Off Topic: Why Free Healthcare is Not Better
Yanks usually hold the opinion that a free national healthcare system is better than their privately-funded one. In his movie “Sicko,” Michael Moore championed the UK as a beacon of light of how healthcare should be run. Today, I’m going to set the record straight.
Make no bones about it, the modern UK health system is crappy. Not universally, but often. Some local hospitals are actually run very well, the staff are caring and efficient, and I feel very fortunate to be treated there. Alas, they are not all like that. The “leading UK hospital” I went to in London last week was an example of our National Health Service at its worst.
The reason I went there was to be assessed for cancer treatment, since this hospital is one of only three places in the UK that has the correct machine to treat me, as my tumour is very rare (I told you before I was special.)
Glossing over the dreadful four hour trip on public transport to get there, we arrived exhausted in the most godforsaken place imaginable. The hospital is actually a conveyor belt to hell. The place was cold, filthy, with rows upon rows of nondescript chairs, no amenities, no children’s facilities (and this is trumped as the UK’s leading children’s hospital!), peeling paint, vomit-coloured walls, and nurses who spoke little English.
After insisting that I was in fact, male, with a different address and a different name and after much argument to persuade them otherwise, the nurses finally agreed to let me see "the specialist-otherwise-known-as-God” who would be considering my application for the high-density “nuke-it-and-see” treatment. We were crammed into a six foot square smelly cell and told to wait to see the great man himself. When he finally deigned to see us, he was extremely rude, concentrated largely on unrelated calls from his mobile, and generally treated me like animal excrement. After much grovelling on my part, he did however agree my case met the requisite criteria, and he is now going to “put my case before the hospital’s governing committee.” If this is granted, then we have to follow the lengthy process of trying to obtain funding for the £20K ($40K) treatment from my local Health Authority.
God said the local authority would initially refuse funding, so the matter would certainly go to appeal. He is somewhat optimistic about victory in the end, but the process will undoubtedly take a long time, and there is no guarantee of success. As my local health authority is currently £43m ($86m dollars) in debt, I’m not holding my breath here.
If our free National Healthcare system worked properly, patients shouldn’t have to spend sleepless nights wondering if they can get life-saving treatment. So to Michael Moore who thinks the UK health system is wonderful and the answer to everyone’s prayers, let me tell him that it is actually like any large public state system which is massively overloaded and badly run. Parts of it run splendidly, and parts of it are so mired in debt and bureaucracy that it sucks beyond belief. In other words, it suffers from the same flaws as any other large corporation.
Right now I’d give my right arm for private healthcare. Rather literally I’m afraid.
I know there are at least two bloggie readers out there whose bodies are more ravaged by this crappy disease than I am, and I am genuinely hoping that they have good private healthcare, and that they get treated with the respect and kindness that they need.
Because no-one deserves to be treated like a number.
"Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I don't feel Christmassy today, O.K? I do, however, feel like posting an image of the fabulous Lynx.
Two grumpy posts in a row? This is unsatisfactory bloggie service. Now I really can’t keep depressing everyone like this.
*makes mental note to keep to the happy stuff over the Yuletide season*
Naked chicks should be happy chicks.
Make no bones about it, the modern UK health system is crappy. Not universally, but often. Some local hospitals are actually run very well, the staff are caring and efficient, and I feel very fortunate to be treated there. Alas, they are not all like that. The “leading UK hospital” I went to in London last week was an example of our National Health Service at its worst.
The reason I went there was to be assessed for cancer treatment, since this hospital is one of only three places in the UK that has the correct machine to treat me, as my tumour is very rare (I told you before I was special.)
Glossing over the dreadful four hour trip on public transport to get there, we arrived exhausted in the most godforsaken place imaginable. The hospital is actually a conveyor belt to hell. The place was cold, filthy, with rows upon rows of nondescript chairs, no amenities, no children’s facilities (and this is trumped as the UK’s leading children’s hospital!), peeling paint, vomit-coloured walls, and nurses who spoke little English.
After insisting that I was in fact, male, with a different address and a different name and after much argument to persuade them otherwise, the nurses finally agreed to let me see "the specialist-otherwise-known-as-God” who would be considering my application for the high-density “nuke-it-and-see” treatment. We were crammed into a six foot square smelly cell and told to wait to see the great man himself. When he finally deigned to see us, he was extremely rude, concentrated largely on unrelated calls from his mobile, and generally treated me like animal excrement. After much grovelling on my part, he did however agree my case met the requisite criteria, and he is now going to “put my case before the hospital’s governing committee.” If this is granted, then we have to follow the lengthy process of trying to obtain funding for the £20K ($40K) treatment from my local Health Authority.
God said the local authority would initially refuse funding, so the matter would certainly go to appeal. He is somewhat optimistic about victory in the end, but the process will undoubtedly take a long time, and there is no guarantee of success. As my local health authority is currently £43m ($86m dollars) in debt, I’m not holding my breath here.
If our free National Healthcare system worked properly, patients shouldn’t have to spend sleepless nights wondering if they can get life-saving treatment. So to Michael Moore who thinks the UK health system is wonderful and the answer to everyone’s prayers, let me tell him that it is actually like any large public state system which is massively overloaded and badly run. Parts of it run splendidly, and parts of it are so mired in debt and bureaucracy that it sucks beyond belief. In other words, it suffers from the same flaws as any other large corporation.
Right now I’d give my right arm for private healthcare. Rather literally I’m afraid.
I know there are at least two bloggie readers out there whose bodies are more ravaged by this crappy disease than I am, and I am genuinely hoping that they have good private healthcare, and that they get treated with the respect and kindness that they need.
Because no-one deserves to be treated like a number.
"Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I don't feel Christmassy today, O.K? I do, however, feel like posting an image of the fabulous Lynx.
Two grumpy posts in a row? This is unsatisfactory bloggie service. Now I really can’t keep depressing everyone like this.
*makes mental note to keep to the happy stuff over the Yuletide season*
Naked chicks should be happy chicks.
Labels: Lynx, Miscellaneous
posted by Lin at 1:31 PM
9 Comments:
That's simply appalling. Lin. And thank you for setting the record straight.
In times of need, there shouldn't be the added stress of uncivil and uncaring treatment.
Too bad you can't come to the states. I could have you in the gamma knife here in Denver in a few days, if thats the machine you're talking about.
Yes Michael, that's the one. The treatment is pretty new here. It turns out there is no waiting list after all for the machine. I could be within one month here too (contrary to what I was originally told.) The long delay will be due to having to get the public funding from the local authority. Maybe the UK and the US system are more alike than I imagined, after reading about some of the stories about Medicare in the US.
Anyway, how are YOU doing? Please email and let me know (email address is lin@fluffytek.com )
I think you'd be surprised how exactly similar your story is to the two and a half weeks I spent at the "heavenly" Mayo Clinic, where famous ex-Beatles travelled from all over the world to be treated, at the same time I sat and waited all day in the same chair.
Sometimes, it doesn't matter what system you have... you STILL have God complex drs who put you in tears by just having to deal with their egos while they proceed to take their calls during the appointment you've waited on another side of the country for two weeks (paying your own airfare, food, and hotel out of pocket, mind you) to see them.
Yes, it varies everywhere, good and bad... but to me, SOME kind of guaranteed healthcare by the state, is better then none. (Canada here I come!) Which is where I would be without hubbys healthcare, as I'm "too sick" to work to HAVE health care of my own. Irony at its finest! The well are covered because they can pay for it. The sick aren't because THEY'RE SICK! hmmm.
I hope things brighten up for your holiday season, and you enjoy the warmth of family and avoid ALL drs for just a bit!
Warm hugs!! :)
Look on the bright side, when you get the treatment you wont be sued by your insurance carrier.
I had back surgery last year, now I have a $350,000 debt to the health insurance company. It would have been higher but they said the 100 lb limit walker was all they were going to pay for (I'm 250, 100 lbs over "normal") Now my credit rating went from great to in the gutter. I am in the process of filing bankruptcy.
Love the work and read the blog everyday when I wake.
Please don't stop talking about your illness. It might be depressing, but I think it is also important to have an outlet so you can express you anger and frustrations. We also need to have information, because now we are concerned. We want to know how you are doing. I wonder everytime I check-in at your blog, which is almost everyday, how you are doing. I personally can't imagine what you must be going through and find your ability in your posts to express the humor and insight about the other things in your life amazing. Your hubby is a lucky man. I think if I had such a dreadful thing in my life, it would consume me.
I have been reading about the relationship of the acid-alkaline balance of the body. Our diets of a lot of processed foods now have us way to much on the acid side and the theory is that this causes many of our health problems. As our body has a need to be alkaline. One of the things that it mentions is that cancer needs an acid environment to survive, it can't live in an alkaline environment and when found in the body it is encased in a acidic sac to ensure its survival. According to the books some people have had success in, slowing, stopping or curing cancer with this diet approach.
I actually found out about it thru a business article profileing a man and he mentioned that he had had cancer and been sent home to die as there was nothing more medicine could do for him. He got an email from a friend about this approach and tried it. According to the article he has been cancer free for five years. I don't have any cancer, but have been trying to be more alkaline and I have lost some weight and feel better over-all. Thought I would mention it incase it was something you might not have come across.
D.L. Wood
Sounds like a dreadful day's journey and time at the hospital. I guess one point of SiCKO is that here in the states, there's virtually no public transport that would take you to the treatment center, and once you got there, in addition to mistaking you for the wrong person, they wouldn't let you past the lobby without proof of the correct form of for-profit insurance. Insurance that would probably be unavailable to you if you weren't completely healthy when you signed on. I'm not doubting that the UK system is as bad as you say... just that shitty free healthcare is arguably better than no healthcare.
Take the trillions of dollars being spent on the current war to defend us from imaginary dangers that might result in hundreds or a few thousand lives lost -- if that money were spent on restructuring the system and delivering healthcare here at home, it would easily save tens of thousands of lives and improve countless more.
Again, I sympathize. My mother received some of the most negligent care that could be imagined when she was sick. It made her last nine months hell, and ultimately cost her life at a relatively young age. Financially, she was fortunate to have good coverage and family attempting to help. If I found myself in the same boat now, I hate to think...
Guys (and gals) thanks for your support, and your stories. Blimey it's difficult to believe some of the stories I've heard here about US healthcare, even if you do have insurance. Michael's story in particular made me so sad. No-one should ever have to go bankrupt because of healthcare bills.
I guess I should be grateful for what I can get in the UK. Failing that, if the local health authority refuses, I'll have to re-mortgage the house! Regardless, I will survive, and that's the important thing.
Mr Wood, thank you for your comments. I am enjoying them immensely (the blow-job in the lift story had me laughing for days. I'd love to know the perfume - I bet it would be a sell-out!) Re diet and nutrition, yes thank you for your mentioning it. I've been on an anti-cancer diet for years that is so strict it would make your eyes water! Nutrition may slow this thing (always helpful) but it doesn't kill it completely - something to do with the specific nature of this type of tumour tissue. But I do appreciate the advice. Incidentally, I'm not allowed to blog about nutrition on this blog, or Rich has threatened to delete it. Boggling I know that I actually let a man dictate anything, but on this one, he's probably right. Once I start ranting about processed food and diet, I become a MONSTER.
I was going to comment but everything I was going to say has been covered..
And sadly SOME healthcare is better than none which is what many here have..
We are ALL only as healthy as those around us..
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