Thanks for the input Guido, it's very interesting to read it's sad to hear about how few people can really afford what they need health care wise. Pharmaceutical company wise, the only advertisments we ever see are for Cialis or Viagra, and the occasional pain medication. It's very very rare to see any advertisements on the television or in magazines for medicines. It sounds like due to the large scale of advertising by the companies there, the taxes that should go towards better health care etc are going to these companies to flout their wares so to speak. That's sad. I know what you mean by top heavy goverment when it comes to healthcare - we have what are called District Health boards, and there is a ridiculous number of them for such a small country. They are too top heavy, too many people trying to run everything and things get stuffed up. Example, the childrens oncology department at Wellington Hospital (our capital city) has had to close (temporarily) due to their speicialists leaving as the DHB has no idea about retaining them or running the department (and other departments truth be told) - they are too concerned with their pay packets and other things that Joe Public really doesn't care about in the scheme of things. That's the worse case thing here at the moment.
Again, thanks for the input! Very interesting to read
guidogodoy wrote:
Well, I honestly don't think (nay, I KNOW) that the average American has no idea what TRUE communism actuactually means, I really think that it has very little to do with the argument. Those days are long past. More like what you said at the beginning. We pay a small fortune in taxes as it is with very little return. Can / should we learn from other countries? I have never met a person on the streets to say "no." They are more worried in that we can afford / take better care of our pets than we can ourselves. Get hurt? It usually turns out in a fight between you and your insurance company as to whether this or that procedure was actually needed. Malpractice lawsuits has a big role in this as does advertising for this and that drug. After all, the pharmaceutical corporations have HUGE political power here in the States. Don't know about there but here there are certain times of the day when every other commercial on TV is from another drug company. THAT is sad and only adds to the cost. Even sadder is that most go with generic equivalents anyway as they are cheaper for those WITH insurance. Co-pay is less. See a Dr. here and you best know what you have before you walk into their office as they will only spend about five minutes with you. Many states are suffering a major Dr. shortage as they are not protected from lawsuits. Now imagine yourself a Dr. and have to get paid from the government once you complete a service. Again, everything done by the government pretty much ends up as a complete mess as we are too top-heavy.
So, no, Not fear of communism. More the fear of ever-rising taxes, healthcare costs and co-pays. If you notice, my comments don't even breach the "system" trying to cover the countless illegals living here tax free. Hey, my little brother is living in Canada "under the radar" to avoid many of these problems.
it's sad to hear about how few people can really afford what they need health care wise. Pharmaceutical company wise, the only advertisments we ever see are for Cialis or Viagra, and the occasional pain medication. It's very very rare to see any advertisements on the television or in magazines for medicines. It sounds like due to the large scale of advertising by the companies there, the taxes that should go towards better health care etc are going to these companies to flout their wares so to speak. That's sad. I know what you mean by top heavy goverment when it comes to healthcare - we have what are called District Health boards, and there is a ridiculous number of them for such a small country. They are too top heavy, too many people trying to run everything and things get stuffed up. Example, the childrens oncology department at Wellington Hospital (our capital city) has had to close (temporarily) due to their speicialists leaving as the DHB has no idea about retaining them or running the department (and other departments truth be told) - they are too concerned with their pay packets and other things that Joe Public really doesn't care about in the scheme of things. That's the worse case thing here at the moment.