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November 23, 2009
Beck Bits: Welcome to Universal Healthcare!
Posted by The MaryHunter at November 23, 2009 3:48 AM
Greetings from...
ITALY: Need a mammogram? You'll be able to get plenty done in the meantime -- the average wait is 70 days.
GREAT BRITAIN: About 20 percent of patients with treatable colon cancer at the time of discovery are considered incurable by the time treatment is finally available.
CANADA: The Canadian Supreme Court ruled that the government must stop restricting the private sector from providing health care when the national system (frequently) fails. Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin wrote "Access to a waiting list is not access to healthcare."
FRANCE: French workers pay about 19% of earnings in taxes for health insurance and yet still more than 90% purchase complimentary private insurance.
GREECE: Analysts believe Greece needs about 5,000 general practitioners to meet demand. They currently have about 600. The lack of doctors is so bad that it's common for patients to offer bribes for appointments.
MASSACHUSETTS: "Universal health care will help cure our overcrowded emergency rooms!" the politicians claimed. Wrong. After it was implemented, patient visits actually rose by 7 percent between 2005 and 2007 and costs rose by 18 percent.
