tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post7571062317240369288..comments2023-12-26T05:18:36.208-08:00Comments on A Philosophy of Strength and Health: Our 'Sicko' Story: Reality of the AbsurdTracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-55913005995718817202007-07-13T04:01:00.000-07:002007-07-13T04:01:00.000-07:00I agree our system is broken, but please remember ...I agree our system is broken, but please remember one thing: Without profit there will be no reason for the medical community to pioneer new techniques and drugs. Why would anyone work harder if there wasn't some type of reward attached. Plus without profit our best and brightest may decide to become engineers and CEOs instead of MDs. Check out where most medical technology has been created... right here in the USA where medicine equals huge profit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-26609343244909913512007-07-10T13:48:00.000-07:002007-07-10T13:48:00.000-07:00You have my vote. I could not agree more.You have my vote. I could not agree more.Read Thishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12557518533821935785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-64329121075561913462007-07-08T10:02:00.000-07:002007-07-08T10:02:00.000-07:00You're right, Iron MavenIn almost every measured c...You're right, Iron Maven<BR/><BR/>In almost every measured category, US health care underperforms other industrialized countries -- sometimes dramatically so. And it costs 150-200% as much. Further, within the US, over the past 50 or 60 years, overall healthcare costs have been cheaper the more the govt spends on it. That is, it isn't just the health care costs that individuals pay that is lower the more the govt. shells out, but the actual cost of health care declines, too.<BR/><BR/>There's almost a blind faith in the US that anything the government touches must be less efficient than the market, but the market's primary aim is to make a profit, not to provide services. The latter is a happy afterthought. Of course the government is large and inefficient and often corrupt. But so are many corporations, and their motivations are different.<BR/><BR/>I have a few personal stories of friends or family suffering health problems abroad (Italy, France) and being utterly surprised to undergo major emergency procedures without paying a dime. Often getting better medical attention on top of everything.<BR/><BR/>Something is definitely amiss.<BR/><BR/>Hope you're well.<BR/><BR/>-- a different anonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-49830926234207594322007-07-05T15:24:00.000-07:002007-07-05T15:24:00.000-07:00Thanks for you comments. I don't believe the cost...Thanks for you comments. <BR/><BR/>I don't believe the cost of care and the quality of care in nationalized health care systems is as high or as slow as most Americans are led to believe, especially for basic everyday general medical and emergency care.<BR/><BR/>I would much rather pay the exhorbitant premiums we currently pay for-profit Aetna (despite a $2500 deductible, no current health problems) as a tax to a nationalized system, like that in Canada. <BR/><BR/>After all, we have "socialized" postal service, police and fire protection, etc. It is not perfect, but much about tax-supported infrastructure works just fine.<BR/><BR/>Of what freedom do you speak? The freedom of Aetna or BCBS to deny care to people so their shareholders and CEOs can make a profit? As a practicing therapist, I've had to fight to get these companies to pay for people to get legitimate physical therapy treatment. That is not freedom for either the patient or the provider. Our current system is backward, unethical and wasteful. There is an inherent conflict of interest with for-profit health insurance.Tracy Foberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-16967200406063408002007-07-05T14:01:00.000-07:002007-07-05T14:01:00.000-07:00You absolutely are doing the right thing in not pu...You absolutely are doing the right thing in not pursuing legal action. I don't think you'd want to be treated in either France or Canada or Cuba for that matter unless you weren't interested in timely access to medical care. And there is a BIG cost to medical treatment in those countries...don't fool yourself. In France and Canada it's confiscatory taxes and in Cuba it's life without freedom. Cheers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com