ot health care
 

I'm getting worried.

Although born an American, I've lived and fished in Ireland and the UK
for a long time.

But I've been reading recently just how bad the socialist health care
over here is, compared to the USA. The Investors' Business Daily wrote
recently:

'The U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
(NICE) basically figures out who deserves treatment by using a
cost-utility analysis based on the "quality adjusted life year."
'One year in perfect health gets you one point. Deductions are
taken for blindness, for being in a wheelchair and so on.
'The more points you have, the more your life is considered worth
saving, and the likelier you are to get care.
'People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in
the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this
brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially
worthless.'

And this recent Fox News report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c-JE...layer_embedded

demonstrates that the British National Health system is responsible for
a substatial proportion of international terrorism.

I'm now in my fifties, with two genetic, chronic illnesses (ankylosing
spondylitis and hemochromatosis) which need constant attention.

Should I think of moving back to the States?

Lazarus

ot health care
 

g
very amusing, Lazarus.
Tom

ot health care
 

On 16-Sep-2009, Lazarus Cooke wrote:

I'm now in my fifties, with two genetic, chronic illnesses (ankylosing
spondylitis and hemochromatosis) which need constant attention.

Should I think of moving back to the States?

Lazarus

Thanks for the OT in your post
MAN! You have opened a can of worms w this NOW!
Healthcare is the major issue here other than wars and bailouts
I would not even aatempt to go into this on this list, but at our age, my
wife and I, health insurance is our largest expense by far
Fortunately we have enough $$ for catastrophic insurance but I shudder to
think what if?
Most American cannot say the same.

I am sorry for your illnesses and I do wish you the best
but
I hope that this topic does not burst into flames

Fred

ot health care
 

Fred wrote:
Lazarus Cooke wrote:
I'm now in my fifties, with two genetic, chronic illnesses (ankylosing
spondylitis and hemochromatosis) which need constant attention.

Should I think of moving back to the States?

snip
I am sorry for your illnesses and I do wish you the best
but
I hope that this topic does not burst into flames

Fred, the only flames Mr. Cooke's post has generated so far are
the flames coming off your scalp as it scorched over your head
at supersonic speed. It was a joke, Fred.

HTH

--
Ken Fortenberry

ot health care
 

On Sep 16, 10:12*pm, "Fred" wrote:


I hope that this topic does not burst into flames

If it did, would you **** on it?

g.

ot health care
 

On Sep 16, 10:26*pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Fred wrote:
Lazarus Cooke wrote:
I'm now in my fifties, with two genetic, chronic illnesses (ankylosing
spondylitis and hemochromatosis) which need constant attention.

Should I think of moving back to the States?

snip
I am sorry for your illnesses and I do wish you the best
but
I hope that this topic does not burst into flames

Fred, the only flames Mr. Cooke's post has generated so far are
the flames coming off your scalp as it scorched over your head
at supersonic speed. It was a joke, Fred.

Just when you think all is lost, out jumps perspicacity!

Huzzah!

giles

ot health care
 

On 16-Sep-2009, Ken Fortenberry wrote:

the only flames Mr. Cooke's post has generated so far are
the flames coming off your scalp as it scorched over your head
at supersonic speed. It was a joke,

Whoosh - right over my head
I am going to stick my head in a pail of water

Fred

ot health care
 

In article , Fred
wrote:


I am sorry for your illnesses and I do wish you the best
but
I hope that this topic does not burst into flames

Fred

Fred, thanks for your concern.

Nothing in my post was untrue. I do have those illnesses.

The quotations were accurate (although the writer failed to notice that
Stephen Hawkings is English, born in England, and has lived his
difficult life being cared for by the british National Health Service -
bit of a mistake).

When I was diagnosed with hemochromatosis, about six or seven years
ago, my physician suggested I go home and research on the internet who
I'd like to be treated by.

I found a man, AB, who was the expert in the Liver Unit at King's
College Hospital in London, and who wrote the major review of treatment
of this rare disease for 'The Lancet'. He was clearly the best man in
Britain, and is certainly one of the best in the world.

( http://www.kch.nhs.uk/services/liver/hepatology/ )

I was referred to him, and he's been treating me ever since. When I
feel I need him, I call his direct line, and normally I'll see him the
following morning.

If I were to move back to the US, how much should I budget for to get a
better standard of service?

Lazarus

ot health care
 

On 2009-09-17 18:02:55 -0400, Lazarus Cooke
said:

If I were to move back to the US, how much should I budget for to get a
better standard of service?

Nothing!

When I had prostate cancer at the ripe old age of 59, I had the same
Gleason Score as Bill Bixby (from the TV series Hulk). Bixby died just
before I was diagnosed and I was somewhat familiar with his case,
including his Gleason Score. Our cases were very similar. My tumor
was classified as lethally aggressive - i.e, if it wasn't treated very
quickly and aggressivly, I would die. I mean, TREATMENT NOW, THIS
MINUTE, NOT TOMORROW/NEXTWEEK/NEXTMONTH.

Between the time on that dreadful Friday afternoon when I was told I
had cancer and the following Monday morning, Joanne and I researched
prostate cancer in every book/article in the library/internet we could
get our hands on. When we met with the doctors on Monday morning, we
were fairly well informed. We had also searched out the best medical
team in the Boston area dealing with prostate cancer, and even
considered going to Baltimore and John Hopkins which was THE leader in
the entire world on prostate cancer and radical prostatectomy. We had
at our disposal whomever we selected. Our team in Concord
Massachusetts was considered one of the best and we went with them.

Long story short, I was cured. My doctors shrunk the tumor (remember,
"lethally aggresive"), removed it along with the organ itself in a four
hour operation, sewed me up, put in a catheter (removed a couple of
weeks later), and I have been peein' straight and sex is great ever
since. Total cost: $10 co-payment the first time I saw my urologist.
Nowhere in the world could I have received better treatment. NOWHERE!

Because I considered myself so very fortunate, I participated in a
prostate cancer survivors newsgroup for some months afterwards. I read
some horrible experiences of men with similar tumors who were nowhere
near as fortunate as I. They lived in Canada, UK, Germany, and some in
the States. My insurance paid all the expenses of that and other close
calls with death since then at a cost of about $1000/year, plus $10
co-pay each visit. My medications are paid for except for a small
co-payment per subscription.

Now that I am into my 70s and Joanne has retired, I am on medi-care,
which, so far, has treated me well. I'll take what I have now and what
I had those many years ago before I take anything Canada or GB can
offer me. I selected my own doctors, my own treatment; it was done MY
way, not the government's way, and I am alive and fairly healthy all
these many years afterward because of the decisions *I* made.

Hope you are well.

Dave
(and, yes, I am sure there are many success stories out of Canada/GB,
and many not so successful out of the USofA, but I'll keep what I have,
thankyouverymuchmrobama! Leave my health care the **** alone!!!!!)

ot health care
 

David LaCourse wrote:

Now that I am into my 70s and Joanne has retired, I am on medi-care,
which, so far, has treated me well. I'll take what I have now and what
I had those many years ago before I take anything Canada or GB can offer
me. I selected my own doctors, my own treatment; it was done MY way,
not the government's way, and I am alive and fairly healthy all these
many years afterward because of the decisions *I* made.

Hope you are well.

Dave
(and, yes, I am sure there are many success stories out of Canada/GB,
and many not so successful out of the USofA, but I'll keep what I have,
thankyouverymuchmrobama! Leave my health care the **** alone!!!!!)

Do you think people in Canada or Great Britain do not get to select
their own doctors?

Tim Lysyk