Korean Job Discussion Forums

Nowhere Man · Joined: 08 Feb 2004

I'm not talking anything now being voted on. I mean the status quo. Feel free to mention which country you'd trade for.

RufusW · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Location: Busan

The British will probably never give up the NHS.... the French, switch to the U.S. system? Ha! You guys just don't know how good we've got it :)

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

No way that any rational person from a country with public healthcare would trade for the US system. Despite all the faults with Canada's system, at least we don't have 10% of the population uninsured.

ontheway · Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:19 am Post subject:

People from the socialized medicine countries all feel safe and smug until the day they actually face a major, life-threatening illness that is only treated adequately in the USA.

Then, if they are wealthy, they board the quickest flight for America and get the best treatment available in the world - as tens of thousands of people from every socialized medicine country do every year. And of course, we see very often that it is the high level government leaders and officials of these countries who lead this midnight run for the best health care.

If they are poor, they sing their national anthem - and die. But, since most of these poor bastards have been educated and lied to by their home governments, taught not to question the lies and propaganda they've been fed in the government indoctrination centers (mislabled as "schools") that they were forced to attend in their youth, they are blissfully ignorant that better medical care is available elsewhere.

RufusW · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Location: Busan

ontheway · Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:57 am Post subject:

RufusW · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Location: Busan

European healthcare costs less - this is pretty definite, I'll Google it if you really want.

We have an equal/higher life expectancy, I'll Google this as well.

However, source for your claims?

Regardless - we cover all of our population and we're proud of this. You don't seem to care that a large population of American citizens don't have long-term healthcare.

ontheway · Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:17 am Post subject:

RufusW · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Location: Busan

I'm glad you can comment ontheway, but as I said, any proof, or evidence?

I know the UK spends 10% GDP on healthcare. I know the US spends 16%. I know European countries have the same or better life expectancy. As I said, I will cite sources if you really want, but these are pretty common facts.

Want to provide evidence for your comments?

Nowhere Man · Joined: 08 Feb 2004

Yup, and then there will be no pollution...

Economics is a hard science...

Fiat money is bad, but look at those money bombs!

Can't answer too many questions...

Ontheway, at the end of a week, how many people will have voted to exchange their healthcare for the US version?

Reggie · Joined: 21 Sep 2009

I'm an American. If I have an emergency, I'll be treated in the USA obviously. If I have a minor non-emergency, I'll get it treated in the USA. But if I ever end up needing a major surgery that isn't an emergency, I'll probably look into how much it would cost to get it done in Bangkok or somewhere. Although we have good doctors in the USA, the costs are astronomical. American hospitals have so many outrageous fees on things that are cheap. For example, Baptist Hospital in Nashville charges $45 for a jock strap for patients having a vasectomy and it's not even autographed by the Tennessee Titans cheerleading squad.

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

IMO a healthcare system is best judged on how they treat the poorest and worst off in society. In Canada if you have a life-threatening situation, you will get treated. You could be a homeless bum, or some CEO earning millions of dollars, but as long as you have that free provincially issued healthcare card you can check into any hospital and get treated.

If you want lasik, or some wart burned off your big toe, that won't be covered. That is where the US really excels in healthcare, for all those non-life threatening issues.

youtuber · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

Reggie · Joined: 21 Sep 2009

All Americans should own some gold if for no other reason than health care costs. The costs here are high enough that it can easily wipe out the life savings of anyone from the upper middle class on down. If you own some gold, you can have some wealth to fall back on after you otherwise get financially wiped out.

Street Magic · Joined: 23 Sep 2009

I'm American and I'd trade our system with just about any other developed country's system. I find it beyond messed up that public education is a widely accepted tax paid service while roughly half of our country seems to believe non-emergency health care is something you should have to earn. If you also believe public education should be done away with, then I don't mind nearly as much what you think about health care.

Also, for people concerned about stifling health care technology innovation, most of the high risk discoveries were made by publicly funded university research efforts. The for profit sector encourages low risk high reward operations like pharmaceuticals that are basically the same as already existing ones with a small twist like extended release delivery or an added ingredient that doesn't actually beat the placebo at anything.