some things never change.

[Jack]

Are you serious?
What is the system of health care used in Canada?

The universal health care systems operated in most European countries are jealously guarded by almost the entire population. Probably the most popular thing politicians ever did! And as a bonus, it seems to save us one hell of a lot of money and give better results than the system operated until now in the US.

[JanW]

Here Jack, universal healthcare is made out to be the bogeyman that puts grandma to death because she can't get heart surgery for two years! That having been said, for anyone with a chronic and potentially delibitating disease such as WG, this bill is a huge step in the right direction, if for no other reason than you can't be denied coverage if you get sick or have a pre-existing condition, and there are no lifetime caps on beneifts. For someone like me, who may have to have several surgeries, each of which cost nearly six figures, I'd hit a $1 million lifetime benefit pretty quickly.

[Sangye]

I stayed up til 12:30am watching the proceedings online while sharing tweets with fellow supporters, so that tells you how committed I was to getting this passed. This bill is not the best--there are major problems. No public option to create competition--big problem, but it can be added. (There is a strong movement for that) If they delayed it any longer, it wasn't going to make a stronger bill but a weaker one, and with the November mid-term elections so close, there was no way anyone was going to pass another bill. I don't think it's realistic to think that anything would have improved it with more time. It was this or nothing. For another century.

We know that 14,000 people have been losing insurance every day and that 45,000 a year die from lack of insurance. Personally I couldn't tell them to wait while we spend more time trying to get the perfect bill. This bill does fix some major problems with insurance right away--pre-existing clauses, etc.... The US is not going to go single-payer any day soon. It's just too big a step and the insurance companies and pharma has too big a hand in the pockets of our representatives. One thing at a time. The biggest thing the passage of this bill showed us all is the power of the people. Our representatives were bowing to pressure this year, but ordinary people fought to keep this alive.

[Sangye]

I had a $3 million lifetime cap on my policy (the one I had to cancel this month). I can't tell you how much stress it caused me worrying about reaching that and losing insurance. Over 20 hospitalizations in less than 4 yrs, some of the most expensive drugs in use for years at a time, countless procedures, tests, etc.... I lived in constant terror of them canceling my policy because they found some loophole. Those of you in other countries can scarcely imagine what it's like to have Wegs and live like that, I'm sure.

[Jack]

the bogeyman that puts grandma to death because she can't get heart surgery for two years!

Oddly, we actually have the opposite problem here and there is an ongoing debate over the right to die. Many people are kept going long after it would have been in their best interest to pass on and there must be agreement between doctors, relatives and if possible the patient before treatment can be withheld. There is also some vagueness in our laws concerning assisted suicide.

[Lightwarrior]

I stayed up til 12:30am watching the proceedings online while sharing tweets with fellow supporters, so that tells you how committed I was to getting this passed. This bill is not the best--there are major problems. No public option to create competition--big problem, but it can be added. .

I also stayed up watching and am in total agreement with you. I made lots of phone calls and sent a lot of emails. I cried with joy when the vote count reached 216. It's not over though, we need to keep the heat on Senators, I am contacting all Senators (My Senators are John McCain and Jon Kyle, I contacted their offices but not much chance of them being supportive)

[Sangye]

Yes, we still have a lot to fight for. I lived in AZ before MD. I do not envy your having to deal with those two. Stay strong!

[pberggren1]

It is universal health care in Canada Jack.

Each province is slightly different though.

[Sangye]

Phil, Pres. Obama is not the one with friends in the medical industry, especially not after this bill! Big pharm and insurance companies poured millions into opposing this bill every day for the past year. The bill doesn't go nearly far enough to thwart them, but it's a start.

I have a good friend whose son was born with a horrible disease--incurable, complex, awful. His dad has had to keep changing jobs because no one wanted to hire him and take on the cost of his son's insurance. The father is highly skilled and a hard-worker and has had to take jobs that don't pay well. The insurance companies have denied tons of necessary care and even told them their son is "not worth rehabilitating." Those very words. Imagine hearing that. ALL of that stops this year because of this bill. It's not a pefect bill, but just those changes make it a lifesaver for them.

[crackers]

as the starter of this thread can i say how happy i am that at last my american friends have some improvement in the healthcare system.i hope in future years it will improve further.i believe the opposition to the reforms saw them as the thin end of the wedge.suddenly 30 million americans have access to healthcare that they didn't have before.if they ever try to remove that access they are faced with 30 million unhappy voters at election time.a few years ago an elderly american lady,who was on holiday over here,fell ill and ended up on the ward my wife works on.she was overwhelmed by care and consideration she received during her stay and by the fact that as an emergency admission she was treated immediately free of charge.a few weeks after the lady returned home my wife received a personal letter,addressed to her via the hospital,from the lady's family thanking her for caring for their mother during a very traumatic time.the system may not be perfect but the majority of the people who work in it are exceptional.i saw my rheumy last week and mentioned a couple of problems i was having.i see one specialist on thursday and another one in two weeks.i hope one day every american has the same level of care.
john