I don't Stan. I'm sure it's happening elsewhere but my experiences are here. Some people may be defensive if I generalize to include other states. I do hear stories from other places. In Mexico I have Government medical health care coverage. It costs me $150 per year per person for Susan and I. Susan fell and cracked her pelvis down there. She spent 2 days in the local hospital. The x-ray tech couldn't read the photos so the Doctor couldn't tell if anything was broken so no treatment came or decision on what to do next. It took me two days to arrange for a Lear Jet Medical Evacuation to get her to a Hospital up here in Pasadena to the tune of $19,500.00 out of pocket. I am now sueing Blue Cross for that reimbursement which is covered in my health plan. The two days in the medical facility were not so good. Cockroaches crawling over her while she lay in bed. Soggy sandwiches for lunch and dinner from the local greasy spoon and so on. They will not give out any pain pills. Not covered in the social plan down there plus you cannot buy them except in extreme conditions as determined by the MD. Such as it goes Stan, it's the same old story. You get what you pay for and if you want better, do it yourself. Socialized medical care for all is a pipe dream.
By the way, Susans's pelvis was cracked in 3 places. She spent 2 weeks in bed at Huntington Hospital. Blue Cross picked up that tab at $115,000.00. Then she spent 3 more weeks in a rehab center getting P. T. twice a day to learn how to walk again. Then 2 months at home in a rented special bed and me as the rehab/caregiver which cost Blue Cross another $61,500.00. My out of pocket expense is 33,465.00 so far including the plane ride with me and our dog riding along. Even with insurance it's expensive. not counting what I have to contribute every month to maintain Blue Cross Health care and Medicare. Medical Care costs are outrageous ! How the heck are we going to pay for the millions of Immigrants coming here ? Even if we only push a few pills at them ? I don't think it's possible. I haven't even mentioned subsistance allowances for all these unfortunate people coming in.
All I'm trying to do is take care of my wife and I in the best way I believe I can. To be able to proud and independent of others. To give back a little thru our Church or to others we know who weren't unlucky but made some bad decisions. To be able to have some fun fulfilling those dreams of the future that Susan and I had while we were younger and hard at work with our nose to the grindstone.
I think this is enough dialog for me on this subject. I really don't rave on like this because it's just a waste of time that could be spent on more positive thoughts and deeds. I apologize to all of you for this drift. I do have some really good coffee now.
Bruce
