50 million Americans can't see a doctor

[KelleyKramer]

I think that pretty much says it all.

We are the richest country in the world.

And there are 44,000 Americans who die every single year because they do not have health care.

Millions and millions more of Americans who have private insurance are denied health care.

And after being denied coverage, their payment rates are increased, every year.

Something is very wrong here.

And it needs to be corrected.

[Skittles]

1. add to that people who have insurance and won't see a doctor

because of the feared co-pays, lab test costs, etc

[Delphinus]

14. Maybe *can't*

would be a better word, because after they pay for their insurance, they don't have money to pay the doctor. Health insurance does not equal health care.

[Horse with no Name]

2. That is scary. What is horrifying is that we have a major

flu epidemic underway.
Those 50,000,000 Americans who do not have access to healthcare are some of the most vulnerable since this flu is tending to hit younger populations. People over 65 have Medicare.
That 44,000 number is going to look like small change after this epidemic runs its course.

[KelleyKramer]

4. damn good point...

And the implications of that could result in a lot of people dying.

More Americans dying because they have no health care.

Are we now a third world country??

Sure looks like it.

[Horse with no Name]

5. We may not be a third world country in many aspects

however, in healthcare, we certainly almost there.

[KelleyKramer]

8. US is #37 in the world ..

We barely beat out Slovenia for number 38 in the world!

Among all the advanced countries on the planet, the US places DEAD last.

Costa Rica is just ahead of the US at #36

[madrchsod]

7. i have a friend who grew up in ghana.

he has lived in several european countries before moving to the usa several years ago. he can not understand why americans have to buy insurance. he is shocked by the cost and how little it covers.
ghana has the best of the british and american healthcare. british system of funding and payments with american style of delivery healthcare to the people.

if a small african country can provide low or no cost healthcare why can`t the richest nation on earth.

[eridani]

15. Public funding and private delivery sounds more like Canada n/t

[Captain Hilts]

3. If you don't have health insurance, it's hard to find one that will see you as they are already

committed to folks from specific health plans.

[murielm99]

9. A couple of years ago, I was attacked by a feral cat.

She had kittens near the back of our property. I didn't know I was walking near her babies.

I was really cut up. My husband wanted to take me to the emergency room. It was early in the afternoon. I thought it would be less costly to see the doctor in town. He was not my doctor, but surely he would see me.

When I called them, they hemmed and hawed until they found out I had insurance. The doctor and his nurse treated me, and I had a follow-up visit. It would have been more costly if I had gone to the emergency room.

Someone without insurance would have been sitting in an emergency room for several hours, bleeding all over the place. Maybe they would have gone without the care altogether, risking infection, tetanus or who knows what?

[slipslidingaway]

6. knr nt

[Leftist Agitator]

10. "50 million Americans can't see a doctor"

I am one of them. If get seriously ill, I will die.

End of Story.

[Bobbieo]

11. So, what are the doctors doing about this? They must be

patients every day, now.

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. Same here.

[davidpdx]

12. This so pisses me off even though I'm not one of them

and I'm not even in the US. I'm lucky enough to have NATIONAL HEALTH CARE where in live in Korea.

I have a dear friend on Facebook who I have been arguing with all morning and I've been frustrated as hell with her. I've known her for 15 odd years. I know she voted for Bush in 2004 and Obama last year (not sure about 2000 or before) and she lives in Iowa. She is convinced Fox News is simply just another point of view and the only way we are going to get the health care bill passed is by putting partisanship aside and taking more time to agree on whatever it is we have to agree to in order to get it passed. The whole thing started with my posting of this video:

http://www.dscc.org/thegopplan?petition_KEY=214

I routinely post stuff like this, but never have gotten a response like that.

When she started defending Fox News, then I posted this on my Facebook page with a transcript of the quote from Obama and also one from Greenwald saying why it's important to stop what's going on...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYUIXCZe3vY&feature=player_embedded

[elocs]

13. Fortunately since I got BadgerCare Plus last summer I can see a doctor.

Here in Wisconsin it is for adults without children. For a single you must make less than $21,000 a year. It cost $60 to enroll but since then I have had a physical with labs and had a mole removed at no cost although there are $15 copays, but next to nothing for the poorest.

[indepat]

17. Raises the question as to how long the powers-to-be can legitimately claim the USA is the best

place in the world to live. :P