Are you able to see a doctor whenever you need to see one?

[Subdivisions]

Are you afraid of getting ill or being injured because you are scared of going into medical debt?

Does it make you angry that there are billions of taxpayer dollars that are leaving this country which could instead be used to to fund a healthcare system here in the United States of America - rather than having it fund a healthcare system in another country?

Or to ease hunger and poverty right here in the United States of America for folks like bobbolink and the recently deceased Sapphire Blue, may she rest peacefully?

Or wouldn't you rather see that money fund a better education for our children and our high school graduates? (I graduated high school with a 3.58 GPA, which, had I not despised my French teacher and had I grasped first-year algebra a bit better than I did at first, could have been a 4.0. Regardless, I had to quit because my family could no longer afford for me to continue and I could not raise the funds myself.)

[Warpy]

1. Our government has become our deadly enemy

in its quest to fatten arms contractors and pursue empire at the expense of our well being.

It's the five sided black hole in northern Virginia that needs to be taken on in order to free us from this type of terror.

Terrorists in robes halfway around the world don't frighten me. Terrorists in three piece suits and military uniforms have made my life miserable.

[Gman]

2. No...

I retired early with excellent *UNION* negotiated benefits for retirees.

I'm way past being dismayed and disappointed that so many kids here on DU don't have a clue as to what it means to vote your paycheck and your benefits. I don't give a damn if we're in Iraq or not if I don't have benefits and a steady income.

[niyad]

3. don't use western med (I am an alternative healer) but I know many people who

have no health insurance, and have to rely on emergency care. even a bad flu could wipe some of them out.

I am sick of trillions of our dollars being spent to enrich bush's buddies, sick of funding the war machine, when ONE DAY of the pentagon's budget could do so much social good.

[HereSince1628]

4. A shaman moved in down the street...we are now golden

as long as we don't expect anything from modern medicine.

Who lives or wants to live forever?

BTW, keep in mind that death is the ultimate pain killer...which is why they say "rest in peace."

[RebelOne]

5. Yes, but I try to stay away from doctors if at all possible.

I have an excellent health plan, but I hate doctors. I only go if there is something really seriously wrong, which is very seldom.

[ThatsMyBarack]

16. Me, too, RebelOne!

(knocking wood for both of us!)

[notadmblnd]

6. yes we can but office visits are not covered, therefore we only go when necessary

[elocs]

7. Yes. I try not to live in fear--it's not healthy. n/t

[izquierdista]

8. Yes, but not in the U.S.

I have a prejudice against American doctors. I know that's a narrow-minded thing for someone with liberal leanings to say, and I hate to stereotype, but American doctors are usually too busy to make an appointment, when they do make an appointment, they are late to show up, they do unnecessary tests, charge too much and rather than follow-up, they shoo you out the door.
If I need to see a doctor, I'll grab my passport first.

[wryter2000]

9. I do

But then, I work for a non-profit HMO and get good coverage from my employer. And, all my doctors are, literally, across the street from my office.

[devilgrrl]

10. If I'm willing to wait a few months I am.

And people keep saying that it's bad in Canada.

[countryjake]

11. No, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes!

Haven't had a regular doc for fifteen years and it's been almost that long since I was seen by one. People have no idea of all the hoops and rings of fire one has to jump thru, in order to receive care that is based on income. I was once told that because I owned a sixteen year old car, I didn't qualify for any free service (and I was living in it)...that was the last time I tried to fix these old broken bones of mine.

This system wants us to shut up and die, Texas Explorer, that's about all I can say, in regards to your frustration.

But we can't give up...channel your pain into anger directed at the source of all your woes...righteous anger aimed at a system that uses us up and tosses us away when they're done with us...that is the only way.

You are not alone.

[seabeyond]

12. i am able to go to the doctor, i am not willing to though. i have to go to dentist in hour

i got the best insurance i could, aflac dental. they pay when and what they want refusing to pay so much. i ask dentist for a good dental insurance, they laugh. they charge outrageous prices i am not willing ot forsake kids college fund for. and i am having a tough time deciding

grocery store today left me ranting. the prices go up everytime i have been going. i dont know how people who were living paycheck to paycheck is making it now. yesterday wonder hamburger buns half the size of normal. left me amazed at the little thing. son bought it. today i saw in eggs, they dont have small and med.... they have only large and xlarge. the small and med have gotten name changes.

i dont know why people arent screaming. i was the ONLY one rantin and i couldnt stop. i complain. i use to not be a complainer. i cant stop it. i dont like it.

[magellan]

13. No, I can't

And we currently have health insurance.

We only got to a place where we could afford health insurance a couple of years ago. We've since had to reduce our coverage from full with a $2500 deductible, to full with a $5K deductible, to our current catastrophic only with a $10k deductible because they keep jacking the prices up beyond our reach. And it looks like we aren't going to make the next payment on THAT.

I'm sick to the teeth with profit-making in government at the total expense of citizens. Yes, we are paying through the nose to DIE. Taxpayer money to corporations and countries that DON'T NEED OUR HELP and should frickin' STAND ON THEIR OWN OR FALL.

Just to clarify, we have NOT used our insurance ONCE and they still keep raising the prices. Money down the drain. I will personally be very happy when these insurers finally price the majority of Americans out of the market -- maybe THEN we'll see some competition and reduced prices.

[justinaforjustice]

14. Yes, I Can See a Doctor, Free, Whenever I want, Thanks to President Chavez.

I'm an American living in Venezuela. I can see a doctor at no cost whenever I want. Thanks for President Chavez, the Venezuelan Constitution was amended in 2000 to provide a constitutional right to medical care. The government also provides free education to the university level, subsidized food and housing.

Venezuela is by no means perfect, not yet, but Chavez and his government are working on making sure that all human beings here have the basic necessities to be able to develop their talents and skills. He is working on reducing the work day to six hours so everyone will have time to be with their children and obtain additional education and training.

It is past time for the U.S. to put human values above private corporate profits and allow its citizens the freedom to become truly human.

[anakie]

15. Yes

but then I don't live in America


Peace

[timtom]

17. You know,

we never really know what we'll do when that time comes (that we are diagnosed with a terrible, if not fatal, condition or disease).

My PLAN is to seek out a supply of psilocybin, LSD, and Marijuana and kick back and take stock of my position in the cosmos.

I really intend to stick to that regimen.

But, like I say, "one never know, do one?"*

*Fats Waller

[ileus]

18. anytime, I have a job, insurance and can pay my bills.

[Rosemary2205]

19. No and I have great insurance.

Thanks to a nearly fatal car accident 8 years ago I am now extremely expensive to maintain regarding medical care. Despite working my butt off on continuous rehab I have recently begun to lose ground and a Nerve Conduction study was ordered with a Neurologist STAT to see if new meds are needed before more nerve damage sets up shop. I have 9 neurologists in my network which is fabulous. 5 were not taking new patients, 2 are taking a break to teach, and the other 2 could not get me in any sooner than 9 weeks.

9 weeks is a long time when it comes to losing nerve function.

All that said, I'm grateful for the insurance. I just want to point out that it's not only the insuranceless folks who have great difficulty obtaining medical care. There are A LOT of people with what they thought is top notch insurance and find out they don't have as much access as they thought.

[Cleita]

20. I can because I have a government funded and managed

program called Medicare. I don't have to worry about pre-existing conditions or the bill being paid if a doctor accepts my Medicare card. Everyone should have one. That's what the bill HR676 is about, an improved Medicare that can be extended to everyone not just old people, yet it languishes in committee because of politics a President who will probably veto it if it ever passed.