A side note

[blamebrampton]

Dear Americans,
Outside of your strange, strange country, most of the developed world has this marvellous thing which we like to call health care for all. I'm reading an interesting mpreg (that will teach me not to read the warnings!*) story from hd_hols and the poverty-stricken pregnant one is in despair as his health insurance will not cover it. On the off-chance it was written by someone on my flist, the good for society news is that in the UK, this is not the problem you might think it is! And I have my fingers crossed that in the US, it won't be for much longer, either.

(And if anyone is planning to respond telling me that socialised healthcare is evil, I will LAUGH AT YOU, and then I will QUOTE REAMS OF STATISTICS until you FLEE.)

XXX
BB

* And yes, my dislike of mpreg is not supported by the excellent writing that occurs within that genre and the imaginative plots that many superior writers bring to bear on the concept. But I still don't like it!

Comments

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

...yeah, that's not going to happen in the US for a while. :| There are too many enemies of it.

[nqdonne.livejournal.com]

psst: socialised health care IS evil! :P :P :P (not joking, honestly -- I'm not a fan, and at least one point you have to concede is that the dentistry systems in socialized medicine systems aren't on par with the US system -- the dentistry I found in Germany was COMPLETELY useless).

Also, I beta read that story and TOLD the author that the UK has socialized medicine, so, yeah. Also, they're not American :P

[nqdonne.livejournal.com]

Oh, and also, the main thing is that socialized medicine is an unrealistic solution for the US given the size of our population, our pre-existing issues with our social security and work benefits system (aka: not enough people work/pay taxes to support our CURRENT systems), and with how deeply rooted we are in our current health care system. Sorry, it wouldn't work, and you can pry my health benefits from my cold, dead hands. LOL. This doesn't mean we don't need health care reform, but socialized health care is, regardless, NOT the solution for us.

Also, I HATE the film Sicko. Michael Moore is a dense moron who totally lacks nuance.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Those enemies are EVIL and almost wholly in the pay or sway of huge corporations that care only for their bottom lines. I have this childlike hope that the combination of Obama and GFC will allow for a once-in-a-lifetime major cycle of change in the US that will see most of its citizens finally benefitting from the nation's potential.

[frantic-mice.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Dun liek Mpreg either. BUT! Yeah, I have read good Mpreg. Roma and Brumms and I think Oldie's wrote a fic I liked too, with mpreg in it. But. Yeah. Usually what I don't like in Mpreg is that it changes the characters into these peeps that I'm rly not interesting in knowing moar about. Instead of remaining individuals they become DAD and it's all about cuteness and stuff and the PASSION! and DRAMA just fizzles. Which is BULLCRAP cause family? It's intense. I think the Mpreg I've lieked was the one where the PEEPS weren't lost in the mechanics of the thing. 'Cause it's like Scifi somtiems, with the bolts and the POW POW and the ship and the action takes over and the characters are left behind. This happens in Mpreg, except when it doesn't. :)))))))))))))

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

Yes to all of the above!

And ha! Because I accidentally read an mpreg too. I was all "Fuck, they should really have warned for that!" and of course when I looked at the warnings it was there in CAPSLOCK!!! I think my brain just filtered it out as too traumatic to process. lol

[joanwilder.livejournal.com]

Having been a medical professional for the past 30 years, ten of them spent in the healthcare insurance industry, I'd have to say that the answer for us (the States) is not a universal healthcare system as you know it, but an amalgamation of employer funded/government assisted care. And here, care is care is NEVER denied in the case of mother deliveries/prenatal care/children's healthcare, nor is care required in an emergency room ever denied, REGARDLESS of insurance coverage. It's the law, and sometimes I think non-U.S. citizens have seen waaaaay too much of Michael Moore's rubbish. Both my husband and I have had cancer in the past five years: had either of us lived in Canada or the U.K., given their treatment modalities/wait times, we'd both be dead by now. The plans currently on the table for universal healthcare right now are all employer assisted plan, and would not preclude private contribution.

I made a short post about this issue a while back. You can see it here. I won't tell you universal healthcare is evil, but I will say that expecting the universal application of it as a workable fix in the U.S. is laughable.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Dude, you have some 27,000 deaths per annum in your country because people do not have health insurance. You went to war over a number 1/9th that.

And the think that you're overlooking is that public health care systems function IN UNISON with private out here in the rest of the world. You can still pay for your (MUCH CHEAPER) health insurance and buy private dentistry if the public is no good. Or even just pay private rates when you need it since the public system keeps those rates from spiraling out of control.

:-P !!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Not seen it, he's too annoying.

The NHS-style system probably isn't for you chaps, but an Australian style easy public-private mix would certainly work and be comparatively easy to implement especially since you already have a public structure in place. And the amount of business taxation (that's what it is) already spent on health is MASSIVE compared to the per-capita budgets of most other nations.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

'Cause it's like Scifi somtiems, with the bolts and the POW POW and the ship and the action takes over and the characters are left behind. This happens in Mpreg, except when it doesn't.

OMG, Mousie! That is the perfect explanation of why it makes me into crazy Brammers! It is as though you are inside my head! (Saying 'Good god, woman, when was the last time you tidied in here?')

[nqdonne.livejournal.com]

All I'm saying is that the systems in place in the UK, Germany, etc. are not realistic solutions for this country, and as joanwilder pointed out below that, often, those who criticize us don't know the nuances of our system (as she mentioned -- it's illegal to deny someone emergency treatment, so it's not like we intentionally kill people, our issue is that we then leave people with no way to PAY for treatment). Mind you, I don't think you are one of those people -- I know you are a smart cookie who knows her stuff :D

I also, frankly, covet our surgery/emergency system and if I have to pay for it, so be it. It chills my heart to think of what might have happened to my mother in a socialized system, when she was really ill a few years ago. As it happened, we went to one of the best hospitals in our geographic region, and she went into emergency surgery immediately, no questions. Otherwise, she would have died. (wait lists = FAIL) We were just lucky that she works for a fantastic employer (incidentally, they are European!) who has great benefits, and it was 100% covered. As someone who is (thankfully) college educated and has the ability to get a good job at a company with great benefits, I want my privatized care. Now, finding a better, partly socialized solution for other people? Is what this country needs to do. But we have one of the best medical systems in the world for a reason (aka: b/c money is evil and makes the world go round). We have some of the best medical schools and specialists because we have our money-sucking privatized system. I wouldn't trade our system and what it is (and why it is) for anything, but it needs modifications going forward.

[nqdonne.livejournal.com]

Oh, and just a nice GIP, b/c I have NO idea why I went into debate mode :P :P :P

HAPPY FUN TIEMS NAO PLZ. :D

(but, um, yeah, I srsly did tell that author that the premise of her story didn't gel with UK systems, LOL)

[romaine24.livejournal.com]

Well we don't really know how St. Mungo's works. Even though Britain might have socialized medicine doesn't mean the wizarding world would. And, I don't think Draco would be trotting into Muggleland for help. *snicker*

However, I agree about us dear Americans. *sigh*

[angela-snape.livejournal.com]

I don't understand the appeal of mpreg, myself. But - that hasn't stopped me from dabbling in writing it, and enjoying a well-written mpreg fic. But I certainly don't seek it out.

PS... what do you blame Brampton for?

[azurelunatic]

Ha, I saw that one. And I read it, too!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

HEE! We are reading too quickly! And our brains are highly trained to avoid the word mpreg!

[frantic-mice.livejournal.com]

*smooch*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know that experiences with the NHS can leave people, rightly, very cold. Though it has improved significantly since its worst days and I think you would be hard-pressed finding people who are killed by wait lists. Hospital infections, yes, but that's another matter.

The Australian system is even better, waitlists are only for non-essential treatment here. It means it's a bugger if you need a new hip, but if you have cancer or heart disease, you are in without any delays.

And while there is some brilliant infrastructure in the American system because of all the money-grubbing, on the whole it delivers a lower standard of care than the British or Australian systems. So your tiny percentage of people with obscure all-but-inoperable tumours will be in luck in the US, but on the whole, the average person will be better off in Australia or the UK.

It's symbolic of what's wrong with the whole system, really. And I know that you are going to be cranky-pants with me for suggesting that sometimes it's better to let a tiny number of obscure cases cark it so that you can keep the great number of people alive and healthy, but, well, it IS. And that's not socialism, it's just sense.

But yes, your system is not the great evil that turns away the actively dying or delivering that Mr Moore might suggest, because when it comes down to it, these people are doctors and that would go too far against the grain!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You ARE VERY HOT! There we go ;-)

And you know that we disagree on politics, I do with many of my dearest friends, it's okay, we agree on important issues like m/m action.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Gillian Brampton dragged me into fandom with her wily little tales and cheery 'it's good for you, it won't take up all your free time' chats. LIES! (though it is good for me.)

There is very good stuff out there, I am the first to admit, but yes, like you, I do not seek it out.

[angela-snape.livejournal.com]

LOL... ok. Just wondering, because I grew up in a place called Brampton.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I'm still reading it, there's some real talent in the writing, though I keep having to make myself read all the preggers detail. I like babies, but I like them over there until they are three or four and interesting ;-)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

In Canada? I have a great urge to visit it!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

True, though if they are going to embrace treacle tart, I can't see them having a private-only health care system ;-) Even in the 18th century there were plenty of charity hospitals!

I only worry because I love you all so and am permanently outraged about your short holidays and polluted waterways.

[angela-snape.livejournal.com]

Yes, Brampton, Ontario. Not far from Toronto.