Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If only the US towed the line in 1955 where a diagnosis of most serious disease was a near certain death sentence.
The US is in another stratosphere compared to the rest of the developed world when it comes to medical inflation though, which leads us to spend 18% of GDP on something that should really just cost 12% at most, even with everyone getting the care they need.
EMTALA is now 32 years old. It requires all hospital ERs to stabilize emergency patients regardless of ability to pay. Speculation on my part subsidizing hospitals/ residencies go hand in hand.
Prior to this law it was possible for an ER to decline or refer a patient to a county hospital, regardless of distance or capacity . Early and/ or inappropriate discharges were common when anticipated treatment costs were more than a hospital was willing to absorb.
EMTALA only applies to hospitals accepting Medicare. And having appropriate ER facilities and staff.
At retirement age in America there is medicare. Which is free unless you get a donut policy.
You pay a lot more than $37.50 a month. The government just takes the rest before you get it in the form of taxes.
Taxes in BC. are pretty much the same as the US, so why don't you have universal health care? Could it be because your politicians squander so much of your money?
It's actually the AMA (a private group), to a large extent, that artificially limits the number of doctors.
The academic requirements for medical school are very high. As they should be. You don't make the grades (all As) in the set of required college courses as well as having a high gpa in total, you don't go to med school. Plus you have to pass a very difficult qualifying exam (MCAT).
Did anybody read about the English Health care system this year? They had to cancel 25,000 surgeries to handle the flu. The normal wait to see a physician is four hours. The Times are worst since 2004 When they started keeping records
The flu epidemic also effected hospitals in the US and across the world and the fact that 25,000 non uregent surgeries were rescheduled was perfectly understandable.
As for the 4 hour wait that wasn't to see a doctor it was for not urgent cases at what Americans call ER but which we call A&E. Whilst there are also a number of NHS Major Trauma Centres which specialise in the most serious emergency treatment and which all have helipads.
The NHS is trying to cut such waiting times by more minor injuries clinics and walk in centres, whilst a funding increase will also help reduce waiting lists.
As for so called death panels they are a myth, indeed you are more likely to be turned down by a profit hungry insurance company due to it's small print.
I would imagine that with today's technology parents have a pretty good idea if their unborn child will be disabled or not. If someone decides to have the child anyways is that not their responsibility to pay for the child's medical care?
I don't want to derail this thread, but a lot of the people who oppose UHC also oppose abortion.
I’m pushing sixty and I have no medical bills. I eat what I want and my quarterly blood work is normal that I pay out of pocket. I pass my aviation medical with flying colours, my mother is 84 and still has all her marbles. I don’t have anything to worry about.
It's actually the AMA (a private group), to a large extent, that artificially limits the number of doctors.
The AMA by itself is powerless, therefore it lobbies congress to enact laws in its favor.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
