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Yet, life expectancy has skyrocketed in CR and infant mortality has plummeted in the past decades. They must be doing a lot of things right. A poor third world country with more than twice the murder rate of America and obesity rates rapidly approaching America's level has higher life expectancy than America...Wait times? If you earn more than $200 a month, even as parent of small children, you dont qualify for Medicaid in Alabama. You simply beg your friends for that $150 000 chemo therapy and if you cant get it, wait for your death. How is this acceptable in the richest country in the world, far, far richer than Costa Rica?
The US has many unhealthy inhabitants, we drink. smoke and eat too much and expect that in the end healthcare can save us. Costa Ricans don't have anywhere near the obesity and diabetes problems that exist in the states.
/For every story someone has from 'another country' -- there is a story for an American who has had some massive fail because of health coverage -- not enough, not available, denied access by insurance, etc....insurance limits, etc.......it goes on and on.
Yet, life expectancy has skyrocketed in CR and infant mortality has plummeted in the past decades. They must be doing a lot of things right. A poor third world country with more than twice the murder rate of America and obesity rates rapidly approaching America's level has higher life expectancy than America...Wait times? If you earn more than $200 a month, even as parent of small children, you dont qualify for Medicaid in Alabama. You simply beg your friends for that $150 000 chemo therapy and if you cant get it, wait for your death. How is this acceptable in the richest country in the world, far, far richer than Costa Rica?
Don't shoot the messenger buddy. I'm just telling you the truth. Normal, every day Costa Ricans don't use the public health care system. They use their private insurance and go to one of the new private hospitals. Life expectancy and infant mortality rates are probably up due to many factors & one of those may be so many people in the country switching to private insurance over the public option.
I'm not defending the health care system in our country. I'm just pointing out that Costa Rica's two-tiered society is not the model we should strive for.
The US has many unhealthy inhabitants, we drink. smoke and eat too much and expect that in the end healthcare can save us. Costa Ricans don't have anywhere near the obesity and diabetes problems that exist in the states.
Thats just terrible excuses. Same with blaming it on the Mexican immigrants. Americans dont drink much. Not much smoking either. Obesity is high but lots of countries are approaching America's level there. Care to explain why its so good to beg your friends for $150 000 to get that chemo therapy? In Costa Rica, everyone gets care. And their skyrocketing life expectancy, higher than America, proves they are investing in the quality of life of their citizens.
Don't shoot the messenger buddy. I'm just telling you the truth. Normal, every day Costa Ricans don't use the public health care system. They use their private insurance and go to one of the new private hospitals. Life expectancy and infant mortality rates are probably up due to many factors & one of those may be so many people in the country switching to private insurance over the public option.
I'm not defending the health care system in our country. I'm just pointing out that Costa Rica's two-tiered society is not the model we should strive for.
Seems like you are dead wrong. I looked up public health care spending as a share of total health care spending from the World Bank. In Costa Rica, its higher than in Canada. The overwhelming majority of Canadians use the public system and are happy with it. Are you a right winger or a Wall Street Democrat trying to push the agenda of privatized health care (price gouging on stereoids)?
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I'm not defending the health care system in our country. I'm just pointing out that Costa Rica's two-tiered society is not the model we should strive for.
We already have a three-tiered system.
1) Insurance provided by employers or paid for out of pocket
2) Medicare - Medicaid
3) No insurance at all
A two-tiered system would be an improvement.
However, I think universal health care would be a better option all the way around. Offer everyone Medicare. If folks want to pay for something better, they have that option.
It just occurred to me that the U.S. has a tier about the top one.
We have friends who pay an out-of-pocket annual retainer of several thousand dollars to be included as a patient of a concierge medical practice.
They still carry insurance and pay co-pays, but this guarantees they will be seen in a timely manner as the medical practice limits the number of patients they see to a reasonable number.
Last edited by GotHereQuickAsICould; 12-29-2017 at 04:54 PM..
Seems like you are dead wrong. I looked up public health care spending as a share of total health care spending from the World Bank. In Costa Rica, its higher than in Canada. The overwhelming majority of Canadians use the public system and are happy with it. Are you a right winger or a Wall Street Democrat trying to push the agenda of privatized health care (price gouging on stereoids)?
I wasn't making excuses why their health care is successful, just criticizing our lifestyles. There are some South American countries that are starting to resemble us because the fast food industry has increased their expansion but that's off topic. Costa Ricans do live healthier and there are certainly plenty of examples of successful expanded health care.
I also think its ridiculous for a country of this enormous wealth to have people go without health care.
Costa Rica has 30 hospitals, the US has 5,546. No one with an IQ above 60 would make a comparison.
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