Help Needed From Americans!!!

Originally posted by Kyle2
lol there is no law saying you have to help a dying person. hell if anything if you help them and screw up you can be sued. wtf is up with that?
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no, not according to the Good Samaritan Law
 
If you are in critical condition they legally have to stabilize you. As for payment? You can't suck water from a rock now can you? There are also free clinics out there.

Most people have insurance in this country(70%?), and I thinks it horrible that a hospital is a capitalist company only out to make money. Doesn't make sense to me.
 
I can't say about United States but here in Quebec, if you don't help someone who is dying or wounded, you can go to prison. It's a crime, and I agree 100% with that. If you don't help someone in need, you deserve to go in prison. The line is thin between killing someone and letting someone die. And we have free healthcare. I wish US would have it too, because it's really great.
 
I'm a nurse in the USA. I didn't take the Oath, that's for MDs only.

Any patient that presents to a hospital must be stabilized in whatever manner is necessary; if they don't have insurance, are stable, and need to be transferred to an appropriate place, they will be transferred via EMS. There have been lots of errors that have occured in this regard, but that is the way it is supposed to work.

If an individual has insurance, he may not have to pay anything, or he may have a copay &/or deductible. This depends on the insurance he has. Pretty simple concept.

As for my profession and helping people in need: If I drive past the scene of an accident, don't stop to help, and somebody FINDS OUT that I, a registered nurse, drove past at that exact moment & didn't stop, AND something took a turn for the worst for any of the accident victims, then I could POSSIBLY be sued as negligent for not rendering care. All a big longshot & not nearly as dramatic as poster above ^^^ would like you to believe.
 
Its kinda like that episode of seinfeld when they all see the fat guy getting robbed and laugh at him, so then they end up going to jail because they didn't help :dork:
 
Originally posted by Solidarnosi As for my profession and helping people in need: If I drive past the scene of an accident, don't stop to help, and somebody FINDS OUT that I, a registered nurse, drove past at that exact moment & didn't stop, AND something took a turn for the worst for any of the accident victims, then I could POSSIBLY be sued as negligent for not rendering care. All a big longshot & not nearly as dramatic as poster above ^^^ would like you to believe.
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thanks to u and SteelWind for sharing some of ur insights, very informative and useful cause ya never know when u may need to know these things and help someone out in desparate need.. :)
 
Originally posted by Kyle2
lol there is no law saying you have to help a dying person. hell if anything if you help them and screw up you can be sued. wtf is up with that?
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your wrong, if your shot, and are taken to a hospital, they arnt going to wait around for your insurance companys name, they are going to fix you, and then worry about it.
 
Thanks so much to you people, I really appreciate all the information, so please - keep it coming!

My 2 cents is that whatever you feel about Socialism - and I know America would rather not touch it with a barge pole, or at least that's certainly true for the Administration - a nationalised health system is something that helps a country no end. An element of Socialism such ass that can ONLY be good for a country. It must be said that American hospitals are generally more efficient than UK ones (I won't speak for Canada/mainland Europe, but I have a feeling the situation may be similar), but I believe that's a necessary evil - something you have to put up with when you're being tended to for nothing. People shouldn't have to have money issues to think about whilst they're trying to recuperate.

Thanks again people, and any more information would be vastly appreciated!
 
el Chi, we have lots of socialism in America: Medicare/Medicaid; free public education for everyone (regardless of citizenship or lack of); Social Security which every working person pays in to, and which is paid out to every surviving person of a certain age as a percentage of what they put in; welfare/foodstamp program (now uses a card I believe)/WIC.

Republicans would maybe like to see some of our socialist programs shrivel - certainly the education system is lacking every year - but we do have many gov't programs of a socialist nature.
 
Of course, you're absolutely right - my apologies. I didn't mean to say the US had no Socialist elements of any kind... Sorry if it came across that way. I just meant that socialised/nationalised medical system is an incredibly important component of society and I think you could benefit from it a great deal.
Although you're also sadly right about Republicans looking to have them shrivel. Bastards.
Welfare to Work scheme - yeah that's a good idea. Jesus...
 
great more people asking us americans for help thats all we need.
 
Originally posted by Shockwave
great more people asking us americans for help thats all we need.
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What does that even mean?
I'm not going to say anything till you've clarified that for fear of starting an argument which is exactly what I hoped this thread could avoid.
 
I didn't know that UK medical system was that bad... Canada has a very good medical system I think. Of course there is a lot of wait sometimes even for critical surgery, but never if the patient risks his or her life. Still, it's known to be way better that US medical system I'm afraid. But the best medical system is in France. Maybe if there is people from there they could tell me how it work exactly because I don't remember, but I heard that system is really great.
 
Chi, I don't know anything about the UK's medical situation, I've never been there or researched it, but as for the States I really think we've got a pretty good setup. Now don't get me wrong, everything could use improvement, but I think we have a solid foundation. Reguardless of your financial situation, everyone is eligible for some form of health insurance. Whether it be through an employer, the state pool, medicare, or out of your own pocket, there's pretty much an option for everyone. People just need to realize it's available, and make an effort to get it. Which sadly, most people don't, especially those who aren't as well off as others.

As far as the quality of hospitals go, I'm pretty confident in stating that I believe we have some of the best hospitals in the world. I know that here in Houston we have the world's leading Cancer Reasearch Center and Hospital. People from all over the world come to MD Anderson for cancer treatment. Again, I don't know the situation for the rest of the world's countries, but I imagine the US ranks fairly well in medical facilities.

I'm not familiar with Canada's free healthcare, but I'd be interested in reading up on it. How it's instituted, how it works, why they chose that route, etc. I'm sure there are several options for countries/states when it comes to health coverage, but each has their own opinion on what works best for them. I think here, our current system works pretty well, but that's just me talking. :cool:
 
The NHS (National Health Service) isn't as much of a shambles as I perhaps insinuated, but it can be chaotic to say the least. Personally if I were in govt. I'd up staff wages considerably but that's just me.
I know that in the States you guys've got a good base, I said as much. What I think is wrong is that to get the best care one has to pay - I think it should be nationalised. That's all.
But yeah, again: If anyone has anymore info, it's all greatly appreciated.
 
Originally posted by el Chi
The NHS (National Health Service) isn't as much of a shambles as I perhaps insinuated, but it can be chaotic to say the least. Personally if I were in govt. I'd up staff wages considerably but that's just me.
I know that in the States you guys've got a good base, I said as much. What I think is wrong is that to get the best care one has to pay - I think it should be nationalised. That's all.
But yeah, again: If anyone has anymore info, it's all greatly appreciated.
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Free nationalized healthcare would be great, but the system is also very expensive. Apparently we cant afford it, so they say. I wonder why? We have a military budget that is approaching the half-trillion mark, and that is every year. We have some airplanes that cost 1.4 billion dollars each. We just approved 87 billion for Iraq.

Our priorities seem to be severly misplaced...
 
Yes, I think i read somewhere that the US spends more money on military than the rest of the world put together.
 
For the example he would be charged in full and issued a bill.

If he had any kind of insurance the bills are submitted against the insurance policy. Any charges within the coverage of the insurance policy is paid by the Ins.co. However, how much is paid usually depends whether the caregiver(issuing the bill) is within the HMO/network of the insurance company. Health insurance often have networks of doctors & hospitals within an approved network. If they are within that network usually the bills are taken care of. Outside of network there is an amount the insurer will pay for each specific item charge. Depending upon the specifics, that amount is accepted as full payment or you are responsible for the rest.

The bills would be the responsible of the adult. If the patient were a child it would be to the parent. Unpaid bills go out to collection like any other.

If someone comes in the emergency room in a life-threatening condition they have to treat them. For non-life threatening there are free clinics but they are typically in poor neighborhood and overwhelmed daily.
 
Originally posted by Steelwind
I'm not familiar with Canada's free healthcare, but I'd be interested in reading up on it. How it's instituted, how it works, why they chose that route, etc.
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being a Canadian, i can tell u that while the healthcare system here isn't the "best" its still fairly decent considering pple don't pay a dime when any type of healthcare is needed..

like any and every system, ours needs improvements as well as other healthcare systems around the world.. this is a constant thing.. u can never be at ease in thinking "we have a good system here, we don't need to worry"

Originally posted by Zeus I want to fight you IRL troll
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hes not a troll.. he has posted some very useful info in this thread if u take the time to look around.. as for his comment.. every country needs to help itself at some times.. don't take it so personal.
 
Sorry to dredge this thread up again, but I have another question. Would health insurance cover any eventuality or is it like with property insurance that you can protect yourself against some things (ie: common things like theft, etc.) and other, less common things can be dealt with separately (ie: tornado damage?:p)
I'm trying to think of health equivalents to those... Sorry.
Do you have to pay for medication? eg: Would you have to pay for insulin if you were a diabetic?
 
Chi, if you are issued a health insurance policy it covers any illness or accident that arises at any point in time in the future. Now some providers will put riders on a policy, saying that they won't cover your current medical conditions. Others have no problem covering past medical conditions. Coming from a commercial standpoint, any company that has an insurance policy to cover their employees, will not have an employee denied coverage for any reason. So if you hire someone and they have cancer, the provider must accept that employee on the policy along with all their conditions. The provider may however, add up to a 65% surcharge to the company's monthly premium.

As for medications, there are several types of perscription plans you can assign to your health insurance policy. Most Rx plans have three set prices you pay for medication. There's the generic brand, a mid-level brand, and the name brand. Each one gets a little more expensive. The typical format for Rx plans is as follows:

10/25/40 - generic/mid/name brand

Other Rx plans will have co-pay amounts along with a deductible. Those are much less common. The idea here is you pay full price for medication until you reach a deductible. Could be $100, could be more. Then from there you only pay anywhere from 10%-80% of the medication cost, and the provider takes care of the rest.
 
Health insurance will covers most illnesses but there are many divisions that are made and exceptions.

For instance the typical health insurance has nothing to do with Dental Health. You often have to accept a separate dental plan.

Optical is often neglected on a lot of common plans. I have Blue Cross Blue sheild and they give nothing in my company's plan. Nothing towards annual tests including preventive gloucoma(sp?) tests. Nothing towards eyeglasses. SOme plans work with specific retail outfits to provide a limited selection of cheap/free Health-plan supported frames to control costs.

As mentioned before there is a separate prescription plan. It may impose that you do business with specific pharmacies(drugists). You may be force to use a generic drug unless your doctor prohibit generic substitition.

FOr each area that they separate out there is often a different deductable to be met. You pay fully out of your pockets for everything until you meet the deductable. On very cheap plans deductables can be $5,000 per calendar year. This basically will only cover big issues. There may be caps in place on how much they will pay out for a particular problem or on the policy as a whole.

Mental illness is often not covered well, since it is an area that people don't understand and can often lead to years of medication and therapy which is expensive.

Also treatment that results from voluntary drug abuse may be denied benefits.

WHile treatment of serious illnesses are covered, you would (this is getting better) not be covered to have an annual exam or shots. Breast or prostate exams might only be covered at a specific age. Bloodwork for diabetics would not be covered, but a week-long stay from a diabetic coma would be. The concept of preventive maintenance is not adequately embraced by the HMO and Insurance industries.

Any elective cosmetic procedure is typically not covered.
 
What i mean is..

My country(USA) gives out billions and billions of dollars to these countrys that do nothing for us at all.

Why do we give all this money to starving people in other countries. USA always seems to give 100x more than any other countrys out there for crap like this. I say if your country is starving then let them friggin starve and let us keep our 10billion that we give to you, and then you still shit in your own water and drink it.

****ing Iraq, 68billion we are putting into this in addition of what we have already?. What a joke, let them build there own sandcastles.
 
Shockwave, I don't mean to burst your patriotic bubble - and I'd honestly love to keep this thread flame free please - but the world doesnt actually always come to you begging for help.
Iraq most certainly didn't. To spend that much money on Iraq was YOUR government's decision.
And you'd advocate letting 3rd world countries starve when the reason they're so poor - and the West is generally so rich - in the first place is because the West has exploited them so heavily? I can't believe that. It's very uncharitable and inhumane.
I'm sorry but you've shown a lack of background knowledge to your opinions and the way you've phrased it is more than a little verging on full-on racism.
This is not flame-intended, merely a calm, considered, factual retort to your opinion. NOT an attack as such.

Meanwhile, thank you to Steelwind and RoyalEF! Help always appreciated.
 
Originally posted by el Chi
Shockwave, I don't mean to burst your patriotic bubble - and I'd honestly love to keep this thread flame free please - but the world doesnt actually always come to you begging for help.
Iraq most certainly didn't. To spend that much money on Iraq was YOUR government's decision.
And you'd advocate letting 3rd world countries starve when the reason they're so poor - and the West is generally so rich - in the first place is because the West has exploited them so heavily? I can't believe that. It's very uncharitable and inhumane.
I'm sorry but you've shown a lack of background knowledge to your opinions and the way you've phrased it is more than a little verging on full-on racism.
This is not flame-intended, merely a calm, considered, factual retort to your opinion. NOT an attack as such.

Meanwhile, thank you to Steelwind and RoyalEF! Help always appreciated.
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Id like to see what YOUR country is doing to help those starving 3rd world countrys then.
 
Originally posted by Shockwave
****ing Iraq, 68billion we are putting into this in addition of what we have already?. What a joke, let them build there own sandcastles.
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Oh yeah, the 68 billion on top of the trillions spent on destroying the country in the first place......
 
Why do you british people bash the usa so much even though you helped in Iraq.
 
Shockwave. If you were living is Sierra Leone I doubt you would have the same opinion.

You want 2 know why your rich? Why you have a nice house and job (or good education or whatever). 99.9% is because your lucky. Your lucky you were born in america, your lucky your parent have/had money to support, your lucky you had founders that knew how to run a country, and weren't selfish little bastards, and because im British, your lucky we developed technology to lead the world and explore.

If you had been born in Rwanda or just about any african country you would be poor, living a subsistence life, starving, in the middle of a war, or something equally bad. Through no fault of your own, with no way out. You think its the fault of everyone in these countires that they're poor? Its because somewhere in the long line of history their luck ran out. Their country got taken over by a dicator, invaded by a neighbour and persecuted, or something like that. In most places they have no control over their government, and the government doesnt exist to serve them. Their politicians are only their for personal gain, **** the rest of them.

The aid given out by 1st World Nations is for those people, to help them. You only seem to see it as money not being spent on you. $100 to you is worth far more to those people. The average income in Ethiopia is $600 per year. Thats probably. what you earn in about a week.


I always wanted 2 write that, might have been written before but havent read the whole thread. :)
 
Originally posted by TrueWeltall
Id like to see what YOUR country is doing to help those starving 3rd world countrys then.
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I'd like to point out that at no point did I get up on my patriotic high-horse and claim that my country was better than yours. I didn't say it was a caompetition, I merely deconstructed what Shockwave had said as it was untrue.
And actually the UK is as much a part of "aiding" the 3rd world as the US - proportionally, at least.

And we "bash" you for sport. We do it to a lot of countries - French, Germans, Australians, Welsh - so it'd be un-fair to leave you guys out :) (joking...)
Besides, it's not like you never take the piss out of us Go-damn up-tight limeys, now is it?

PLEASE back on topic?

EDIT: Good on ya wilco - some good points there. You have to take a sense of perspective and compassion when you have a go at poorer countries.
 
Hey I agreed with the War, We did a lot of damage but in my opinion a continued ruling by Saddam would have meant a lot worse in the short term. But you can't now complain that you have to spend money rebuilding it. I think we should be doing more out there. We aren't working quickly enough. I don't think our governments looked at this part when they planned the war, or they plan to do what they did with Afghanistan and hope it moves out of the spotlight so they can leave it behind. I don't know how much we give in aid, but its almost ceritanly not enough. Our Politicians are as usual trying to cover their own asses over the Hutton Enquiry rather than looking at what we need 2 do constructively. Which is the perpetual problem with democracy.
 
Yeah, you can't steam in there kill everyone, blow everything up (whilst simultaneously NOT find the justification you were looking for) and then bugger off without helping any.

It's just not cricket.

EDIT: Let's not even get STARTED on the Hutton enquiry... A spearate thread maybe?
 
If you want :)

Yeah its not cricket, more american football.
 
Originally posted by Kyle2
lol there is no law saying you have to help a dying person. hell if anything if you help them and screw up you can be sued. wtf is up with that?
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if u get shot, and brought to the hospital then the doctors HAVE to help you...its one the constitution you....americans maybe better learn whats in it before they start praising it...

no flaming... im talking about the dumb americans who voted for Bush
 
Originally posted by ferd
if u get shot, and brought to the hospital then the doctors HAVE to help you...its one the constitution you....americans maybe better learn whats in it before they start praising it...
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Are you saying its "in" the constitution?

The Constitution defines our federal government and its function. Not all the laws of the land. It is the government created under the rules of the Constitution that create Federal laws which can conflict with more local State laws.

The Bill of Rights amended to the constitution the protection of specific citizens rights from any government that was created. Nowhere amongst them is the right to free medical assistance during a life threatening emergnecy.

I think you are thinking about the oath that doctors take or common laws that state that health providers cannot neglect a person in dire need.
 
Ha, I’m Native American and I get free healthcare! Just mosey on down to the Phoenix Indian Medical Center. Free dental, check ups, etc... Guess this is compensation for all the years of what the government did to us natives...

Originally posted by ferd
im talking about the dumb americans who voted for Bush
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So true!
 
Originally posted by ferd

no flaming... im talking about the dumb americans who voted for Bush
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Well Bush is and will always be better then that dumbshit Clinton. I can blieve idiot democrats got him elected a second time.
 
Originally posted by TrueWeltall
Well Bush is and will always be better then that dumbshit Clinton. I can blieve idiot democrats got him elected a second time.
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Geez I didn't like Clinton but he's a genius compared to Bush.

That fascinates me, Clinton did "things" with Lewinsky and it was a huge scandal. Bush and co. make fake reports and lie to the UN and the whole world and everyone in US acts just like it was perfectly normal...

Amazing.

P.S. The "everyone" above was just an expression. There is, after all, 250 millions in US who didn't vote for that... thing.
 
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