Sometimes, being Canadian living in the US is really hard because we don't usually have a lot of the historical context or information when it comes to the whole "Red/Blue" thing. Add to that - it's often very difficult to figure out which information truly is non-partisan versus more spin... Sure we had to take history in high school - but I don't recall a lot of the subject matter being US-specific... it was more a world view. Maybe there was some US stuff. Maybe I slept through those days... ;)
Mostly - we just try to steer clear of political discussions with people unless they are like - our best friends - who we know won't hold anything against us anyway if our info is bad!! :)
The health care reform issue has become insanely polarizing - and honest to God I but only know the very tip-top talking points of what each side is bashing the other side with. I know that the so called "socialist" system in Canada is NOT perfect - I've experienced it. Both as a patient, as well as the daughter of a patient that died of cancer up there. There is room for improvement...
Health care today in America also has serious issues and DOES need reform. It's going to cost money. I hope it doesn't cost as much as what I *think* the Canadian system costs. But it's certainly not going to be cheap.
It's going to take compromise. The US today - at least for those with insurance - is so "I-need-to-know-NOW" when it comes to testing, diagnosis and action... for the smallest ailment to the most critical of disease condition. It's all about the instant. I often cite this example to friends in Canada that are waiting, and waiting, and WAITING for MRI's or CT scans... that my NP found a lump in my back about 2 years ago, and after watching it and monitoring it for about 10 days - decided I needed an MRI. I went the same afternoon. INSANE. (It turned out to be nothing...) That was a 10K test that was doled out within 2 hours of it being asked for. Meanwhile, my dad, sittin' at home in Canada, had to wait like 3 months for a CAT scan of his knee or hip - and I mean he was living in some serious PAIN. But you're only allowed to go to a site within your region, and then those are booked months in advance, and they can't build more sites because that costs more money... etc.
Something is wrong with that situation... right? I didn't need same day (which I assume - costs more) service... and he needed service in a more reasonable time frame. Nobody is going to loose their house up there paying medical bills - but they might get sicker - or - maybe sometimes worse - waiting for their tests.
There has to be middle ground.
Mostly - it's going to take faith, and a little belief in the fact that as a country - this problem can be solved. We cannot continue to have children and elderly with no coverage... people should not have to choose between putting food on the table, or medication for their family. Prevention is far cheaper than illness-management. Insurance companies cannot, and should not - control decision's on patient well being. Hell the last idiot I talked to at BCBSNC didn't know how to reboot her computer - why should someone like that ever be in a position of making a decision on medical protocol? (So that's probably an exaggeration - but you get what I mean??)
I do hold the media very responsible for a lot of the anger and frustration and hatred that is running through America right now when it comes to this issue. There is little if any rational conversation - and it seems like it's in their best interest to keep the hype and chaos going - because face it - that's what people tune in for. So sad. I don't understand why people get SO pulled in by the frenzy!! (But then... I guess I too, can get sucked in to things that I really care about...)
Blurb posted this and I was grateful for some interesting historical and background information... but I feel like there is so much more now to the "sides". Does it really sort of all come back to religion? (Is that crazy naive for me to think that??) Is American government ruled (maybe loosely) by church and spiritual beliefs?
I don't know. It just seems like the more I listen, the more the parochial viewpoints are either on or between the lines. (not judging - just saying... opinion only...)
Sigh. I have so much to learn. Not the textbook-y kind of learning... the real thing.
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