes !
    by Faye at 8/19/2009 7:34:52 PM
  • I scratched my cornea last winter and was in one of the top eye clinics in North America seeing a specialist within 2 hours of going to the hospital. Treatment took place over two months...it didn't cost me a penny. My uncle is 86 and had a major heart attack last year...in hospital for 6 weeks, now he's home and fine. My son's braces came loose while we were on vacation and the hospital removed the wires which were painfully sticking him in the roof of his mouth. How many more examples do you need? Next week, we are going for our free physicals at our doctor's office, we'll probably get our free flu shots, our blood lab work will be free. Last week I went for my free yearly mammogram. If I lived in the States, how much would I have paid for all the services I have described? The health care is good and it is excellent.
    by vivian payne at 8/19/2009 7:35:23 PM
  • I work as a mental health nurse in the NHS and agree that it is not perfect but it far outways the system in America. I had a student from Kentucky shadow me for the day. She enlightened me regarding the mental health 'care' available in America - truly scary! I have received medical care recently. From first consultation to operation and physio/full recovery has taken 6 months and the care I received
    by rebecca churchill at 8/19/2009 7:47:25 PM
  • I have lived in both Canada and the U.S.; and I still have family in the U.S. I know one woman who stayed in an abusive marriage because she needed his health insurance -- this is just wrong. I also think the criticisms of wait times in Canada are disingenous. I have had two elective surgeries on my feet (in Canada), and I waited a few weeks (no big deal) and I had my choice of dates. And I left the hospital without a huge bill. I also had a baby four years ago and I had to stay in hospital for five days due to some minor complications. In the U.S. I probably would have left early because the complications weren't life threatening, but they could have certainly become worse if I had not had those extra days of care, thus possibly endangering my baby's and my health, AND costing more down the road. I have never had to wait very long for anything. I can get an appointment with my doctor usually within a day. I also really like the fact that everyone can get quality care, no matter how much you can afford -- although if you live in a remote area there are access problems, but still, I'd rather have our system -- any day!
    by andrea at 8/19/2009 7:55:45 PM
  • The NHS was set up to offer medical service free to every patient regardless of whether they could afford to pay, at any time and with any need. Yes, it is open to abuse, and indeed it did become very top heavy, but still I am so glad that I can make an appointment and go any time to see my GP and know I will get a good service. I have friends who travelled to the USA and their daughter was taken seriously ill, but had to wait for treatment (other than life-saving) until the insurance was in place and it cost them very dear indeed. That must be an anxiety for everyone.
    by Judith Bruni at 8/19/2009 7:59:50 PM
  • As a Registered Nurse who has worked in both Canada, Australia, and the UK, I can happily say that Canada's entirely public universal healthcare system is the best I have seen. The care, quality, and complete lack of charges and fees makes the system available to every Canadian. I am proud to say I was trained and worked in one of the best healthcare systems in the world. One that is truly universal, and firmly based on ensuring the quality of care for every Canadian.
    by Keith D King at 8/19/2009 8:01:57 PM
  • I've lived under both systems, and I work in public health. The primary difference I see is that low-income working people and their children have access to health care in Canada, and there are upwards of 40 million of those folks in the US who have no recourse except to visit an emergency room when a situation gets really bad. That the self-proclaimed leading nation of the Western world refuses to provide health care for its less-affluent citizens is a shame on the head of every American. It's a simple fact that access to basic care and preventative measures saves millions of health care dollars down the road, for those who see everything in terms of money. For those who also look at the humanitarian side, it saves millions of hours of unecessary suffering. Be aware that the people who oppose health care reform all have excellent benefits for themselves and their families through their employers, and have quite probably never been in the position of not being able to afford a visit to the doctor or dentist.
    by Leila Jensen at 8/19/2009 8:10:25 PM
  • Whilst the NHS has its flaws of course, when the chips are down and Britons need care they get very high calibre medical attention on the spot, no question. Voices of dissent are needed to keep the NHS in check, just as any government run enterprise should be watched closely by the taxpayers funding it. This is democracy. But having your basic needs - especially medical - cared for is essential to democracy too. How can the US call itself a democracy when the first question in the medical system is 'do you have health insurance?', rather than 'how can we help this person to be well'? If the NHS has flaws, the US system by comparison is completely broken and is fostering inequality.
    by Sharon Johnson at 8/19/2009 8:29:36 PM
  • I feel that we are very lucky in Britain to have such a good health system and think that the system. I would be ashamed if our country had a system like the Americans.
    by Liz Pasteur at 8/19/2009 8:43:43 PM
  • Although the NHS has its faults, we in the UK know that if we are ill or have an accident we will not be refused treatment because we cannot pay or do not have the right insurance.Both my children have had hospital treatment, luckily not often, but when my son's appendix burst he had excellent treatment and follow-up care, without me ever having to worry about whether i could pay. To me this is something that every country should be aiming for.
    by Wendy Collins at 8/19/2009 8:43:57 PM
  • I've lived under the NHS my whole life and while it has its flaw, as does any system, I cannot imagine living under any other system. From emergency care to on going support for medical concerns to extended family support for those suffering from long term health issues it is an outstanding and leading player in the field of medical care and I am proud to be British and have this available to me. Good medical care and support is everyone's right, not just those who can afford to pay for it.
    by K. Taylor at 8/19/2009 8:44:51 PM
  • My father in law left his family in Canada for 15 years
    by Terry at 8/19/2009 8:50:19 PM
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