Oh no! I'm going to die because of socialized health care!

[velvetpage]

The last thing I did before leaving this morning was post a debate in booju_newju asking if the U.S. should socialize their health care system. As a result, I haven't read much of my friends page - I've been replying and managing discussion over there ever since I got home.



I'm wondering about the perceived connection between long wait times and socialized medicine. There is a connection, certainly, but it's not, "Oh no! If the government is paying for it, we'll have to wait!" From my point of view, it appears to be mostly about infrastructure. We do not have enough doctors or other specialists, and if we did, we would lack some of the operating theatres, hospital beds, and other necessary things to reduce wait times. This is a systemic problem, certainly, but it is not one that would appear immediately upon instituting socialized medicine. The U.S. already has the infrastructure, and they certainly have enough doctors. (They could send back a few of the ones they've borrowed from us, actually. We need them ourselves.) There might be some shortages when all the currently-uninsured suddenly had access to the whole system, but they'd be manageable, and probably much of it would be absorbed by the current system. After all, everyone would have a lot more time to see patients if they weren't filling out dozens of forms and attempting to get blood from a stone payment from people who have no money.

Also, what's with this idea that "The government will tell me which doctors I have to see!" That is totally, categorically false. In fact, I have more choice of doctors than many insured Americans whose insurance companies tell them which doctors they're willing to pay for. I can see any doctor in Ontario by presenting my health card, if I have a referral. And, while I know many people who have to wait, I never have. It depends on the specialty how long you'll wait, and once you're on their patient roster, you won't have to wait again to see the doctor - though you may have to wait for your surgery. See previous comment about infrastructure.

Last complaint I have little patience with - "Our taxes will be too high for us to afford to eat!" Okay, maybe your taxes would go up - though it should be possible to do it for the amount already being paid for Medicare - but your health premiums would (almost) disappear, and the savings would be rather greater than the increase in taxes. No, the rich are not going to flee to places where they don't have to support the poor. There aren't a whole lot of those places left, at least not places where the rich would actually want to live.

Okay, I'm done now.

Comments

[nettlefly.livejournal.com]

I actually wandered to your journal after reading that debate - I don't take part in any of these kind of discussions online as the opinions of the 'other side' tend to leave me exhausted just from reading it all. But I wanted to tell you that I really admire the way you stayed calm and explained how your system actually does work. Perhaps it is something one cannot really change people's minds on but it did make me feel a little better about the whole discussion seeing someone...well, agreeing with me:)

What I mean is that while I know that people leaning on the right don't have my views on life and even though I've read through similar opinions by the people not in favor of nationalised healthcare each time this topic is brought up, it actually seems a bit intimidating to read these opinions. Especially when one goes to the part whether healthcare is a basic human right - I know I've lived through enough hard times to know that had I lived in certain other countries I would probably be dead already so I just tend to take these very personally. In good and bad.

Well, take care of yourself and everything, I just wanted to let you know that at least someone heard and agreed with what you were saying:)

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

I appreciate that. Thank you. I try very hard to keep my cool, because bitterness and accusations don't convince anyone. It's something a few people in that thread haven't learned yet.