suzie Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 When I said that medical services in the UK are free I didn't mean that they are completely free and there's money falling down from the sky to finance it I know you understood that and also others writing on this topic, I just thought it was important to discuss the root of the differences between countries and expressed it in a funny way... I often do that. What does upset me is when people take the system for granted. I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't get drunk and fight or have acccidents if they had to pay for treatment every time. Some A&E services are overrun with drunks at night and it's not nice for the staff or other patients to have to deal with them. Actually, there are now plans to make people who are responsible for their own diseases or accidents pay for costs that are not part of life-saving operations or stabilising one’s state. Such treatment would probably include additional medication for smokers after lung cancer or rehabilitation of drunk drivers or speeders after accidents..etc. I am not sure how it would work but I definitely agree with the costs of detoxification to be billed to people. The thing that bothers me most is that we have to pay more and more, the government cuts on healthcare and education, and so we will all have to pay up for their faults. Yes, I often get annoyed that the failure of politicians to regulate these services eventually costs me money and annoyance when I need to go see a doctor once in a decade. There are pros and cons to solidarity in the health care system (and in taxation in general), but in fact it's an important pillar of a well working society. Yes, the fact that there are cracks in the system does not mean that it needs to be abolished. I also agree with the idea of solidarity, but at the same time, I'd like to be assured that everyone who can will contribute to the running of our health and education systems for I am not really pleased to support tax avoiders, the percentage of whom is among the highest in Europe here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siu Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 @riverstwilight Your post gave me goosebumps! This is outrageous! I feel bad about having complained about long waiting lists or my doctor not being too friendly . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn Mastin Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Many people will not go to the doctor until an easily treatable bacterial infection turns into pneumonia because they do not have any money. Then, they spend the next several years making payments on the hospital debt. A few years ago, my insurance approved an expensive operation to save my life. They promised to pay for it. After I had the operation, my insurance refused to pay for it. I had to file a mountain of paperwork proving that my income was so low that I would not be able to pay off that bill in my lifetime and the hospital had to write off that debt because there was literally no way I could pay it. Last year I spent some time in the hospital and my insurance paid some of the bill, but it took me eleven months to pay off the rest. I just made my final payment last week. Next month, I can finally afford to replace my shoes, which have been held together with duct tape for the last six months. I am still making payments on a piece of medical equipment because my medical insurance would not pay for it. I only needed it for two months, but it will take another two years to finish paying for it. In order to keep my insurance, I need to make a payment every month. Even though I give them money every month, they only pay for part of my medical care. I still have to give my doctor money every time I walk into his office. I still have to pay for any medication he prescribes. I still have to pay for any medical equipment I use. But if I stop paying for insurance, I won't be able to afford any of those things because I will have to pay full price. So, poor people cannot afford medical care, but do the best they can by avoiding medical care until it is absolutely unavoidable, making payments on medical debts for many months or years, and filing mountains of paperwork to prove they cannot pay and forcing the hospital to deal with it. There are some charities that help with some issues like The Ronald McDonald House, which helps people who have cancer, and free clinics for people who do not have health insurance. However, their ability to provide help is limited by the amount of money they are able to raise. There are more people who need help than there are resources to help them. For the poor in this country, surviving a serious illness or injury is purely a matter of luck. I am so thankful to live here in the UK as I have a genetic condition called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (also known as Epiloia) and I've had it all my life. My medication has always been free of charge, as I need it constantly, and all of my trips to the doctors, or hospital and the various blood tests and Scans have been free too, because I live in the UK. It must be a nightmare for anyone who has a long-term condition, or who's child has a long term condition, like Diabetis or Epilepsy, or something else that needs constant medication and medical care, when they live in somewhere like the USA! They probably have no money left at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywonka Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Suzie - you talk a lot of sense All health care costs money, and it's not cheap to run hospitals and train & pay doctors and nurses - and I don't think they are particularly well paid in the UK. The important point is that the treatment is free at the point of use, and not rationed according to how much you can afford. What does upset me is when people take the system for granted. I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't get drunk and fight or have acccidents if they had to pay for treatment every time. Some A&E services are overrun with drunks at night and it's not nice for the staff or other patients to have to deal with them. As a citizen of a country where people do have to pay for treatment every time (and quite a painful amount just for basic first aid, let alone anything like a cast for a broken bone,) I can tell you that people still get drunk, fight, and have accidents frequently. Emergency rooms full of drunken idiots are not exclusive to countries where people don't have to pay out of their own pockets for care. As Rivers posted, this is a country where people have to pay for treatment everytime they need it, left alone what you have to pay for health insurance and believe me there are still drunk people at the emergency rooms all the time, too... And for those who may not know i am talking about Portugal/Europe.... I am so thankful to live here in the UK as I have a genetic condition called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (also known as Epiloia) and I've had it all my life. My medication has always been free of charge, as I need it constantly, and all of my trips to the doctors, or hospital and the various blood tests and Scans have been free too, because I live in the UK.It must be a nightmare for anyone who has a long-term condition, or who's child has a long term condition, like Diabetis or Epilepsy, or something else that needs constant medication and medical care, when they live in somewhere like the USA! They probably have no money left at all! I couldn't have said it better myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte_ Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Omg, I can't believe he wrote about Paloma ... I thought it went better with her ... I read the summary with tears in my eyes It's good that the UK has such good hospitals, thanks to them, she's alive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenElisaII Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Does anybody know if there's a translation of the last column into English? I cannot understand a word in Italian LMAO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kath Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 When I lived in Iceland (twenty years ago) when you went to the doc you had to pay what you could afford - always seemed like a bit of an odd system to me I agree with Nectar that the crutial point in the UK is that you don't have to pay at the point of use. Therefore you don't have that dreadful choice to have to make depending on if you can afford treatment or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAK1 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Does anybody know if there's a translation of the last column into English?I cannot understand a word in Italian LMAO Original should be posted next week:thumb_yello: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenElisaII Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Original should be posted next week:thumb_yello: TY very much. I'll ve waiting for it anxiously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywonka Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 TY very much. I'll ve waiting for it anxiously. You can find a kind and fine translation into Portuguese in the following thread http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25018&highlight=brazilian+thread&page=234 it seems to me easier to understand than italian...and it's better than nothing, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenElisaII Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 You can find a kind and fine translation into Portuguese in the following thread http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25018&highlight=brazilian+thread&page=234 it seems to me easier to understand than italian...and it's better than nothing, right? TY. It was easier now. I understood almost everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lulle Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 You can find a kind and fine translation into Portuguese in the following thread http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25018&highlight=brazilian+thread&page=234 it seems to me easier to understand than italian...and it's better than nothing, right? Oh, thank you!! I copied and pasted it in google translate But I am looking forward for the original one, I can't say that google translated it well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiza Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I just read the portuguese translation (Thanks Andy ) and...wow! It was shocking to hear about it back then, but knowing more details, like that it was their dad's brithday and all makes it all even worse... I can't possibly imagine what it must have been like for them. I'm really glad to know how well the emergency services and the health care in general work there, although it makes me even more furious about my own country . Believe me, if it had happened here, it would have ended a lot worse. As for Paloma's condition, we all knew it would be a long process, but I'm happy to know she's fighting and on the road to recovery. And with a family like hers, I'm sure she'll have a lot of support and love! The whole family is in my thoughts. The fact that Mika wrote about it, makes me believe that the whole situation is a lot better now. It was good to see him performing 2 weeks after the accident, he looked very relaxed and all smiley, probably he was incredibly relieved. But seeing him speak openly about it, and giving some more details, for me is a sign that the worse things have passed. Thats what I believe too, that worse part must be over now and things must have started to get much better. Besides it always hepls to open up and share your thoughts, so writing about it might have been therapeutic for him Thank you, Robi for posting and Nezza for making the summary...That must have been an awful accident, i didn't know she was awaken through the whole process... As much of you know, i had a stroke last fall and i was still unconscious in a coma when that happened..I even missed Mika's gig in Coimbra in October 25th and my own bday in October 24th... I was in a coma for 20 days after a stroke and trust me, it's not good to wake up and find out u have a bill of almost 50,000 euros to pay... So, I agree with Mika according the health system... As for Paloma i deeply feel for her, just hope her recovery happens soon and is 100%... Cant imagine how horrible it must be to wake up and find out that you have to pay such a huge amount of money. But the most important thing is that you're still here with us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecilia Barrios Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Hi! anyone know if they updated the blog to see the column of March in English, is that this column is very important to me. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnaMariaPetra Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Good column, makes you thinks about health care systems in other countries: here in the Netherlands we complain a lot (and I mean a LOT) but when I hear all the drama stories about other countries I am sooo glad to live in our little LowLands country! Don't know if it is been mentioned already, but I like the drawing of the pigeon that DaWack made in honour of Paloma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Good column, makes you thinks about health care systems in other countries: here in the Netherlands we complain a lot (and I mean a LOT) but when I hear all the drama stories about other countries I am sooo glad to live in our little LowLands country! Don't know if it is been mentioned already, but I like the drawing of the pigeon that DaWack made in honour of Paloma. I was just looking at it and I went awww:naughty: I hope the original will be up soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenElisaII Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Good column, makes you thinks about health care systems in other countries: here in the Netherlands we complain a lot (and I mean a LOT) but when I hear all the drama stories about other countries I am sooo glad to live in our little LowLands country! Don't know if it is been mentioned already, but I like the drawing of the pigeon that DaWack made in honour of Paloma. Most of Mika's column's pictures are made by DaWack and him. But this one is the most beautiful!!! It's lovely. Btw, AnnaMaria, I love your profile picture... It's so lovely...!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnaMariaPetra Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Most of Mika's column's pictures are made by DaWack and him. But this one is the most beautiful!!! It's lovely.Btw, AnnaMaria, I love your profile picture... It's so lovely...!!! oh....thanks:blush-anim-cl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyaboutmika Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 (edited) I just read the portuguese translation (Thanks Andy ) and...wow! It was shocking to hear about it back then, but knowing more details, like that it was their dad's brithday and all makes it all even worse... I can't possibly imagine what it must have been like for them. I'm really glad to know how well the emergency services and the health care in general work there, although it makes me even more furious about my own country . Believe me, if it had happened here, it would have ended a lot worse. As for Paloma's condition, we all knew it would be a long process, but I'm happy to know she's fighting and on the road to recovery. And with a family like hers, I'm sure she'll have a lot of support and love! The whole family is in my thoughts. The fact that Mika wrote about it, makes me believe that the whole situation is a lot better now. It was good to see him performing 2 weeks after the accident, he looked very relaxed and all smiley, probably he was incredibly relieved. But seeing him speak openly about it, and giving some more details, for me is a sign that the worse things have passed. I felt just the same I just found out about it this morning and read it in Spanish and I was shaking when reading it but felt the good part was that Paloma was going to be all right , even if it took a year and the way Mika speaks about it so openly makes me feel that things will be all right for everyone now and that is truly such a relief as the whole Penniman family and Paloma have been in my thoughts daily like Paloma's a member of my family same as Wonkita when she was in hospital as DA and Axie and her family We're all a big family Edited March 7, 2011 by crazyaboutmika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Hope we don't have to wait much longer for the English version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabine64 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Hope we don't have to wait much longer for the English version I bet it will be Wednesday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilseh1983 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Hope we don't have to wait much longer for the English version hope so too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toy_girl_mika96 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 hope so too me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyaboutmika Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Hope we don't have to wait much longer for the English version It is always too long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violette Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I used google translator. It's not perfect but it is good enough. Sometimes things happen that make you understand that in life you can not or should not be alone. In last October 10 my older sister, Paloma, suffered an accident after throwing a party to inaugurate her new apartment. Paloma has a disability, the left side of her body since birth is much weaker than the right. Go live alone was an important choice. After the party with friends, I left at midnight after having so much fun. At five I was woken up screaming and banging on the door of the house. Paloma had fallen from her bedroom window on the fourth floor, ending in the grids of the building. I jumped out of bed and ran to her. It could have killed anyone who put in my way, but when I saw her, I stepped back. Circulated to nurses and firefighters, was impaled on the grill, the body pierced in four different points. Via one of the tips out by her leg. She was still conscious. I was with my brother, housed in an ambulance and called the family around the world calling them to come. That day my father was 60 years, and seeing that I called him on the phone, thought I would be arriving in Dubai to make it a surprise. It took almost two hours to free Paloma. They could not lift her body, fearing that she lost much blood, so they had to cut the edges of the grill and leave them in the holes to remove them only in the operating room. Paloma was conscious the whole time. I saw the nurses to put on a stretcher and anesthetize her on the path. When I touched her face, she was already asleep. The whole block was agreed in a stunned silence. Paloma was taken by helicopter to the Royal London Hospital, where surgeons managed to save her life in an operation that lasted 14 hours. Incredibly crates that were saved, despite the horrendous injuries that resulted, because the fall broke and Paloma had prevented brain damage. Paloma is still in hospital. When you are high, will be transferred to a rehabilitation unit where he will learn to walk again, restoring nerve function of the legs and hips. Will take years until it heals completely. I grew up in France and the UK, and I constantly had to rely on the public health system. But what happened to my sister made really enjoyed it. We are protected from cradle to grave, and not give the deserved value. My father is American and we children, we have a U.S. passport. If one such incident happened across the ocean my parents already had to have sold the house to get pay expenses. The USA government sends troops overseas to "defend" the rights of its citizens, but leave the people defenseless when it hurts the country. If you fall from a window in America, they leave you alone. It's horrible. Another relative of mine, who had an illness in LA a year ago, was hospitalized at Cedars Sinai Hospital for 14 days and was discharged with a bill of $ 19.000 which is still paying. We have no health insurance and my sister as a resident of the United Kingdom is proud not to need it. Across Europe are practiced public expenditure cuts, and the two sectors most at risk are the ones that we take for granted, schools and health. If the experience with my sister made me appreciate even more the United Kingdom? No doubt! I can not understand how the U.S. has reached a point of entrusting the responsibility of the proven health companies, whose profit more passion than cure. Obama reforms in health go in the right direction, but there is still much to change not only the system but the very culture of the nation for the care of the citizens. Many U.S. citizens see public health as a threat to the proven system to which they are accustomed. Noting that America seems to privatize is simpler than turning to public health and free. Italy, in second place in the world for better health care system (despite the problems of which we know) has a lot to defend, like Britain. And it seems that we should do it more than ever in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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