Monday 29 November 2010

I could get sick...

...but I won't get broke from it. We have health insurance in Belgium. I have additional insurance for hospitalization. I have car insurance, fire insurance, ... I'm covered (and my family too) for most of the disasters that are likely to happen to people. It's normal here in Europe: You won't get kicked out of your house easily, because you can't pay. No one will refuse to give you medical attention because you can't pay for it.   

I can't really compare. I know most of my readers (you) are U.S. , and I'm always confused when I read their blogs - is the world we live in that different? Here in Europe, we are used to medical insurance - it's not an option, to say so. You are insured, because you have to. It's a serious amount on the national budget, but it takes care of the weaker and unlucky ones, and it holds. We are not going to crash the system. Not yet, at least.
So I can't understand the reluctance of our U.S. friends to a social network that covers for the weak and the poor. Isn't that some responsibility any government should take for granted anyway? I can be mistaken, but in the end this helps everybody. (As long as nobody starts to profit from this system.)

Let me know, because I don't understand why the health care insurance in North America is being so difficult to establish.

19 comments:

  1. Here in the U.S. the republican party hates big government (to simplify for you). They feel that a National Health Plan would only benefit the poor, and feel people will only leech more from the government. This is an extremely simplified explanation- but it's a big argument against it.

    I personally have insurance provided from my work- so I don't really feel like I'm effected and thus, I haven't followed much of the politics of it.

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  2. US law states, i think, that all people including the ones without insurance are to receive emergency medical care. But indeed you need insurance for other purposes than emergency and it seems somewhat fair

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  3. The medicals treat everyone but wait in line while the ones with the insurance get the coverage and bills takened care of. The big problem that was stated when a bill was trying to be released to change the Health care to be run by the governments and not by the doctors. Which would then be decided if you did need the medical care or not. Which is a big mistake in my opinion because I dont want the government telling me what I do and dont need. Its listed in the bill itself and I might have a copy of it actualy in my email.

    The health insurance is covered by many of the places we work at because the company helps pay for it by spliting it amongst all the working in an equal share. (Well most do. I know mine does so it isnt extreme)

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  4. Good posts, i follow your blog everyday...

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  5. Sounds like a good medical plan from your country's government.

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  6. sugar likes it..kissy kissy..;)

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  7. The hospitals here in my country are damn aweful :(.
    Good post.

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  8. America is a strange place dude.

    The rugged/mucho/frontiersman attitude of our past still resonates with people in this country and they rally behind Republican's who preach the gospel of "individual responsibility/opportunity." Everyone in America is free to try their hand at success. Everyone is also free to FAIL hard while trying. If they win they can keep the profits, if not.....you're fucked and on your own. You'd think this would only apply to business/economics but nope, this type of thinking also applies to HEALTH CARE. =/

    The real problem is that in America, the health industry is run by corporations who make a shit ton of $$$ and they purchase legislators in the government to make sure Universal Health Care will opposed to the bitter end. Sad Times.

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  9. the health care system in the US is so messed up

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  10. We got one of the best deals in my country, and I'm damn glad about it. I think if I moved to the US, the first thing I would miss is the health-plan. Then my family :D

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  11. I would love to fully explain it but I can't even do that. It boils down to a highly individualistic idealism that is perpetrated in the American culture that has to deal with individualistic and monetary pride.

    "If you can't afford it, you don't deserve it."

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  12. that's a great info, thanks : )

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  13. followin your blog now :)

    visit back

    get better :)

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  15. But do you guys have the same problem as Canada? (i live in Canada)...health care is free, however sometimes the line in the hospital is so god damn long...I once waited to get stitches for 3 hours...when I finally got in the gash was dried out and I got a band-aid. :|

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  16. Yeah the two worlds are definitely different ;)

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  17. The health care system in the U.S. or lack of it is complicated and cuts along political and ideological lines that feeds into a for-profit system run by corporations. The irony is, everyone I know who is against any form of government health care works for the government and gets government-sponsored health care. This makes no sense to me, and I live here!

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