angry-cajun-lady:

jessalrynn:

mittensmorgul:

porcupine-girl:

allthecanadianpolitics:

I’m going to be blunt because I kind of have to:

American Conservatives have been lying to you about universal healthcare.

Socialized Medicine operates within capitalism. Healthcare isn’t “free” its paid by with taxes. Doctors are still paid, they’re just paid by the government instead of by private hospitals.

However wait lines are real, but because of Canada’s triage system, those who need care the most get it faster. So if you have 2 people, one with a broken leg and one with mild back pain, the person with the broken leg will get care immediately. Both will get care. Canada’s healthcare system isn’t perfect, but it is world’s better than US private system.

If my family lived in the USA, my disabilities and the surgeries they required would have bankrupted my family. I’ve never paid a dime in Canada for seeing a doctor or a hospital, and because of my low income I do not pay any additional income taxes for that care. Our taxes scale with income so those who can afford it most pay more for things like healthcare (which everyone receives).

Don’t trust me, let experts and doctors explain how it all works:

This Doctor SHUTS DOWN Every Argument Fox News Has Against Medicare for All:

Also *bangs on drums* IN THE US SYSTEM YOU ABSOLUTELY DO NOT “PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET”!

You pay insurance premiums even if you never ever use your health insurance, just like how in countries with universal healthcare you pay the taxes even if you never use healthcare. The main difference is that in their system, the total amount taken in needs to be the total cost of everyone’s care + cost of administering the program, whereas in ours it’s those two things + a profit margin for the insurance company! This is why the US spends far more on health care per capita than almost any other country while having worse health outcomes.

The insurance companies are also banking on most people not using it so they can maximize their profits, which is why they like to deny claims they should cover (in the hopes that you won’t challenge it) and kick people off who do rack up a large medical bill. The government isn’t trying to maximize profits, just cover costs. So the main concern is getting everyone’s medical care paid for and then if that turns out to be too much you raise taxes to cover it instead of not paying for some of it.

Nationalized healthcare is no more communist than the Post Office (and conservatives are gunning for that, too). Imagine there was another country with no postal system. Citizens had to pay companies like UPS and FedEx to mail a simple letter (which currently costs several dollars minimum through those companies), and rural areas might get service once or twice a week or not at all. That’s what the US healthcare system looks like to most other countries.

the argument they’re pulling on lately is “But consumers should have a CHOICE in their healthcare,” and the thing I keep arguing is that unless you can afford the top tier medical plan that would cost my family more than half our mortgage payment every month (which means obviously we cannot afford that sort of luxury), your choices are incredibly limited… The specialist your primary care physician insists you need to see doesn’t accept your insurance? Too bad, you pay full price for necessary care. The doctor recommends ten physical therapy appointments to recover from an injury? Too bad, the insurance company thinks you only need three. You need this particular medication? Too bad, it’s still $300 a month even with your insurance coverage and you have to decide if you REALLY need lifesaving medication more than you need food or electricity or your car payment. It’s just… for anyone not able to afford those “cadillac” health insurance plans, we really have zero choice and take what we’re given while stressing over what we can afford to go without if we actually need to use our choiceless default basic care plans for anything more than annual checkups and getting a flu shot.

Because otherwise we’re just seen as a drain on profits, and the #1 priority of US Healthcare corporations is maximizing investor profit, and sick people are a liability to their bottom line.

It’s *evil*

Not only all of the above, but let me add the artificial limits on what you need and when you need it.

Insurance companies, not doctors, now decide in the US how often you need any standard of care item. Blood tests, gynecology, colo-rectal and reproductive health exams of all kinds that used to be once a year (or every two years for young, healthy people) are now once in five years, unless you’re a high risk patient.

They get to pick what meds you should have, what should be prescribed or recommended for your condition, how long you have to be in moderate to severe pain before you can have the surgery instead of whatever palliative care they think might work if you’re just whiny (you probably are, what do you know, you went to a doctor about it).

The old joke “are you okay?” And the doctor says “how would I know, I’m a doctor, not a lawyer.” Today’s version would be “I can’t say, I’m a doctor, not an insurance company.”

I’ve had insurance plans where you had maybe… 3 doctors to “chose” from. And 2 lived in other cities over 100 miles away (work provided “insurance” btw)

“choice” is bullshit. I can’t go see this amazing doctor i want to be sure she’s not in Network for me. Too bad so sad for me.

I could “choose” to see her anyway… And wipe out my savings in 3 visits by paying out of pocket.

A choice between a cliff and a fire is NOT A FUCKING CHOICE.

Our choices are fabricated. The illusion of choice. It fucking sucks.