The Doc Will See You Now
Yesterday I had an appointment with my nurse to check my blood pressure (normal) and my weight (going up after having gone down; not good weather for walking). Since I was there already, I also asked for my flu shot, because I have asthma and it's not nice to have to sit up in bed to breathe during a bad bout of the flu. She said there wasn't any problem and went to get it. I clenched my teeth, closed my eyes, and grabbed my chair with the other hand as she jabbed me. (No, I don't like needles.) Then, I just picked up my purse, gave thanks and left.
I didn't have to open my purse to take out money. I didn't have to swipe a credit or debit card. I just asked for a service and received it. It's not free, of course. Our taxes pay for this service, and that's it. Once our taxes have been paid, we have access to all health services. That's the beauty of this system. We only have to pay for a percentage of our prescription medications, or full price for any prostheses.
This last payment was implemented by the conservative government as a cost-saving measure during the economic crisis. I haven't checked statistics, but I suspect poorer people that were told they had to have a prosthetic implant decided to go without. Also introduced was the co-payment on prescriptions for seniors, who previously received all medication for free. It has turned out that some seniors stopped taking medication from time to time because they couldn't stretch their meagre retirement checks to touch everything they needed, and decided to eat instead of staying healthy.
But any intervention, any specialist's visit, any diagnostic equipment, remain free. Many Spaniards take this lack of payment for granted. It boggles the Spanish mind, for example, that someone in the United States would have to crowdfund a surgical intervention. Or go without and die. Yes, there are downsides to our system, such as waiting lists. Depending on which specialist you want to see, you might have to wait a year. Some people I know were once told to take their complaint through the Emergency Room to get assistance faster. Some people have died waiting for surgery. A few things have been done to whittle at the waiting lists, such as extending consulting hours for some specialists, or opening surgical theatres in the afternoons. Traditionally, doctors at public hospitals worked at their offices during the morning, then went to their private practices in the afternoon. Incentives have been introduced to keep public doctors in the public sector all day. Waiting lists have grown shorter, though they're still there.
But it's enormously reassuring to go to a doctor when feeling strange to get a diagnosis and treatment without spending a cent. Nobody goes bankrupt from getting a cancer diagnosis. Nobody goes without treatment of any kind because they can't pay for it. Sometimes they wait longer than necessary, yes, but they receive what their tax money pays for. Socialized medicine is worth it. Spaniards' longevity is into the eighties, and reflects universal healthcare. The CIA World Factbook lists Spain at number 22, with an expectancy in 2017 of 81.80 years. The United States, for the same year, is at number 43, with 80 years. Yes, other factors go into expectancy, but socialized medicine helps.
And that's another reason why I won't be returning to the United States. Insurance companies have become even more stingy than when I was a child. Even with the Affordable Care Act, which a few millionaires in Congress are looking to wipe out, being sick in America can be an odyssey of financial distress. Access to healthcare is a matter of public health and safety. I wonder if Congress will ever wake up to that.
I didn't have to open my purse to take out money. I didn't have to swipe a credit or debit card. I just asked for a service and received it. It's not free, of course. Our taxes pay for this service, and that's it. Once our taxes have been paid, we have access to all health services. That's the beauty of this system. We only have to pay for a percentage of our prescription medications, or full price for any prostheses.
This last payment was implemented by the conservative government as a cost-saving measure during the economic crisis. I haven't checked statistics, but I suspect poorer people that were told they had to have a prosthetic implant decided to go without. Also introduced was the co-payment on prescriptions for seniors, who previously received all medication for free. It has turned out that some seniors stopped taking medication from time to time because they couldn't stretch their meagre retirement checks to touch everything they needed, and decided to eat instead of staying healthy.
But any intervention, any specialist's visit, any diagnostic equipment, remain free. Many Spaniards take this lack of payment for granted. It boggles the Spanish mind, for example, that someone in the United States would have to crowdfund a surgical intervention. Or go without and die. Yes, there are downsides to our system, such as waiting lists. Depending on which specialist you want to see, you might have to wait a year. Some people I know were once told to take their complaint through the Emergency Room to get assistance faster. Some people have died waiting for surgery. A few things have been done to whittle at the waiting lists, such as extending consulting hours for some specialists, or opening surgical theatres in the afternoons. Traditionally, doctors at public hospitals worked at their offices during the morning, then went to their private practices in the afternoon. Incentives have been introduced to keep public doctors in the public sector all day. Waiting lists have grown shorter, though they're still there.
But it's enormously reassuring to go to a doctor when feeling strange to get a diagnosis and treatment without spending a cent. Nobody goes bankrupt from getting a cancer diagnosis. Nobody goes without treatment of any kind because they can't pay for it. Sometimes they wait longer than necessary, yes, but they receive what their tax money pays for. Socialized medicine is worth it. Spaniards' longevity is into the eighties, and reflects universal healthcare. The CIA World Factbook lists Spain at number 22, with an expectancy in 2017 of 81.80 years. The United States, for the same year, is at number 43, with 80 years. Yes, other factors go into expectancy, but socialized medicine helps.
And that's another reason why I won't be returning to the United States. Insurance companies have become even more stingy than when I was a child. Even with the Affordable Care Act, which a few millionaires in Congress are looking to wipe out, being sick in America can be an odyssey of financial distress. Access to healthcare is a matter of public health and safety. I wonder if Congress will ever wake up to that.
Comments
Post a Comment