Panis et Circenses

[commonpeople1]

[Poll #1445374]

Feel free to expand in the comments section.

Edit: If you are British, please consider "Health Care" as including the National Health Service (NHS). Basically, what I meant by it was an umbrella definition for some kind of system (whether private or not) that offers you health care.

Comments

[whitman22.livejournal.com]

I have fairly top-of-the-line health insurance through my employer, a huge American corporation, and a great local medical practice where I'm very comfortable. However I spent quite a few years between grad school and full employment with no insurance at all, and am merely lucky that I had no major illnesses during that time. For example, the appendectomy that was fully covered by my insurance a couple of years ago would have put me close to $18,000 in debt, had I even gone to the ER at all before it ruptured. I would prefer a single-payer system in the US with private medical practitioners, but the entrenched interests are too strong for that to happen at the moment. I hope that at least we can extend coverage to the uninsured and unemployed/underemployed.

[guignolhornpipe.livejournal.com]

I'm uninsured right now, and in a good year I make about $30,000. Last year I made $14,000. God help me if I should ever need surgery of any kind.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I sincerely hope you don't need any visits to the doctor until you get some coverage!

[(Anonymous)]

hey nick!

yes, this sounds very familiar. exactly where i was coming out of grad school. wish i were optimistic that something positive was going to get done to help the uninsured, but ugh...

[whitman22.livejournal.com]

oops, wasn't logged in, ^ this is me of course. :)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

All the hysteria at the moment in the U.S., coming from the Far Right (because lets face it, that's what they are) and the insurance companies, makes me realize how entrenched their interests are - and how ironic it is that they are accusing the other side of wanting people to die!