The Cost of Medical
Thursday 20th December 2007
at 10:10am
I need to take some time here to thank Steve and Lyn for their kind hospitality in St Louis over the weekend.
Steve, Lyn, thank you for everything you did to help us get to St Louis, enjoy our stay and show us around as best you could in the circumstances. Kelly and I really did appreciate the whole weekend. From the delicious meals, to the taxi service, to the warm beds and football tickets we had a great time. You made us feel very welcome. Thank you again.
Today, after nice sleep in, Luc made his second trip to the doctors just to make sure he was on track for a good recovery. This got Kelly and I talking about the difference between our health care at home and the health care here. At home, medical is free. There are no employee medical plans or anything like that. It’s paid for by the Government out of the taxes we pay them and our medications and prescriptions are heavily subsidised using the same funds. It doesn’t matter whether a stomach ache keeps you off work for the day or a severed artery has you on your death bed, medical is free.
You can pay for “private” health care which some people do as it guarantees no queues and your choice of doctors when something does goes wrong but for the most part, not alot of people take this option.
The two visits we have made to the doctors with Luc this week cost $95 each and the antibiotics he was suggested cost another $55. That’s a grand total of $245 in 3 days. We find this absolutely incredible. How can the average family afford to pay this? Unannounced, your baby gets sick and you’re up for the best part of $150 before your day even starts? Wow. I haven’t seen “Sicko” by Michael Moore yet but I will as soon as I get the chance.
Outside of that little experience we did “2/5ths of bugger all” and retired early again. I did get a start on updating the site which you will see the fruits of tomorrow and Kelly was able to get some clean clothes into our wardrobes.
Exciting huh?
Comments
Fri 21st Dec 07
at 04:09pm
What a great once in a lifetime adventure for you and your family to take. We here in Wisconsin know a few crazy Aussie’s who have also come over but didn’t attend the game due to the cold. We were at the same game on December 9th and sat in the outdoor club seats. At half time we were invited to the Pepsi Sky Box (indoor seats) to visit. It just wasn’t the same atmosphere being indoors. The weather was rather warm for a December 9th game. I had my gloves and hat off through the whole game. Sorry you were so cold, your blood must have been too thin for the Wisconsin weather. One of my best friends relatives are from Australia. We haven’t seen them since last Christmas. Maybe they’ll be back in 2008 so we can take them to a game. Have a safe trip home and come back for another game again! We love our Aussie fans.
Sat 22nd Dec 07
at 12:50am
Ah, you are experiencing the normal “joys” of American life. If we can only get the “fruitcakes” we have elceted to agree on medical care for all. For some reason, they (we) have brainwashed against socialized medicine, therefore 45+million Americans pay like you just did, becuase they cannot afford medical premiums so they can have affordable care. And yet, the rest of the Industrialized world has “free” medical!! And few if any complaints.
John
Sun 23rd Dec 07
at 04:22am
From cradle to grave, from you first breathe until your last the government is in your life and responsible for your life every last second of your existence. I will not endorse expanding the federal government to that scope and extent. I do not need or want a care taker, the federal government is involved in my life way to much as it is.
Sun 23rd Dec 07
at 12:04pm
Socializing healthcare is a big debate here, and I’d recommend against people getting too worked up over it on this site. 
I’m personally against government sponsored healthcare. Our government fails to run itself (and every one of their programs) efficiently so why should we expect they’d run a healthcare system effectively? Wayne… you’re paying for healthcare the same as we are; it’s just that with you it’s a hidden payment that comes from your taxes. With us it’s out there and we can see exactly what’s going on. I do agree that healthcare is insanely expensive, but a big part of that is because healthcare professionals have to pay high malpractice premiums due to the litigious society we’re in. My wife is in the healthcare industry, so I speak with direct knowledge.
I’d also like to point out that the US has some of the best health care in the world due to it not being federalized. Competition results in higher quality.