Take a real life example. I developed zanthomas - these are fatty deposits on the eyelid it is partly genetic and partly cholesterol - they took care of that at once with a course of lipitol (I paid around $30 dollars for a six month supply) - but I mentioned in passing only that I thought the zanthomas ugly, which they are. To my absolute delight six months later, after I had forgotten about it, I received a note asking me to turen up the hospital eye clinic for surgery - 15 minutes each eye - brilliant work under local anaesthetic - essentially cosmetic surgery - cost? I kid you not, and this really is right - $20 - including consultation, surgery, aftercare, removal of stiches, anda further check-up. Eyes look even more lovely that ever...
So how do we Swedes do it and what can't be learnt. Firstly, and I am not trying to make any loaded political agenda here: we spend the money on schools, roads, health, and child, and elderly care; rather than government committees and bigger and better bombs. As an outside to the US it seems that an unbelievable proportion of the nations shared capital accrued from taxes is being spent in ways that neither leviates poverty, or gives the middle American family more security, or enables the wealthier entrepreneur to create more wealth and employment.
So where could the money come from? Now, I am not talking about cut-backs of full-time sevice personnel but rather simply downscaling and cancelling some defense contracts. I am not suggesting the ending of civil service's excellent role in government but rather that those up on the beltway look to save rather than spend within the budget allowance for government.
I do not see this as going against the remarks of John Andams, Thomas Jefferson, or Alexander Hamilton and their ilk that the rôle of goverment was to protect the citizens from all enemies foreign and domestic, and to interfere as little in the lives of those people. They envisioned a government built upon a strong moral and ethical code that would inspire its citizens.
There is nothing inspirational about thechoices being given to many (And here, from research, I do not means those who are nickel and diming, but very large swathes of noraml American families). If 14 million people in 2004 chose or were forced to, and they were, go into bankrupcy proceedings how can many afford dental, or check-ups, let alone the sort of surgery that requires clincial audited proceedures.
Are the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, and the medical system failing to deliver value and rather ensuring the recouping of the vast expenses needed for drug trials and research that must be reclaimed as the number one priority.
At the end of the day Obama would be wise to tackle the health care problem with great imagination and bravery. And that first task must be to build a healthier nation: a sugar tax; people pay a premium for foods containing refined sugars; a salt tax: foods with high levels of high sodium addditives (e.g. fired and snack foods: a premium). Sweden does not have a snack culture, but it is coming. Ther single greatest error in child health in Sweden was made some 10 years ago with the removal of afternoon sports: no diet, no matter how filled with fruit, fibre, and fish will energize or keep you healthy without some motion and sweat to go with it.
Obama speaks sense; one hopes that whoever is chosen at the Denver convention, whatever party is called to govern, that all sides of both houses and the executive will see the dire need for suffragation of health: that none should choose whether to be healthy on the grounds of costs alone.
For, wouldn't a healthier nation would be a great start? And shouldn't univeral health care should be a given for the wealthiest, most developed nation on earth? I say, Well done! Governor Schwarzenneger, Come on America! Set the standard: energize, and give liberty to life for all, for the children and their children's children.
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Comments: 28
It seems to me that your fine article is doing two major services for us here in the USA. (1) Noting for us that there are other far more progressive and compassionate approaches in foreign lands (not ALL certainly) going on to benefit citizenries, and (2) Alerting us in a most caring way to the fact that our USA democracy has some VERY SIGNIFICANT FLAWS. I would add that it may be the naivete of democracy that is far too light on educating us, WE THE PEOPLE, to become ever more informed that may be THE major deficiency in our touted 'democracy'. Our officialdoms seem to have too little concern for the WILL OF THE PEOPLE when most important decisions are being made by so-called LEADERSHIP. We are desperately in need of wisdom-driven LEADERS.
The evidence is mounting that indeed, WE THE PEOPLE are being denied benefits in the USA that might be made available IF we weren't so burdened with obligations that relate to WAR, CORRUPTION, and just plain IGNORANCE. Trade off studies of WARS versus education, health, infrastructures, assistance to the needy are needed, and facts -- not simple minded opinions-- must come to dominate planning. CORRUPTION needs to be weeded out vigorously. And IGNORANCE must be fought tooth and nail in both schools and public chambers.
I'd have to put 'BLAME' on two branches of our USA government: (1) our Houses of Congress (Senate and House of Representatives), and (2) our Presidency. I'd 'BLAME' us USA CITIZENS too, and our PRESS too for failing to do serious work on analyses and content-full reports of important issues that would make our nation ever finer and more productive, and would thus provide gains to enrich our lives and benefit ourselves and our WORLD. In recent times we in our USA have lost our credibility and our reputation of high morality.
WARS will never solve problems, FRIENDSHIPS and serious attention to basic causes for official angers and concerns, might do so, and our Citizens and our Fourth Estate bear deep responsibilities to LEAD our deficient Presidency and Congress in new and promising directions. Our leaders are far less capable than the CORRECTIVE POTENTIAL that exists in the ignored but the available (through properly run polling methods, etc) CREATIVE ELECTORATE. GATHER, as a growing exemplary example, is now starting to PROVE that premise. WE THE PEOPLE must EMPOWER ourselves to protect ourselves and thus make a better world for ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD! Ignorance and Anger can destroy our and others' WORLD.
So my THANKS and BEST WISHES to YOU -- an INTERNATIONAL colleague -- for your gifts to us of both insight and information. I suspect that you are inclined to keep up the good works, and I wish you God's Speed as you progress. YOU have a lot of emerging support that will not remain hidden, if I am reading the tea leaves properly.
Dick
True American - company tax IS 50% but after costs, breaks, and investing I pay around 32% - which is a lot of bacng for my buck - we have three children all of nursery age - they all get fabulous daycare, medical care, my wife is PAID at 80% of her full-time job from her government insurance credit for 18 (EIGHTEEN!) months; and I could do the same. Am I prud to pay those taxes- well, yes I am, does it prevent wealth creation and entrepreneurship: yes and no. The former seems to happen and the latter is happening. I consult to Deloitte and other major global players and see the temperature rising here. But credit borrowing is still a rarity - bank loans and credit cards are only just starting to take off - but we do have the best healthcare, in terms of audited rates of fatality, mortality and longevity, in the world - so you decide - an extra buck in your pocket, or 5 more years of quality of life manageable pension years.
For, really, who is talking about robbing the haves? Not me, they can continue to pay fpr private health care and enjoy the oustanding privileges that ensues. Rather as I say take it from the national budget and assign the monies to overall care. It is a valid argument and one quite certainly will be addressed. May I add that the tenet of government as seen by the Founding Fathers (In particular Washington) was that poverty was the disease to be eradicated, and that with the privilege of wealth comes a moral responsibility to improve the nation and what is the nation if not its citizens?
And what more hope for those citizens than their children. Child obesity is not, and never should be surely, a source of profit for compnanies, or a political toy - I see this as a non-partisan issue that simply needs addressing as the New Deal did - and someone, and Obama on one side, and Schwarzenneger on the other has finally placed the nation's health back on the table - sieze the opportunity - it's a great idea.
Thank you!
I'd agree that America is no longer a free country but that has nothing what so ever to do with health care. Insurance is not taking from the "haves" to give to the "have nots" at all. Rather it is where the majority pay for the exposes of the minority regardless of whether they are "haves" or not. Universal health care is precisely that, an insurance for all. Because what we're doing now doesn't work!
As a free country, look at warrantless searches, loss of habeas corpus and renditions for that.
But greed some where above has been inculcated into the people here since Reagan via the 'Trickle Down' theory ... and now those that can afford have placed themselves into that category 'above' with material wealth to emulated by most all.
Then those and the 'would be' aspirers, promote a following that supports those views of 'superiority' ... causing a huge divide with reality that seems to polarize the middle class lately where there is a conservative side that says 'protect' our gains we have made through our hard work and industriousness, from those who are 'too lazy', those that are far left liberal that just want to be parasites on 'us' ...
Ego is highly promoted here ... we are indoctrinated that we should do our best to seek the best to prove we are worth it ... that philosophy has rewarded us and the world in many ways ... but it has also caused many problems due to the divisiveness of the oft times, cutthroat competition involved of winner take all~loser go beg.
The polarization has destroyed the unity of the nation ... such as existed for years during and after WW2 when people all pulled together for a common national and world cause. Now it seems to be more of a dog eat dog thing ... it is quite sad really.
An appointment with a general practitioner is made initially with an extra charge of 10Euro each quarter. If the physician deems it necessary that one should consult a specialist then a referralform is issued. One is seen within a short period of time. We are well taken care of.
We also would never have universal health care with republicans in power, not now, not ever. They are anti-government, "get the government off our backs" is their clarion cry, exceeeept of course in some time of disaster, like Katrina and we see up close and first hand what happens to a nation when one party tries it's best to actually dismantle government from the inside out.
The Republicans are also trying to end Social Security and medicare, two of the most popular ands successsful universal health care plans this nation has ever had. So I applaud countrie like Sweden, and Canada (my daughter is a nurse there.
Until we can turn this country around and stop feeding the hunger to make war we will never have the resources or the energy for universal health care.
Most Americans have a "bunker " mentality. That is, they feel that their only option is to look out for themselves, because if they don't they will lose everything they have. This is an observation on my part, not a judgement call.
This nation ( The U.S. ) has all the resources needed to establish national health care, but , to be blunt, the majority of Americans do not want it, because they simply do not trust their fellow Americans to use the system fairly.
My personal point of view is that any nation that does not take care of its own will eventually disintegrate. This country is by all accounts a "union". If it is truely a "union", what is it that "unites" us ? If we could care less if our fellow citizen are healthy or if we think the majority of our fellow citizens would pillage a national health care system, what the heck is holding us together as a nation anyway ?
I was born in America and lived there for 48 years. Moving to Sweden was the best thing I have ever done. You nailed it in this article, and I am glad Gather featured it so I would find it.
So many people in America are like your one commenter here. They think there is no reason why anyone can't have insurance. They are purposfeully ignorant of what is really happening in the US... and that is why people like Bush, et al, get elected. It is disgusting.
I was one of many who could not be insured. I was turned down by every insurance provider because of a history of cancer. I could not pay cash for doctors for my Lupus. They refused to even make an appointment since I was not insured no matter how many bank statements I would provide or how much cash I said I would bring in to pay prior to the consultation.
America is screwed up big time. I watched it happen. I got the hell out.
The Swedes have their priorities straight. I realize the population of Sweden dropped into the US population would be concidered a "lab experiment" but the contrast of values put into action should be a model to us.
I'm rich in God and incredibly wealthy in heart and imagination, thank heavens. But I watch our moms being run-over by the military (over 50% of our taxes go towards killing other mothers and children and elders and their young men) in its race to develop more poisonous "super-weapons."
There are other women - many, many, many silent women, shamed into feeling bad about being poor - who don't have access to the inner wealth I've spoken of.
Those who constantly defend the "American Way" don't really know what they're saying. We can do better.
This is just another BIG example of not focusing on ourselves to create a better future for our children. Our politicians would rather fight wars abroad than address our interests in the U.S.
Don't get me wrong - I would never have minded going there - IF we had not been lied to - IF it somehow helped bring those responsible to justice...
I guess that's what many of us feel...
Thank you.
Every person for themselves is a strong pulse in the American psyche, assuaged and amended but a little by philosophies, religions and charities.
Someone needs to figure out the right way to show the money mongers that lifting every single person in the nation "up" stabilizes and stimulates the economic springs they feed off of.
Although the pockets of the rich (and their corporations) could easily survive a good bit of pinching, a proper disbursement of currently taken tax dollars could likely free cradle to grave healthcare to all.
Health care system abuses would probably actually decrease since large segments of the impoverished would no longer have to turn to "other" means to satisfy their health needs.
When it comes to health care, the trickle down theory is bass awkwards. No structure can long stand; nor highly build, when it's foundation's crumble and deteriorate or flounder in weakness and instability.
To be truly Great means to make everyone around you Great too.
But besides all that, a healthy worker is a more productive worker; and both Ivory, AND Metal Towers want and benefit from them.