Sicko
This weekend Leif and I watched the Michael Moore documentary entitled Sicko. It's basically about how really screwed up our health care system is in the US and how insurance companies have near complete control over our welfare. Our family is very lucky and very fortunate to right now have excellent coverage (thank you MS)... our insurance company has never, never declined any treatment or services (including Christian's air transportation to Minneapolis hospital a few years ago or my mammogram - which most insurance companies won't pay until you are at least 40). I understand how lucky we are that we've never had to decide if it's worth it or not to take a sick kid into the doctor - we've never even had a co-pay. I've never had to even ask a doctor to change a prescription to a generic drug because that's the only type insurance covers - ours is just covered. So we defiantly feel privileged - because we know that for so so many Americans that is not the case. Choices that their insurance companies make for them, are actually a matter of life and death. How is that fair? How is that right, that a pencil pusher sitting is some cubicle, can deny an ailing person medical attention or the proper medication?? This issue must seem absurd to our friends who read my blog in Norway ... trust me, it's totally absurd to many of us here - even for those of us who have had no insurance worries.
The movie is absolutely infuriating and sickening - to know that lives are being lost because a DENIAL stamp has been put on their medical claims... awful. The movie highlights France and UKs universal health care programs, and it's amazing to know that everyone, EVERYONE is covered and has access to the same services and medications. Oh I'm sure that the systems in France and UK have their flaws - but dear lord, ours is so far from perfect. Change is needed.
The special features part of the movie includes a rather interesting section called "This Country Beats France" ... well since it was my husband who found the link on YouTube and sent it to me asking if I'd post it on my blog - you can only guess which country that is. :-)
Like I've said for the past 8 years... I'm ready whenever you are honey!!
posted by jilldaisbrenne @ 1:06 PM
9 Comments:
Great post. I, too, am enraged by the ridiculous health care system in our country. I hope that a plan for repair is identified soon.
And I don't really understand the part about Norway's prison system.
Really?????
I'm not sure what to think about that...
Yeah... the prison system is my hardest thing to comprehend as well... and probaby Leif and my biggest argument! ha
However, with quality of life so very high.... apparently everyone's so euphoric that there's not much need!! :-)
I have to comment, living in a country with socialized medicine, that it isn't necessarily the best answer. I have known people this past year and a half who have died waiting for treatment. I have helped others pay for private care here because they would have died waiting. As a foreigner living here, I am fortunate enough to have the local coverage AND a private international plan. The international plan keeps me from having to wait. But it isn't free by any definition. And the local coverage I have isn't the actual "public" care that the general population has. There are layers of the coverage. With that, I agree that something has to happen to support those in the states without adequate coverage. It was a major issue for me when I lived in the US, and I know it continues to be paralyzing for many American families.
I also find it interesting that there is a major Norweigan oil company here since the major oil shelves have been found.
I have to side with Tammy on the prison topic--not sure what I think about that...
Sara - I think you should do a blog post on your experience with international healthcare...that would be interesting! I'd love to hear all about what you know.
Still on the prison's...even if life is "euphoric" and "not much is needed", that still doesn't change the fact that the guy chopped up 2 people with a chainsaw. I'm guessing those 2 people we someone's kids or parents or siblings??? I'm VERY, deeply bothered by that...
Leif - help me understand!
Not that I agree with it... but to the point about the chainsaw guy - Michale Moore did not point out very clearly that that guy had already served the first 15 or so years in a very 'normal' prison and this island paradise place was were he was able to serve his remaining few years - because of good behavior.
The maximum prison sentence is 21 years in Norway... no matter what. (That may be the heart of my problem with the system.) But in defense of the great country of Norway - they do have the lowest per capita murder rate in the entire world... makes you wonder if capital punishment is truly a deterrant here in the US.
This really should be Michael Moores next documentary - or maybe we should run for office
And to Sara's comment about the Norwegian oil company in SA.... that too is largely owned by the state and contributes to the country's wealth.
Well, the prison system objectives in Norway are to punish and rehabilitate. And these guys must be working on the rehabilitation part.
There is an ongoing discussion about the maximum 21 year sentence, if it long enough for certain criminals. But as Jill points out, We are not talking about a large number here. In 2007 it was 30 murders in Norway, down from 33 in the year before
Don't get me wrong, murder is murder and it is horrible no matter who it effects. The point is only that Norway spend some time and effort on rehabiliation of the inmates as well.
Paul and I too have seen the movie Sicko and have had many discussions regarding it. We too are just enraged at our health care system. We have had to be one of those families that have had to decide between waiting out an illness or going to a Dr. and hoping that we don't have to pay too much out of pocket and Paul and Seneca are covered under a State Health Insurance plan. His portion that he pays for health care for Seneca also goes up approximately 10+% each year and yet only gets a 3% cost of living raise, so we really go nowhere financially. But unlike others in the US, we are fortunate to have the coverage that we have and that is scary!! We have many times said we should move to another country....
I am with all of you so far on the prison thing.....Huh?
We have Sicko in our Netflix queue at #3 so we will get to see it soon. I'm sure it will be very enlightening.
That video of Norway is interesting. We actually saw it a couple weeks ago when Jeff was reading about best places to live. He came across that video and then decided Norway would be a good choice. He is now emailing me job postings that he is finding! I don't think we'll be moving anytime soon, but if you move there we'd be there to visit in a heartbeat!
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