Clearly, USA's health care is FAR from the worst. And if you have the money, you can get likely the best care in the world!
But those who are opposing health care reform seem to take the stance that the USA's health care is the best (in an overall sense) and that it cannot possibly be improved.
THAT is the attitude that needs to change. Why not take what you have and try to make it even better? There are short-comings in American health care.
IMO, the absolute worst aspect is that many people (most of them poor, but this applies to many middle-class people as well) - many people will avoid going to a doctor if they have only "mild" symptoms or an injury/illness that they figure they can "live with". They avoid visiting the doctor because of the expense. If it turns out to be nothing serious, they feel as though they wasted their money and if it turns out that they need treatment, they worry that they could quickly get buried in medical fees that they cannot afford!
As a result, people only go to the doctor when things get so bad that they cannot possibly ignore it anymore! If they had visited the doctor at the first sign of trouble, so much harm could have been prevented.
No one should end up in debt because of an illness - that is my opinion. No one should be weighing whether or not to see a doctor if they are not well.
I live in Canada. Our health care system is far from perfect too. But there is so much less worry. If I do not feel well, I pop in to see a doctor. Costs me nothing. I have no monetary incentive to avoid going to the doctor. If it's nothing serious - great! If it IS serious, I'm so much better off for having caught it early!
My family is very much part of the middle-class. I've had two aunts now go through the ordeal of breast cancer, one of whom also suffered a stroke. I cannot imagine having to deal with financial concerns or dealing with an insurance provider (who is looking to keep costs to a minimum) on top of what we dealt with emotionally and just with day-to-day living and treatment.
The hospital stays, the treatments, the surgery, the at home care afterwards - all covered by our National health care - not a dime out of pocket and no insurance company in between patient and care. I cannot fathom what the cost might have been in the US and I cannot fathom having to deal with an insurance company on top of everything else!
Is it possible that even a higher level of care could have been possible in the US...maybe. I'm sure there were instances where we could have paid to have results return faster or to get into surgery sooner. But my aunts received excellent care. And the simple knowledge that - something comes up? We go to the doctor. No thoughts about what it might cost or whether it is covered. That knowledge brings such comfort and removes so much fear.
There is no fear that we will be bankrupt afterwards. There is no guilt for the patient - thinking that they will be causing such a burden on their family. There is one goal - get well. And I have to believe that every American could agree with that idea.
