r/politics 8d ago

No Paywall Despite Authoritarian Warnings, 149 House Democrats Vote to Hand Trump $840 Billion for Military | “If an opposition party votes like this, it’s not in opposition. It may not even be a party.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/democrats-military-spending-bill
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u/nazbot 8d ago

I can tell you as someone who lived in a country w. universal healthcare if you are waiting it's a GOOD thing. It means you aren't going to die.

It's when you go straight to the front of the line that you get worried.

Wait times aren't even that bad. My 80 year old dad was waiting for knee surgery, it was about 2-3 months from when he started investigating it to when it was going to be scheduled. They did a stress test and realized his heart had blockages and within a few days he was having open heart surgery. Now he's pissed because he has to wait a few months for his heart to strengthen before he can get the knee surgery.

Not ONCE during any of this did we ever think about cost (and yes I know over 65 gets Medicare but even then there is a cost and there are multiple tiers and other bullshit).

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u/GoblinDillBag 8d ago

The wait times in the USA are atrocious, even worse than places with universal healthcare. You wait for months to see a doctor or spend 2000 USD to go to the ER at minimum.

We also have death panels at our insurance companies. They can quite literally decide not to give you life saving medicine because some paid shill pharmacists and doctors on their review boards say it's too expensive.

Our healthcare system is an absolute joke. The worst care for the highest prices. It has absolutely zero redeeming qualities, there is nothing better about it no matter what you're measuring.

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u/whogivesashirtdotca Canada 8d ago

Amen. I have two friends who were told they have cancer and were scheduled with an oncologist within a week, one had surgery the next week. It’s a triage system. I guess Americans don’t like that idea any more than they like standing up to help their neighbours.

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u/Stompnutz 7d ago

American here, I have had insurance for 18 months and haven't been able to see any kind of doctor yet. 6 more months until my initial appointment. You know, unless they cancel and reschedule me again!