Thank you so much to everyone responding on this issue of Universal Healthcare or healthcare outside of the U.S. system. The information and links are great. I will be passing the info on to many therapists interested in this topic as well as continuing to look into the links that you have forwarded. Gratefully, Angie Jones MOTR/L > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected]> Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 02:30:42 > +0000> Subject: Re: [OTlist] universal healthcare> > thank you Aine, Peter, > Michael and David! > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: > AINE SUTTLE <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > I live in Toronto, Canada. I immigrated > here in 1969 > > from Ireland. I moved back there from 97 to 2003, so > > got > more recent experience of that system. I have > > friends from the US who > have given me a perspective on > > that system. Between the three I prefer > the Canadian > > system. > > > > There have been various commissions on the > Canadian > > healthcare system over the years. One of the most > > > comprehensive was the " Commission on the Future of > > Health Care in Canada > (Romanow Commission, 2001 to > > 2002), which is available at: > > > http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/com/fed/index_e.html > > > > It has been some > time since I read it but it does have > > information comparing the Canadian > system with the US > > and others. I seem to remember that there was very > > > useful comparisons on the costs which showed that the > > universal model in > Canada is cheaper that the US two > > tiered model. > > > > This list has > given me a sense of the amount of time > > that OTs and other health > professionals in the US > > spend trying to figure out how to get funding to > > > provide treatment, or figuring out the rules and > > regulations around > funding. We have some funding > > challenges but nothing like you have in the > US. > > > > I work in mental health, on an ACT team. I think > > that the > whole system of mental health is underfunded > > in Ontario, especially for > client with chronic > > psychotic illnesses. But when I read Pete Earley's > > > book "Crazy", I got some perspective on the US system. > > I thought that > his son's experience of trying to get > > help in the US was pretty similar > to our system, but > > in Canada we don't have insurance companies dictating > > > length of stay in hospital. > > > > We have the same problem of too many > mentally ill > > clients ending up in the jail system. But again, I > > don't > think it is quite as bad as that jail in Florida > > that he profiled. In > fact, sometimes, it is a relief > > when our dual diagnosis clients, > (psychotic illness > > and crack addiction) spend a short time in jail as > > > they are usually detained in the medical section, > > where they are given > medical help getting off crack. > > Of course they go back on crack as soon > as they get > > out, but that is another issue. > > > > A major problem in > both Canada and the US in terms of > > getting treatment for psychotic > clients is the "rights > > legislation" which allows clients who are > psychotic to > > refuse treatment, as long as they are not a threat to > > > themselves or others. This was so clearly shown in > > the US documentary by > Susan Smiley "Out of the > > Shadow", which shows her family struggle to get > > > treatment for their mother. > > > > In my six recent years in Ireland I > found there were > > more barriers to getting preventive healthcare without > > > supplementary health insurance. People who do not > > have extra health > insurance can wait for years for > > some proceedures in Ireland, but rarely > die for lack > > of treatment. I made friends with an Irish woman who > > was > an American citizen but had to return to Ireland > > when she got cancer. She > had no health insurance and > > would have died as she could not afford the > treatment. > > She has remained cancer free to date. > > > > Shortly after I > returned to Canada, my husband almost > > died and ended up in ICU where he > got fantastic care. > > He was unconscious for six days, so I got to talk > with > > his nurses during that time. One of them told me that > > the daily > cost of treating a client in ICU was $10,000 > > Can. I was shocked. I was > already stressed and the > > idea of incurring a $60,000 Can. debt that we > could > > not pay would have been intolerable. One of my US > > friends who > stayed with me for one of the six days, > > told me how her father lost his > business and home when > > he was unable to pay medical bills (in the US). > > > > > Regards, > > > > Aine Suttle. > > > > --- Elayne Haley-Ververis wrote: > > > > > > Please keep writing on this topic! I'm an American > > > and an OT > student. I live in Nashville, TN, which > > > is largely George Bush/right > wing country. I > > > desperately want to see universal healthcare of some > > > > type - any type, at this point - in the United > > > States. > > > > > > > Michael, you are so right in that universal care is > > > more humane - to > say the least. > > > I've been in both "lucky" and "unlucky" situations > > > > here as far as the ability to receive healthcare. > > > > > > For example, I > was married to a cardiologist for > > > years which entitled me to not only > excellent > > > healthcare, but "professional courtesy" to boot. > > > Once > divorced (with three kids), I could not buy > > > health insurance. I was out > of the work force for > > > 15 years (its incredibly hard to maintain > employment > > > when your spouse works 70 hours a week. Also we > > > > relocated after residency and then after fellowship, > > > away from family, > etc). > > > I couldn't even buy it despite having enough money! > > > I had > become depressed over the divorce and took > > > medication for two years and > so became ineligible. > > > Depression - along with everything else - is > > > > considered a "pre-existing condition" and so tough > > > luck. > > > > > > > Now I'm a student and can buy student insurance, but > > > its not very good. > It only covers up to $10,000 and > > > after that I'm on my own. Believe me, > $10,000 would > > > not go far here in the US. > > > > > > My story would not > get much sympathy here where over > > > 40 million people are without health > insurance...... > > > many of whom are seriously ill and unable to buy > > > > needed medication. So I'm not complaining! I'm > > > only telling my story > because many people (here in > > > the US, anyway) think that the uninsured > are simply > > > too lazy to get a job. Not true. > > > > > > So....I would > love to hear what you in Canada have > > > to say about universal healthcare. > The general view > > > here among those against it is that universal > > > > healthcare means substandard health care. > > > -- > > > Options? > > > > www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com > > > > > > Archive? > > > > www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > > > > > > > -- > > Options? > > > www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com > > > > Archive? > > > www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > -- > Options?> > www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com> > Archive?> > www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] _________________________________________________________________ Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live. http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008 -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com
Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
