Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Oui!


So, have you seen the movie "Sicko" that just came out? It is a documentary, by Michael Moore, about our healthcare system. We watched it last night and I was horrified, or should I say terrified at what I learned. I understand that he is only showing us one side of the coin, but in my opinion he made a pretty good argument. What are your thoughts on universal health care? Surely there must be some flaw with it, some big problem, or else we would have it right? Ever since I finished the show I have been concocting some way that we can move (and take all of our families with us) to France. France has universal health care. France has 35 hour work weeks. France requires employers to provide a MINIMUM of 5 weeks of paid vacation, even for part time employees. They get six months paid maternity leave. They have 24 hour doctors that make house calls. Free, or nearly free, daycare. Why are we not all living in France? Or Canada, eh?

Anyway, I am not saying I know it all or that Michael Moore does, so if you have an opinion on why universal health care is a bad idea please tell me. I even wrote my congressman this morning asking him to co-sponsor the bill for universal health care. The movie just horrified me. It made me want to start a protest or something, but then I realized that if Michael Moore can't make a difference, how the heck do I think I am going to. I have no exposure, no connections, no $. So my best solution so far is to pack up and head to France. Either that or commit a felony if I ever get some sort of cancer, since our prisoners get free healthcare.

So speaking of healthcare. Bentley has reflux and the doctor prescribed him a medication. The medication can only be found at a certain pharmacy WAY in the hay across town. So I look up the directions on google maps and head out that way. I followed the directions and wound up smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood. So unless this magic pharmacy was located in someones garage (which seems a little questionable), google maps had failed me. I've never had that. Anyway after several phone calls around I finally found someone who had access to a computer (thanks Mom) who could look up their phone number for me. Turns out that google maps was about four miles off in where it showed me to go.
So I find the magic pharmacy, give them my insurance card and two prescriptions. First they tell me that they don't have the name brand prescription for mine, and apparently my doctor specified that it had to be the name brand (what the? How rich does she think I am?). So theoretically it would be cheaper for me to have another pregnancy and child ($15 total) than it would be to buy a one month supply of birth control. And that makes sense how? Anyway, I was kind of ticked because I am sure they would have had this NAME BRAND medicine at a pharmacy that wasn't thirty miles away from my house. Fine, I'll go somewhere else, on with the magic stuff that apparently only this pharmacy carries. Sure they have it, but they won't bill my insurance for it. They give me all the paper work and the claim forms and charge me $50 for the two Tbs of medicine and send me on my way (my LONG way!). I wanted to write my congressman again.
Surely this would not have happened in France.


*Just a little disclaimer, I know there are bigger medical crises out there than me having to drive across town and pay the $50 which hopefully most will be reimbursed for later, I just was sharing my woes for the day. I am grateful that the health problems for me and my family are minimal!

7 comments:

G said...

Made me think of this

G said...

Bah, my link didn't work sorry. I guess you'll have to try to copy and paste maybe, we'll see.

What I tried to say was:

Made me think of this demotivator:

http://images.despair.com/products/demotivators/effort.jpg

I'll still take America any day.

G said...

I can't let it go, sorry you're my guniea pig. One more try...

Why did it make my link the date and time in the first one???



How's that?

Shauna said...

Ooooo! Don't get me started on health care in America! It is a broken, broken system, I'll tell you what. When our son Spencer went through chemo and radiation we got up close and personal with the way insurance and health care work. Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing but praise and adoration for the Children's Hospital of Austin. They are aMAZing! But, as good as the care may be, the way that it all works out--referrals and insurance and fighting for basic rights and spending your life on the phone to try and receive the benefits you PAID for and only being able to use certain doctors and specialists--well, it is MESSED UP!

That said, I remember asking my in-laws about universal health care. Both of my husband's parents went to France on their missions. I was surprised to learn that they thought universal healthcare was terrible. I guess the wait to get in to specialists and care facilities can be extraordinarily long, and you don't get to choose who you see. They said a lot of people die on waiting lists there.

But, my aunt (Canadian) swears by universal health care. I don't know. I somehow think there has to be a better solution somewhere in the middle of socialized medicine and the system we've got now.

I'll have to go see Sicko now...

Jen and Beth said...

I don't see why we can't do what they do in other countries like Argentina. (Granted, who wants the health care there?) But their system is pretty much this: There is private insurance for those who can afford it and those who have jobs that offer it etc...And there is a government run health system for those that don't. Why not expand the government health clinics and open government run hospitals? That way there is still a choice for those who don't want to be stuck with universal health care. I think there are too many flaws with that. Did you know that John Edwards plan (which Hillary I've heard has stolen) would require anyone who is on it to go to the doctor 2 times a year regardless. It would require people to do certain things or be kicked off. Where is the agency in that? Also, what would happen to alternative health care options in this country. I know that not all people believe in natural medicine but there are those that do and that have had much success with it.
One other thing, I believe we have the best health care in the world so I wouldn't trade the quality for anything. (Thanks for letting me get on my soapbox!)

Sarah said...

Jennifer and others: to go along with the universal health care and agency issue, you may find this article interesting

http://www.townhall.com/content/aa0494d4-ebf2-4be5-9238-786c552fadc8

On another note, My husband went on his mission to Spain and while in Madrid, had to receive health care. He says he would much rather be treated in the U.S.

manjacostel said...

Bonjour;
It's true. Excuse me . It's very difficult to continue in english.
Our heathcare is beautiful.
True , i worked 35 hours by week.
I have five or six weeks of paids vacations. And the more beautiful is que my company made 10 Milliards de dollars profit.
I have retreat when i was 53,5 years old. And i was happy .
Next week i am going to New York .
Il faut vivre!!
Oui je vais passer une semaine . Je suis un peu inquiet , je ne parle pas americain.
Le problème c'est que les hommes politiques anglo saxons ne supportent plus notre liberte.Ils ridiculisent notre système. A quoi sert le progrès technique alors ? A engraisser une bande de faineants de boursicoteurs? J'ai lu qu'aux States il fallait faire 4 boulots pour gagner sa vie.
Et ça vraiment je n'en a pas envie pour mes enfants...
Aussi je vais aller voir le film de Michael Moore.
Mes meilleurs sentiments a tous. Et j'aurais envie de dire , je vous souhaite un meilleur système de sante
Amicalement Alain Fabre .