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« on: March 06, 2009, 05:37:55 AM » |
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The wonders of the English Government run health service.  My half brother Terry was operated on Wednesday Well after 9 months of waiting for an operation with the National Health Service in England he's been diced and sliced; as my nurse niece so quaintly termed it, and is in recovery. It took 4 months for him to get to see the specialist and the rest of the time waiting to be scheduled for the surgery. His surgery should have been done on Monday morning but got pushed back until Wednesday morning. At least the NHS didn't kill him as they did my sister in law waiting to be given a bone marrow transplant (a donor was available for 6 months) and friend Boyo who died a premature cancer death due to the length of time it took him to be able to see a specialist and then have the initial chemo and surgery. Update The poor bugger had to spend 5 hours sitting in a chair yesterday after leaving recovery. There wasn't a bed available! Sitting with a CVP line in his neck, 2 infusions going into separate parts of his arms, electrodes stuck to his torso, 2 large chest drains to the central part of his abdomen, pacing wires under his scar and a urine catheter.  The wonders of a Government run health service. NO the service is NOT FREE. Everyone who works contributes through the National Insurance scheme. ' Earn over $50,000 ayear and you contribute 9% of your earnings. Your empoyer also contributes but I can't work out the formula they use. |
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« Last Edit: March 06, 2009, 08:47:43 AM by Britman »
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Daniel Meyer
Member
Posts: 5492
Author. Adventurer. Electrician.
The State of confusion.
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« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2009, 07:43:46 AM » |
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CUAgain, Daniel Meyer  |
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Master Blaster
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« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2009, 09:11:16 AM » |
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I have some personal experience in Govt at work. As some of you know I was diagnosed with Peritoneal Mesothelioma about a year ago. Its a very rare form of Mesothelioma that most cancer centers have never encountered and dont have a clue about treatment. With the help of our own F6gal I found the expert doctor that had dedicated his practice to finding a treatment after his father died of the same condition and there was nothing available. I had extensive surgery, and Hypothermic Chemotheraphy, and was prescribed another round of Chemo to follow in about 6 months after I had recovered form the surgery. The Chemo I was prescribed was Alimta, the only FDA approved Chemo for Mesothelioma. Catch 22 is it is only approved for the plural type, that is in the lungs, reason being is the peritoneal type is so rare there are not enough cases to do the clinical trials that are necessarey for FDA approval. My Doctor prescribed this regimen because it works on both types of Cancer. The Alimta was the first part of a two stage Chemo theraphy. After it was infused it would be followed by Carboplaten. The Alimta took 10 minutes to infuse and cost $22,900.00 bux a pop. Medicare refused to pay as primary insurance and so did Tricare, my secondary. I had to have 6 treatments. What it comes down to is if you dont have money, you can just die. Bet our Lawmakers never have to face that decision.
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"Nothing screams bad craftsmanship like wrinkles in your duct tape."
Gun controll is not about guns, its about CONTROLL.
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RuthlessRider
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« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2009, 09:31:36 AM » |
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Beats the results of my brother-in-law who did not have any health insurance, because his employer didn't provide it and he couldn't afford it on his own. He died 13 months after his cancer was discovered. Sure he got chemo, too late to do any good. Had to rely on family members to provide most of his in home care service, because he couldn't afford anything else. Great system if you work for the right employer or you have money. Everyone in the English, German, Swiss, Canadian, French, Japanese, Nationalist Chinese, etc. etc. systems are covered. Is it free? Nothing is free, but it is based more on your ability to pay than our is. Before you start hitting on someone elses system, you should find out more about it than one or two cases.
One of the first things you notice on other systems is that there administrative cost are substantially less than ours. I believe the German admin cost are around6% while ours run between 18-23% depending on the company your plan is with. No doubt we have the best facilities and the best technology, but in the end our system is rated somewhere around 12 or 13th in the world based on infant mortality rates, end of service results, etc. Certainly we can do better than that. Anyone who has serve in the armed forces has lived with socialized medicine. I did for over 6 years and never had a complaint. I'll take my chances with a European type system any day than the one we have.
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Big IV
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« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2009, 09:40:35 AM » |
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There is no perfect system.
All systems will let someone die that another system would have saved. Maybe it is just a balancing act like some sort of military decision: one or many. Perhaps not.
Brit,
How is your brother doing now that he's been bedded, still on the path to recovery I hope?
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« Last Edit: March 06, 2009, 08:59:49 PM by Big IV »
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"Ride Free Citizen!"
VRCCDS0176
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« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2009, 12:18:34 PM » |
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Before you start hitting on someone elses system, you should find out more about it than one or two cases.
If the above is directed to me it may come as complete shockl to you but I'M ENGLISH. I left England at age 40. And guess what? I do have a pretty darn good idea of how the NHS works in England. |
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Jabba
Member
Posts: 3563
VRCCDS0197
Greenwood Indiana
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« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2009, 05:11:14 AM » |
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People don't have health coverage because they CHOOSE not to. My brother is in the same boat right now and he's 50. He just doesn't work much, when he does it's handy manning, and he won't even try to get on medicare.
You have my condolences on the loss of your brother.
Jabba
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Doc Moose
Member
Posts: 748
VRCC#506 - VRCCDS#0002 - BOTS
W. Indyanner / Central Florida
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« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2009, 06:07:27 AM » |
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Britman,
Sorry to hear of your family's difficulties with the "system".
I fear that what people expect and what they will get from the US gov't will be vastly different.
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 Retired OF - Everyday is Saturday! GW/Roadsmith Trike |
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« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2009, 03:12:29 PM » |
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People don't have health coverage because they CHOOSE not to. My brother is in the same boat right now and he's 50. He just doesn't work much, when he does it's handy manning, and he won't even try to get on medicare.
You have my condolences on the loss of your brother.
Jabba
He's fine apart from a zipper mark in his chest. |
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X Ring
Member
Posts: 3626
VRCC #27389, VRCCDS #204
The Landmass Between Mobile And New Orleans
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« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2009, 04:52:32 PM » |
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Paul,
I know exactly what you're talking about. When I was stationed in England, it was at a small support base in High Wycombe. Except for routine stuff at RAF Upper Heyford, a small med clinic handled everything but we were stuck with the local system for emergencies. I got bitten by my landlord's dog once and it took all day to be seen at the local hospital. It was way worse than anything I've seen here. My English friends told me stories of not being able to get a needed procedure for months because they were so many people on the list in their town and if the next town didn't have anyone on their list, they couldn't go because they didn't live in that town. When I got there in '85, I was very shocked by the headlines in the papers that the majority of doctors didn't know CPR. The stories and my experiences were enough that anytime someone brings it up, I do my best to educate them.
Marty
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People are more passionately opposed to wearing fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than bikers.  |
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F-106
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« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2009, 05:33:47 PM » |
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I stay out of post like these but i have to tell you. I am deathly worried for the old USA. Our young people that voted for all this change i think was thinking they were going to get it all for free. The bad news is none of them are old enough to know better. And now here we are stuck with it. Maybe it will all turn around but i do have my thoughts that the country i served may be gone. And that saddens me.
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bigvalkriefan
Member
Posts: 407
On the green monster
South Florida
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« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2009, 06:14:10 PM » |
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I'm with you F-106. I'm only 49, but the young kids today have no idea what they have done. The consequences will be felt for decades to come. I believe we will get through this, but we have to stick together as Americans. We need to have one voice, they need to know that we are not sitting on our hands any longer. They count on us be complacent. We can't afford to be any more. They can't be trusted and they need to be watched closely. History will be repeated if we are not careful.
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.....say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."
Isaiah 35:4
I know who wins in the end.
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Jabba
Member
Posts: 3563
VRCCDS0197
Greenwood Indiana
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« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2009, 05:43:09 PM » |
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People don't have health coverage because they CHOOSE not to. My brother is in the same boat right now and he's 50. He just doesn't work much, when he does it's handy manning, and he won't even try to get on medicare.
You have my condolences on the loss of your brother.
Jabba
He's fine apart from a zipper mark in his chest. That was targeted toward ruthless rider, not you Britman. Sorry for the corn-fusion. Jabba |
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