I’ve been meaning to post this for quite some time. It’s from Michael Moore’s film Sicko, and yes, I know that he can be rather extreme and needs to be taken with a grain of salt or two, but that doesn’t mean that his message is entirely not true. I have personally been without health care for a number of years, except for an amazing program at a local hospital that covers all medical costs for those in need (like poor grad students and ministry workers), and I am glad that it is finally becoming an issue to be reckoned with in American politics.
In his film, Michael Moore interviews Tony Benn, former Member of Parliament, who explains the philosophy behind total health care coverage in the UK:
Well, if you go back, it all began with democracy. Before we had the vote all the power was in the hands of rich people. If you had money, you could get healthcare, education, look after yourself when you were old, and what democracy did was to give the poor the vote…I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world. Far more revolutionary than socialist ideas… And this idea of choice which capital[ism] talks about…choice depends on the freedom to choose, and if you’re shackled with debt, you don’t have a freedom to choose…People in debt become hopeless, and hopeless people don’t vote…See, I think there are two ways in which people are controlled. First of all, frighten people, and secondly, demoralize them. An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern…1% of the world’s population own 80% of the world’s wealth. It’s incredible that people put up with it, but they’re poor, they’re demoralized, they’re frightened, and therefore, they think perhaps the safest thing to do is to take orders and hope for the best.
Benn then reads for Moore the 1948 leaflet on the subject.
Your new National Health Service begins on the 5th of July…It will provide you with all medical, dental, and nursing care. Everyone, rich or poor, man, woman or child, can use it or any part of it. There are no charges, except for a few special items. There is no insurance qualifications, but it is not a charity. You are paying for it mainly as taxpayers and it will relieve your money worries in times of illness.
I know that people are afraid that this just won’t work in America and that it means higher taxes and longer waiting times for necessary medical care, etc., but let’s consider this: when thousands, perhaps millions of people are using the emergency room as their primary care doctor (i.e. in lieu of preventative medical care), resulting in those with actual emergencies having to wait up to 8 hours – maybe even more – to get medical attention, are our fears really justified? Total health care coverage works in many countries in Europe, and even Canada…why not here? With all the money that our HMOs swallow annually, I bet we could find a way to make it work.
I’m open to hearing thoughts that agree or disagree with those I’ve posted here.
4 Comments
Hi D…I have a few thoughts on this subject, having lived with and without medical insurance in the US, and now with the socialized medicine program in Canada.
There are times when I am SO grateful to have a universal healthcare system here. Late night ER runs do not have to be complicated with remembering a checkbook or Visa or with the worry of what the bill might be. That is worth something. And yes, we certainly do pay for it with our taxes, no question about that.
However, the system in Canada is NOT perfect, and I would even hesitate to say that it “works.” During the 4 years I’ve been here, many of my friends or acquaintances have had to wait months if not more than a year for various specialist appointments, MRIs and tests. This is SO hard to accept at times, especially when a friend is hurting and you know that if he/she were in the US, the test would have been long done and some relief gained. I have a friend who waited 3 years for a dermatologist appt. It wasn’t a huge issue, but obviously something is wrong there. If I ever have a major medical problem, I will not be sticking around Ontario.
The other issue is the supply of doctors and nurses. Because they are capped at what they can earn, many decide to head south because their earning potential is so much greater. Right now where I live, there are NO family doctors who are taking on new patients. That means that people have to use the ER as their family doctor, same as those in the US.
The other other issue is quality of care. In some places, the quality of care is adequate or even good. In others, due to the fact that the government pays all the bills, there is too much coasting, which results in misdiagnoses or inattention too often. With a private hospital, there is the (financial) motivation to provide the best service possible. Unfortunately, without that motivation, people have died due to a “status quo” attitude.
Right now in my town, we have been waiting for a new hospital to be built for more than 5 years. In that time, there have been probably 4 or 5 built in Grand Rapids, where I am from. We desperately need this new facility, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it took another 5 years for it to be completed.
Anyway, that’s my two cents. Neither system is perfect, and perhaps sometimes it’s a case of wanting what we don’t have.
Beth, thanks for chiming in. I still remember your qualms about moving to Canada precisely because of the health care system, and whenever contemplating this issue, I still think about what you were saying even then. It’s good to hear what your experience has been now that you have been there for a few years. The facts still seem a bit elusive to me, however, because I have to admit that most other people I know who live under socialized medicine in France, Taiwan, even Canada, are very happy with the system and even brag about it!
I don’t doubt that there are problems and even abuses by both doctors and patients, but the fact that everyone is covered, regardless of medical background, age, race, income, etc, sounds like an overall healthy country to me…and I don’t mean just physically healthy. I really like what Benn was saying about how peace of mind makes for a strong country and vibrant democracy. What do you think of this philosophy and how it has played out in the UK?
When I think of other things that are “socialized” in America, like public education and even the postal system, I admit that, yes, there are many problems, but at least everyone has access to it, and I think that this is essential for a strong democratic country. (Though of course by “democratic” I mean that others have the freedom to disagree with me!)
Did you see the Bunk study stating 2/3 of doctors in America want National Health Care. The doctors who did this study also conducted one in 2002 and found that the majority of doctors did not want national health care, the problem with this is that the 2 question surveys drastically differ in there 2nd question. I found this article, 60% of Physicians Surveyed Oppose Switching to a National Health Care Plan, It’s worth a read.
Thanks Matt (is this a Matt that I know?) for the info. I was not familiar with this study, but read through the article, and though it is good background info to know, I find that it’s not exactly scratching in the right place. A survey about what doctors think, whether conducted properly or not, is somewhat of a conflict of interests in my opinion.