Canadian and American Healthcare ? - Page 11

ChristopherHall · #**101** 11-10-2007, 09:37 PM

Support H.R. 676

http://www.pnhp.org/publications/the...ill_hr_676.php

Ron · #**102** 11-10-2007, 10:58 PM

Brother these are all good points.

I am a Canadian & while I do agree the system we have is not perfect,
during my recent injury it was there for me and I was thoroughly pleased with
the care I received!

ChristopherHall · #**103** 11-12-2007, 10:22 AM

Amnesia and the Christian Social Conscience
By Bro. Christopher Hall

Today in America most Christian have embraced a social theory that is fundamentally at odds with the Christian social ethic. Much of this theory is rooted in the Social Darwinist thought of the modern anarcho-capitalism. This fundamental social theory is built upon the idea that all things are to be produced and provided for financial profit at any expense. “Conservative” political groups have tirelessly sought to appeal to the Christian voter and persuade them that capitalism in all it’s glories of free market trade will bring utopia, justice, and fairness to America’s social fabric. However in America 18,000 people die each year from treatable medical conditions simply because they cannot afford treatment. Another 25,000 Americans will file bankruptcy and loose everything they have ever worked for because they too couldn’t afford insurance, were denied insurance, and couldn’t afford medical treatment. Cancer patients who are unable to pay the high costs for medical treatment often find themselves part way through treatments only to have to discontinue treatment once their finances dry up. This is in America. America has the highest infant mortality rate than any Westernized country because our non-health non-care system is an abysmal failure. Every Westernized nation has a universal heath insurance program that ensures that every citizen can have access to the most basic medical treatments that can save their lives...accept the United States. The United States came in at the bottom of Westernized nations in terms of our health care system and the moral and political will to do something about this crime against humanity appears to be beaten out of citizens by the corporate powers that be that control the modern media. Even traditionally liberal political entities have been paid off and cut deals with Americans private insurance monstrosities. Sadly Christians have embraced this Social Darwinist agenda believing in a survival of the richest. This social non-conscience believes that if one has the money for insurance or treatment they are indeed entitled to it; however if one is too poor to afford insurance or cannot afford treatment they have no entitlement to procedures that may very well save their very lives. As a Christian I can honestly say that I have become furious at the current Right Wing Christian establishment and its unholy marriage with the Social Darwinism of free market capitalism. It’s time that Christians revaluate what it means to be “Christian” and what it means to believe in “Christian values” and how those values are to be implemented in our society. Also Christians have been force fed a fear of the government bordering on paranoia. It seems that Christians have been taught that corporations, not a democratically elected government, can protect their rights. Sadly this is the reverse of the truth. Corporate powers care nothing about individuals; they only care for their profit margins. If a corporation can save money by letting people die and can get by with it they will. However, a democratically elected government is answerable to the people it governs and is instituted to protect their rights. In a democratic society the Government represents “us”, “We the people”. To tie the hands of government against responding to social injustice and corporate greed is to surrender the power of the people to special interests and billion dollar corporate conglomerates. It should be noted that it is the corporate powers that be that are slowly working on surrendering US sovereignty in the name of NAFTA and CAFTA.

I believe that it is full agreement with biblical and Christian social ethics to take a stand for a universal health insurance program in the United States. Here, those Christians who have bought into the Social Darwinist free market capitalist nightmare will scream “Socialism!” Let them scream, they can label it anything they like…it’s a Christian duty to care for the least of our people as a nation. If one person dies because they cannot afford a procedure it is too many. Let’s look closely at this Right Wing paranoia against Government and failure to understand government’s role in a humane and Christian society. Let’s begin by looking at the Declaration of Independence:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --" - The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence declares the fundamental truths that all men are created equal. That all men are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights and among “these” rights are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. And how are these rights guaranteed to a nation’s citizenry? Are these rights guaranteed by corporate powers, wealthy land owners, charity, churches, or private organizations? No. The Declaration of Independence declares that governments are instituted among men to secure these rights as they derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that means “us”. So yes, it is a nation’s government that is charged with securing fundamental liberties and protects our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

ChristopherHall · #**104** 11-12-2007, 10:22 AM

That leads us to health care. For all Americans health care is a basic necessity for survival. For our elderly it is a pre-eminent need. When 18,000 Americans are dying a year because they cannot afford insurance we are witnessing a tragedy. They are being denied the right to live…and their only crime is being poor. Therefore it is the just duty, domain, and jurisdiction of government to step in and secure the right of every American to health insurance that all life saving treatment is provided to all. For human rights (namely the right to live) are being denied by the powers of the private industry simply because it isn’t “profitable” to treat the poor who cannot pay.

Before those who have a fear of Socialism scream in protest consider the following:

Our Founding Fathers saw a terrible injustice in early America. Only the wealthy could afford to send their children to schools and be educated. It was the conviction of our Founding Fathers that a public educational institution be created to ensure the most basic and fundamental education be provided to all Americans regardless of economic status.

Early in America’s history the poor…unemployed, single mothers, and the sick were often sent to poor houses, or work houses. These institutions were primarily run by churches and private Christian charities…however the bulk of funding was generally provided by the local county as generated by property taxes. This system, supported by our Founding Fathers, is seen throughout early America as far back as the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Soon this system expanded throughout entire states and grew into the system we know as welfare today. Yes, it was originally governmental aid provided on the grounds of Christian social conscience. The state government’s assumption of administration was to assist churches and Christian charities who were increasingly finding themselves unable to manage the increasing burden as the population grew. During the 1930’s, immediately following the Great Depression, the Federal Government launched programs to assist the state with funding of their welfare programs and the generation of jobs for those capable of work. This Federal assistance and oversight continued until the 90’s when President Clinton’s welfare reforms shortened welfare rolls and handed more responsibility back to individual states.

Also our Founding Fathers created the United States Postal service. While private companies providing mail services has grown in recent decades, the existence of the public system and it’s lower rates has served to stabilize costs and keep the private industry from raising costs too high for excessive profit.

And these are just a few of the examples that come to my mind at present. Our Founding Fathers didn’t possess the paranoia against government nor did they embrace the notion that the government’s role is to be absolutely curtailed when government action would indeed serve the public interest and strengthen the fabric of society. So the Right Wing Christian and their Social Darwinist social theory of the survival of the fittest without any government assistance has no solid historic grounds for their position.

We who are Christian have a cognitive dissonance in our thought processes. Our faith teaches us that a just and Christian society will care for the least and poorest of our people…yet our marriage with the Social Darwinism of modern free market capitalism tells us otherwise. So there is a psychological strain. This strain is best reduced by vending such frustration against the “liberal” in our midst who inconveniently reminds us of our neglected calling to be salt and light to a society, shaping our world into a world of justice and compassion. The Corporate elite whom we have become servants keep us in a daze and when we begin to wake up they begin working on our fears (abortion, civil unions, etc.) to activate our prejudices. This is done so that we will not question the current powers of the private industry that is dominating the American political landscape. They consistently chant that the answer isn’t governmental action…but rather more tax cuts, more tax rebate, more money for their institutions. However, consider this…in 2005, while an estimated 18,000 Americans were dying because they couldn’t afford health care,….the CEO of United Health Care, Dr. William McGuire, received 1.6 BILLION dollars in stock options. They don’t need tax cuts, tax rebates, or more release from paying their fair share…they need to be prosecuted.

Therefore it is high time that anyone who considers themselves “Christian” stand up and say “no more”. It’s time for Christians to embrace the idea of a National Health Insurance program in the United States of America. American compassion and innovation will make the American system the best in the world quickly. It’s time to stand up against this social evil. Christians took a stand against slavery and racism. Now it’s time to stand up to the private powers that be that are allowing Americans to die simply because they see no profit in providing them coverage.

ChristopherHall · #**105** 11-13-2007, 04:28 PM

Here is a listing of statistical data collected from the American Society of Registered Nurses:

When we surveyed select counties across the world for life expectancy, which was defined as the life expectancy at birth for both sexes, the U.S. fared very poorly.

The U.S. came in 17th, tied with Cyprus, with a life expectancy of 78.0. Here are the countries in the top 17: Japan (81.4); Switzerland (80.6); Sweden (80.6); Australia (80.6); Canada (80.3); Italy (79.9); France (79.9); Spain (79.8); Norway (79.7); Israel (79.6); Greece (79.4); Austria (79.2); New Zealand (79.0); Germany (79.0); U.K. (78.7); Finland (78.7); Cyprus (78.0); and the U.S. (78.0).

In our survey of select countries across the world for infant mortality, which was defined as the number of deaths per 1,000 live births, the U.S. again did poorly.

The U.S. came in 16th, below South Korea, with an infant mortality rate of 6.4. Here are the countries in the top 16: Sweden (2.8); Japan (3.2); Finland (3.5); Norway (3.6); Czech Republic (3.9); France (4.2); Spain (4.3); Denmark (4.5); Austria (4.5); Canada (4.6); Australia (4.6); Portugal (4.9); UK (5.0); New Zealand (5.7); South Korea (6.1); U.S. (6.4).

The next question is whether the U.S. truly spends more than any other country in the world on healthcare. This would indeed indicate a mismanagement of funds budgeted for the healthcare system.

While there may be mitigating circumstances, these would have to be deemed controllable by the most powerful nation on earth.

We then surveyed per capita health expenditures, by country, which was defined as the sum of public and private expenditures, in U.S. dollars, divided by the population. Health expenditure includes the provision of health services (preventive and curative); family planning activities, nutrition activities and emergency aid designated for health, but excludes the provision of water and sanitation.

The U.S. spends $5,711 per person. That's a whopping 33% more the next highest spending country, Norway. Norway spends only $3,809 per person.

Here are the top 27 highest per capita spending countries in the world: U.S. ($5,711); Norway ($3,809); Switzerland ($3,776); Luxembourg ($3,776); Iceland ($3,110); Germany ($3,001); Canada ($2,989); Netherlands ($2,987); France ($2,902); Australia ($2,874); Denmark ($2,762); Sweden ($2,704); Ireland ($2,496); U.K. ($2,389); Austria ($2,306); Italy ($2,266); Japan ($2,244); Finland ($2,108); Greece ($1,997); Israel ($1,911); New Zealand ($1,893); Spain ($1,853); Portugal ($1,791); Slovenia ($1,669); Malta ($1,436); Czech Republic ($1,302).

Finally, If the U.S. truly has the "best health care system in the world" you'd expect it to have the highest number of physicians per 100,000 people. Or else it should be very, very close to the top of the list.

However, this time the results are shocking. The U.S. isn't even on the list of the top thirty countries in the world that have the highest number of physicians per 100,000 people.

These top 30 countries are, by number of physicians to 100,000 people: Cuba (591); Saint Lucia (517); Belarus (455); Belgium (449); Estonia (448); Greece (438); Russian Federation (425); Italy (420); Turkmenistan (418); Georgia (409); Lithuania (397); Israel (382); Uruguay (365); Iceland (362); Switzerland (361); Armenia (359); Bulgaria (356); Azerbaijan (355); Kazakhstan (354); Czech Republic (351); Portugal (342); Austria (338); France (337); Germany (337); Hungary (333); Spain (330); Sweden (328); Lebanon (325); Malta (318); Slovakia (318).