Sunday, September 13, 2009

social health care

so, I know there is a big debate over the health care system that the president is proposing. Living in Hungary for many years and seeing a social health care system up close, America would be stupid to adopt a similar system. our current system isn't perfect but it's the best thing out there.
what is this picture?? This is what Odi got for dinner in the hospital for 4 nights after giving birth!!! this is just a small display of what a social health care system would bring in America.
by the way, yes, I did bring Odi all kinds of regular food!
Posted by Picasa

7 comments:

  1. I know this is an issue that I should not be touching not being an American myself. Please, if you read this as an American, I fully and humbly acknowledge your every right to decide over your own country. But I have to point out that public health care is about getting to see a doctor even between jobs or unemployed, not about the quality of dinners you get... Pls, don't take this in a bad way... Hungarian public service sucks, but that is because Hungary fell in public debt during the last years of Communism and hasn't recovered ever since. How about the public health care in the Nordic countries, Great Britain or Canada? The United States is the richest and most prosperous country in the world, and on top of that, the leader in medical innovation. I find it difficult to believe that such a great country cannot solve this problem of some of its citizens not having access to medical care ... if there really is a will. Just my humble opinion as a wife to an American.

    ReplyDelete
  2. what non-American's don't know is that when you hear the number on tv that 40 million Americans "don't have health care" that 40 million is made up of 14 million illegals who shouldn't get anything anyways since they are illegal and 26 million americans who CHOSE not to buy health care. We do have systems set up for those less fortunate (Medicare & Medicaid). the case is simply that there are people who chose not to buy insurance cause they will "take their chance". one of the things that makes America great is that in America you aren't "entitled" to things like they tell you here in Europe. In America you have no "entitlements" thus you have less taxes and are free to choose for yourself the things you want/need and if you choose to buy a new car (as a sign of vanity) and not pay for health insurance, why should that be my problem?? the problem with social healthcare is that care is rationed by the government. and the most expensive form of healthcare is when it's "free". I agree that something needs to be done for those with major medical issues.
    when it comes down to it, the issue is a LOT bigger than healthcare. what is comes down to is that there is a certain group of people that want to change America from a free-market system to a socialist entitlement system. my suggestion to those people that want to change America from its current system (which I admit is not perfect but in my opinion the best out there) they need to give up their American citizenship and move to socialist Europe and enjoy the entitlement society here (along with the absurd taxes). America has never been and never will be an "entitlement society" so people need to stop trying to make it one.
    this is my humble opinion as a humble conservative American.

    ReplyDelete
  3. :) Yes, those are good points, too. My experience is that between jobs or just out of college the short term insurances are so unbelievably expensive (of course they are, because it would otherwise not be profitable for the free market economy insurance providers) that some people are really forced to make the "free" decision to not to insure themselves (just to pay their rents and utilities). If you're just stupid and really choose not to have an insurance, that is a different matter.

    I think there should be some sort of middle ground there. I *think* (not sure) Germany has a pretty good and efficient system. People do pay more for health insurances (around 170-200 euros per month) than here in the Nordic countries, but it works smoother than in the US. What I don't understand in the US system is that even when I see a private doctor in a private clinic in Finland (so, no state involvement) I pay only 70-90 euros, but if I should (on a vacation, this happened to us once) see a doctor in the US, it is minimum 150 dollars per appointment. So something is out there inflating the costs... It is rather these inflated costs than the "socialist" vs. free market system debate that the attention should be on. If they only could solve that. I am under the impression that the health business is more interested in creating good profit to shareholders and less interested in making it work smoothly for their customers.

    Anyways, this is an issue that we just have to agree to disagree on. :) I will probably never quite wrap my brain around America, it is too big for that. (hehe) :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. LOL Lets not hit each other, because we would end up in a health care institution. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. LOL, yes it is just best to stay out of those! :-D

    ReplyDelete
  6. like I said, the American system isn't perfect, it could do with some changes but I don't think that a socialist "entitlement" system is the way to go. the reason why a doctor's visit in America costs so much (like you said $150) is cause the average doctor has to pay over $200,000 a year in malpractice insurance. so they have to get that money from somewhere. in America, our system is a little out of hand where people can & do sue for everything. if doctor's didn't have to pay so much in insurance, then they wouldn't charge so much for visits.
    I know we can "agree to disagree". I just want people to know that the situation in American isn't as bad as the media makes it out to be. 90% of Americans DO have insurance and they pay for it. the problem is if we listened to the media you'd think that 90% don't have insurance, but that isn't the case.
    but the best is to try to stay healthy & not have to worry about it! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. After I had Nina once I got a slice of bread with a slab of baloney (párizsi) and another time breakfast was a slice of bread, a little container of butter and a similarly small container of jelly. The rest, I don't remember, tried to forget. (Yes, Arpi brought me a whole separate menu every day)

    ReplyDelete