New Visitor Heard From

Rick, from One Little Victory , is a new visitor to our blog and we welcome him. He has a really great post on health care - or the lack of it - in our country. That is a problem with which Granny and family and I struggle, as well as some of our blogger friends. Invisible Woman has recently posted on that subject with her usual hilarious, sometimes biting wit. The subject is one that affects millions of Americans, not just the hardcore poor, not just the elderly or working poor, but even the working middle-class and is an indictment against the current administration.

I take the liberty of quoting from Rick's post - underscored emphasis mine (apologies, Rick);

"2) The United States spends more of its gross domestic product on health care than any other nation.
CNN Response:

Again, that's true. The United States spends more than 15 percent of its GDP on health care -- no other nation even comes close to that number. France spends about 11 percent, and Canadians spend 10 percent.

Like Moore, we also found that more money does not equal better care. Both the French and Canadian systems rank in the Top 10 of the world's best health-care systems, according to the World Health Organization. The United States comes in at No. 37. The rankings are based on general health of the population, access, patient satisfaction and how the care's paid for."

So what's wrong with this picture? The U.S. spends 15%+ yet ranks No.37, while nations that spend 10% and 11% respectively rank in the top 10? Where is our money going? YOUR money, the taxpayers' money. Doesn't take an Einstein nor Hawking to figure that out. Part goes to swell the already bloated profits of the health insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies (our government works hard to enrich the already obscenely rich at citizens' expenses); much of the rest goes to further U.S. hegemony in the middle east - with war, destruction, slaughter, maiming, civilian disrupture, and ofcourse establishing puppet or cooperative governments in target nations.

And YOU pay for it.

Rick said...

Love your blog and put you on my roll... feel free to include me if you like the site -

"One Little Victory"

http://olshak.blogspot.com

Friday, July 06, 2007 1:11:00 PM

COMMENTS:

Nvisiblewmn said...

Thanks for the nod. And I think MM would love this post; that's the whole problem isn't it--greed?

Saturday, July 07, 2007 10:19:00 PM

Granny said...

Rick - already left a comment on your blog. You're on our blogroll - the draft version. We're working on removing any glitches right now.

Ann (aka granny)

Saturday, July 07, 2007 11:58:00 PM

The Future Was Yesterday said...

I just got a notice in the mail yesterday, from the mail in drug company I'm forced to use. We're glad to offer you new and improved services....."

They nearly doubled the paperwork, and made it next to impossible to speak with a human being. I waited more than three hours (on hold) on four different days under the old system, to speak with a pharmacist about my drugs. I never was able to speak with one.

Sunday, July 08, 2007 9:25:00 AM

peppylady said...

how true we spend a loot full of money when we get sick.
Sure we do have one of the best medical system. But they forget to say "We have a great medical system when you have plenty of money"
I'm strong believer in "A ounce of prevenge is worth a pound of cure"

The county with socialize programs that is government sponsor by the taxes are lot of time cheaper then what we pay privately.

Sunday, July 08, 2007 11:28:00 AM