I should have had my health care emergency in New Zealand


	[X] A blog (from "web blog") is a discussion or informational site consisting of discrete entries ("posts") typically displayed newest first. All Corrente posts are front-paged; there is no up-rate or down-rate process. Corrente posts are almost entirely community moderated. We encourage a clash of ideas, and do not encourage a clash of persons. If you are the author of this post, see the Edit tab ad Help (and Advanced Help) for detailed documentation.

Primary tabs

Submitted by DCblogger on Mon, 11/17/2008 - 8:35am

Thread:

In Sickness and In Health

Tags:

single payer

HR 676

health neglect system

Colorado

Medicare for All

New Zealand

The Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform

I had a common infection, it needed immediate attention, and I didn't have a regular doctor anyway. Nevermind that I was in a different state too, but I just got back from New Zealand where, for health care at least, that doesn't matter. I noticed the infection less than 48 hours after returning from down under and was wishing I had gotten sick down there because it would have all been paid for. Well, we don't get to choose when medical calamity strikes, do we? Maybe some of us are more accident-prone...talking to you MTBers, snowriders, and sword swallowers out there, but even though I do a lot of adventurous outdoor activities, it was something completely normal and commonplace that led to this. Two things actually: riding my bike to the store and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Yeehaw! Fun name for a bacteria that is absolutely everywhere including living on your skin right now.
So I rode down the street, took a digger, skinned up my knee and that was how the MRSA got from outside my skin to inside my leg. This really could have happened anywhere, to anyone, but it happened to me and here I am, in the ER cuz I have to, but wondering how I'm going to afford it. Getting sick and hurt (hopefully not too bad, but sometimes seriously), is a part of life. As a society, we have our head in the sand if we expect all the injuries to happen to those with insurance that covers it. Instead of paying more than any other industrialized nation for less-effective health care, we should accept that our nation's health is a public good like national defense.

No votes yet