SiCKO

C and I finally watched Michael Moore's "Sicko" the other day and it just made us go "hmmm.."
If you haven't watched it - well, you should. It points out how most of the nations in the world can manage to have universal healthcare but US being one of the richest nations cannot have healthcare to take care of its poor, elderly and sick. There are many arguments against socialized medical - one of them being that one will not receive the best medical treatment if its government run. Hmmm - maybe thats only an issue in the US. Our firefighter, police, libraries are government run and we still receive adequate service (depending on your demographics).

In UK there is even doctors that are on call to come to the sick at home! That would be unheard of nowadays. I remember when my little brother was struck with chicken pox and my father was away with the car and my mother had no means of transportation. It would have been a great service to be able to call a doctor at home to check on his high temperature, don't you think? Instead of calling an ambulance (which cost a pretty penny once u get the bill) and having him stay at the hospital (which, at the time even with insurance, practically was impossible for us to pay).

I haven't had medical insurance since - well, college where it was included as part of our tuition. Why? I have been working as a consultant and the agency I work for offered benefits, but it covered so little and my deductible was so much that it just wasn't worth it. It was better for me to pay cash to see the doctors just to avoid all the headaches and hassles of paperwork! But heck - I still paid a lot of taxes. Now - if I had universal healthcare - then add another tax and take out of paycheck if that means if I am sick i don't have to be tense about seeing the doctor and worrying about bills.

I am babbling yes - but its an issue the US really needs to fix - why can other nations provide free education and healthcare but the US claims to not be able to do it - but instead spend zillions in a war that most of the nation is against? Is that democracy?

Interesting fact that my little brother (well he is 16) relayed to me - How many countries allow/is it legal for pharmaceuticals to directly advertise to consumers? Answer: 2 (US & New Zealand). I found that interesting. I detest the ads. Only doctors should recommend any medications. A person without medical background is illiterate to diagnose themselves for an illness! Symptoms can be the same for many different diagnosis.

There is one ad that I detest - its an otc painkiller - the ad shows a person exhausted - muscle aches from playing with their kids, headaches from work stress, backaches from working - the answer - take this pain killer and resume your life! WHAT!! If the body is in pain - that means - slow down! Give it a break, rest! Be a healthy human being rather than drugging your body and pushing it beyond its capabilities!! Shouldn't the government be taking care of its citizens, making sure they are healthy?

I can go on and on with the gripes I have - When I remember these things - that my education debt will take forever to pay off, my credit sucks cause I haven't been able to pay off some medical bills, that having debt is a part of life in the US - it just makes me happy that C and I moved out. Medical care here is really just as good if not better cause doctors listen and then take care of you. The treatments I have received so far has cost far less ($500 vs. $50) with the same equipment and better service. I was able to take care of a dental problem - a root canal and cap - here in Dhaka for far less ($5,000 vs, $500).

C and I are debating - once we are done in Dhaka, maybe we will move to France. Hmmm - according to "SiCKO" the french gov't sends a nanny to help new moms!

Time to start learning some French with my free time!!

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