hyrcan

Well, they don't usually let people die because they're poor, but we do have a lot of other issues. Doctors don't want to work for a system that doesn't throw barrels of money at them -- that's a problem because you can't get a GP. And you have to wait forever for certain procedures. Still, it's better than being kicked to the curb because you don't have cash.

XUP's last blog post..Ottawa vs Montréal: A Day in the Life

Similar to XUP's comment because we are both Canadian. We are covered by excellent provincial health care, which is supplemented by company health care plans. I have, personally, never had trouble finding a doctor, and when I discovered a lump (fortunately a cyst) I was into surgery in under a week. However, I have heard of horror stories, especially wait times at Emergency going on for hours and hours.

P.S. I posted a commented several days ago to your pic from the restaurant, but it never showed up. Did it thrown into cyberspace?

Urban Panther's last blog post..The cost of relationships

SOMETHING will need to change sooner or later. It's been an issue for years and it's getting worse. I'm not sure what the solution should be, though.

By the way, when people post a comment to your blog, it makes then preview it prior to posting. I think it would be better to skip the "preview" step and allow people to post directly. Just my totally unasked for input.

Vered's last blog post..Thank You For Smoking

@XUP: I've a friend that lives up that direction. :) While Canada's solution it's not perfect, I'd argue it's a step in the right direction. People need healthcare, and it makes me sick when I think about how money grubbing that industry is... It's sad (and a little sickening) that I can't say I would be surprised if it came out that pharmaceutical corporations were restricting cures for things so they could make more money selling things that will prolong the victims lives.

@Urban Panther: I've noticed several people complaining about the same thing. General coverage is great... ER can be hell. It's kinda confusing why that is and should be investigated.

Hmm... I looked around the place, under rocks, in odd boxes, even under the sink, but I can't find your comment on the restaurant pic anywhere and that makes me a sad panda... Maybe my cat ate it. She does like to shred things when I'm not looking.

@Vered: I think the this is really a symptom of larger issues with society. Primarily where our personal priorities are, and how far away from those we allow corporations get.

Oops, that's actually supposed to be optional... I must have forgot to change that setting. Should be able to post with out previewing... unless you want to. :) Personally I always like the option to preview... but you're right most times people don't need to.

hmm... I wonder if that's what happened to the Panthers comment on the food pic! Hit preview and though it was posting...

Hi Hyrcan,

The wheel chair chained up to the bike rack is rather sad. Has society gotten that bad that people have to chain up their wheel chairs?

Our company has health insurance (we're self employed), it's expensive but these days it's important to offer employees more than just a decent wage.

BTW: Thank you for being so helpful on my blog (Open Mic). I'll email you tomorrow with the code that's giving me problems - for my comment RSS feed. I'm thinking I'm over looking something simple.

Barbara Swafford's last blog post..Four Day Open Mic - 8/21 to 8/24/08

@Barbara: This was just outside of the Friendship Heights Metro (subway) stop, which is in a very wealthy part of DC/MD which made it stand out even more.

And I'm always happy to help out. We come up with a fix for that code in no time, I'll keep an eye out for your email.

Hyrcan,

Hi. I popped over for a few reasons. First, I want you to know that I usually don't write to "strangers" correcting their "typing test" sentences.

Second, what you write about is critical. I am on Medicare. Though I "appreciate" (an ODD word for Medicare!) the coverage, I am VERY lucky that when I went out on disabiity, 3M was my employer at the time. Now, all these years later, they pick up the balance of my medical costs that Medicare (A & B) don't cover. They also covered (and still DO cover) all presciptions at 100% - even though Medicare now provides a billion (incomprehensible) Rx plans. I know plenty of people who will not look for another job - or start a small business - for fear of losing medical benefits.

The picture above does NOT surprise me (with the exception below). When I am in a parking lot, particularly one with PLENTY of spaces, and I see somebody "running into a store for a second" while they are parked in a Handicapped spot, I park my car behind theirs perpendicularly, phone the police non-emergeny number, give the driver's tag #, and wait for a patrol officer to show up. I've been cursed at, threatened, you name it. But what do people think? That I purposely EARNED my handicap sticker? I'd gladly trade it with them for the ability to "run into a store."

Thanks for this post - and that picture. Though why a person who needs a wheelchair is out of it, and having it locked up, is a bit baffling!

Rita

Rita's last blog post..Rita on the Cross..

@Rita: I can't help but think that the complexity in medical insurance plans is their to make it hard if not impossible for the average person to pick the right plan. If you pick the wrong one and end up paying more they won't mind at all, their sure not going to tell you, even if they'll expect you to pay up if they discovered they under-billed you... of course that practice isn't reserved to just medical insurance, just think about your cell phone plan options.

Jerks who park in Handicap spots really annoy me. I'm sure they just think, oh I'll only be in it for a second... but they ignore the whole point. They could park in any number of spots, and "just run in" to a store, and like you said, I know plenty of people who would gladly give up the spot for that ability. And if there weren't Handicap spots, these people would park in emergency zones or right on the corner of the street blocking the view of traffic making it dangerous. I look at pictures like this one and I'm tempted to believe in karma.... or at least car-ma ;)

And it is pretty baffling why they would need a wheelchair and not be in it...

Though I suspect it's being used for other reasons.

Hi Hyrcan,

I don't believe in the politics behind healthcare in the US. There are some things all people in the world should have: decent healthcare and healthy food to eat.

This seems to be fairly simple but apparently isn't.

So I'm not sure if healthcare if heading in the right direction. We have excellent healthcare, because of my husband's job, which I'm extremely grateful for. Also dental. Which I'm extremely grateful for also because a piece of my molar broke off!

Ellen Wilson's last blog post..Freelance Business Burnout

@Ellen Wilson: I completely agree, I'd add clean air and water to the list though. ;)

You're right though, it's amazing how all across the globe these simple things are ignored.

I just heard on the news last night the 5 million Canadians do not have a family doctor. That's sad!

Urban Panther's last blog post..The Panther goes oopsie daisy

@Urban Panther: Yikes that's a lot of folks with no doc! Why don't that have one?