JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Help the animals In Japan!!!!!!!!so sad

Ok,I've clicked on the donation part and have sent bowls of food like 10 days now... l hope this helps..

glyn

Hospital rates are high because all those without insurance, including those illegally in our country, use them for free, not only for emergencies, which would be fine, but also for head colds and any other imaginable need. In addition, scam artists and drug dealers ALSO use them, lie about conditions to get valuable prescriptions for narcotics which sell for 20-100 bucks or more per tablet on the open drug market. If all non US patient medical costs and all non emergency costs were removed from hospital costs, it would be entirely different and if prices were high, then you could complain with honesty and accuracy. But if we have to pay not only for our own care, but everyone elses (often 2 out of 3 people in an ER do not have insurance or are illegally in the USA) then the hospital has no choice but to spread the cost across those few who pay. The alternative is they simply close most hospitals, so when real life emergencies happen, many people die. Again, any life threatening emergency should be covered, insurance, payment or not. It's all the rest that cause the problems.

4 of my 6 primary specialist doctors are considering leaving the profession. They can't afford to practice because, though they less often have to deal with the uninsured/illegal problem, they receive so little per visit from their biggest clientele, medicare and medicaid, that they can't pay their bills, their malpractice insurance and the costs of being open for business. Most have been forced to be bought up/employed directly by hospitals (all 6 of my specialists were independent or part of their own group practice 3 years ago, now all of them work for the same hospital). One of my doctors, from Bulgaria, says it's almost as bad here as there now from an earnings point of view. (Although she says healthcare over there is horrendous). Our copays go up each year because that's often most of the money they get for a visit. I think it's worth $30 dollars to see my doctors. Our insurance overall saves us tremendously because of my prescriptions alone. If you are sick, it's worth it no matter the cost if the care is keeping you alive and functional. There's no where else in the world, even if it was 100% free, that I'd rather go for any serious health problem. Would you? Government run healthcare will take it all away. All my doctors are 100% against Obamacare including the others I only see now and then (I think I have seen over 20 doctors in the last 2 years). None of them believe it will help. All of them think it will drive out most of our doctors to go practice elsewhere or learn a different trade. Long waiting lists are already starting to crop up in the USA, where you used to get a test within a couple days worst case, now it takes weeks. Getting a doctors appointment can take months. A new doctor for a first visit can be over 6 months. (I'm still waiting to see a new primary care physician because the one I have had since I was 12 has not been able to keep up with my range of health issues and suggested I find a new younger doctor). More and more doctors are refusing to see anyone without private health insurance. That means soon only the richest in the USA will have decent health care, and we'll move closer to socialist/communist health care which the left is all for. Because those running things are all rich and know their kids and families will get the good care while us peasants will get government care. Would you rather see doctors in Russia, China or the USA if you were poor? how about middle class? how about rich? how about illegal? In most countries, if you are illegal or even a legal non citizen, you can't walk into a hospital in an emergency and get ANY care. Think about that the next time you complain about your health bill. What is more important you could be spending your money on? In the US, if you are poor, free food is there. If you are homeless, there are a range of shelter options (though most of the USA homeless have mental health problems that must first be addressed before they will accept any help). I've worked in social work offices for years, I've helped the abused and the poor and homeless. If you have ANY of those problems, the USA is the best place you could be. And sorry, but I know Canadians who skip waiting lists there for serious operations and care, cross the USA border and get it here. Sure, if you have minor problems, a broken bone or flu it may be much better. But try dealing with brain tumors, or breast cancer or stroke damage there compared to here. I love Canada, but that's not where I am going for help.

Brian

Glyn,

God Bless You Glyn! It means a lot to me...tomorrow I going out placing flyers out for a Penny Sale for the non profit animal welfare association for Hamilton...then the they have me selling raffel tickets.

The second one end of April will be sale of selling off used items to raise funds...I got tons of stuff to box away for the lady of this organization Action Volunterrs For Animals Assocition. And I have a friend from church with stuff to donate...this lady is incredible..see fundraised enough money for a young woman with MS...for an operation in Costa Rica by an Italian doctor...revoluntary surgery...shes back and doing well.

Again, Thanks so much..take care

Petra

I agree with Marc 100%. I have traveled across Europe expecting a wave of awesome stories of great and better medical care. I found 1 single story of positive news of a man whose wife was saved from breast cancer in Scotland. BUT.... he was a politician at the time. Hmmmm.. What a surprise. 100% of everyone else fell into one of two categories: Young and healthy with no real health problems who were fine with it and Everyone else who ever had a problem or had a family member with a serious problem who had sad stories to tell. That was true across all of Europe (we visited 18 countries, which is a fair cross section to get a consistent idea). I got the same complaints in Canada. In Europe, most people told me they bought their own EXTRA insurance for anything serious which cost a LOT of money, especially where yearly incomes were far less than in the USA.

I'd also like to say that although it's always nice to have a cause and help, there are people in your own home town who need help and I'd put 1 human life over a million animal lives without blinking. Before you are outraged by that comment, would you sacrifice your life or that of your child or parent to save a million cats? I sure wouldn't. Everyone is someone's child and/or parent.

Animala, by the way, are excellent are surviving in places humans could never make it, including disaster areas. I fear far more for Sudanese children still being murdered and starved in refugee camps than all the dogs and cats in the world. And that's but 1 place much more desperate than Japan.

Just a different perspective I think. Some of us value humans more and some value animal more. To each their own as long as it is their money (and not OUR money from the government), they can send it where they want or burn it for all I care.

Brian

Brian,

I never said I put an animal's life over a humans....there are all places in the world that are in great need...your choice where you help out,if you want to help out. Some dying in japan or someone dying Africa.. some dying in your own backyard.? Who's life more important than the other's.

It is a personal choice. Nobody can do everything, you have to look out for yourself first and if you can help out in a small way great if not that is your choice. Just because I put a link here to help out with the pets...doesn't mean I put the pets first...there are all kinds of fundrising for the people in Japan all over the place before there were fundraising for Haiti and ongoing places...Canada is like that helping out wherever we can.

We are the Country whereone says we are kind.


Petra

As for Health Care...all points taken in...it comes down to the almighty dollar...if you have the money you can afford the best care wherever that may be.


They are always going to be pros and cons on any issues discussed. This is not a perfect world.

If you can't help out then pray for that country or person or animal. That is if you believe in God.

Petra

I would buy that "health care for the rich" if I didn't have to and know many people who had to wait in incredible lines, wait for appointments or know Doctors and nurses with huge workloads in every single hospital in this country due to indigent people, homeless and illegal immigrants piling up in every emergency and waiting room. Like most things A little different in reality than the sloganeering of politicians, superficial and misguided reporting from those with their own agendas.

MAB

Brian, if American Doctors are quiting practice in the US, send them to Canada. We have a shortage of Doctors here,one of the reasons is because they leave for the US, where they feel they can make more money and work less. In Canada, Doctors don't have to worry about dealing with unpaid bills or insurance companies, they are paid WELL if they work for a hospital and if they work for themselves in a clinic, they are paid by the government for each patient that they see. Most specialist here make around half a million dollars a year.

At one time I believe Ontario use to a problem with people living in the US, who had relatives living in Ontario, crossing the border and using their Ontario relatives' health card to enter the Ontario hospitals to have their babies for free, which would cost them dearly in the US. I believe Ontario had to start issuing health card with photos to over come this problem. I'm not 100% happy with our system, especially the wait times, but I don't have to worry about going broke paying hospital bills either. A few years ago I ended up in the hospital twice for a total of 14 days, had all kinds of test done, what would that have cost in the US, I shutter to even think about it.It cost me nothing, other than paying for the ambulance from my home to the hospital, about $100.00.

Health insurance is available in the USA for anyone willing to pay for it. It has always been available. Poor people who cannot pay for it get it for free. You can believe that or not but it is the truth. My daughter gets it free, my Granddaughter gets it free. It's called welfare, or medicaid or medicare or whatever you want to call it but they get it FREE. My great grandson gets it FREE. He is currently in speech therapy, FREE. No hospital in this country can refuse to treat anyone regardless of their ability to pay for the care.
My cousin had a massive stroke. He had no insurance and no way to pay for his care. He was treated at the hospital, sent to rehab for six weeks, and it did not cost him one cent. He was then given disability income and even had a health care worker who came buy his house a couple times a week.
But do you know what? He had a job. He was a carpenter, made a decent income but he spent everything he earned. And health insurance was not one of the things he spent it on. He wasn't married and had no one to support but himself so he wasn't worried about it.

The difference between The USA and Canada is we pay for it with our wages and you pay for it with your taxes.
Here we have a choice whether we pay for it Canada does not.
Unfortunately the cost of liability insurance for doctors and Hospitals, Illegal immigration, and greed have driven the price of health care and health care insurance over the top. We cannot cross state lines to buy health insurance. That leads to monopolies in the individual states.

But this is an old argument. What we need in this country is Health insurance reform and tort reform and laws to stop people from getting free care who are not citizens.
Everett speaks of people from the USA coming in and using their relatives health card to have their babies. How does that work? How does the baby get a birth certificate? The baby won't be a US citizen without it?
In the USA we have illegals walking across our border openly. They don't need to use their relatives card. They simply go to any local hospital and have the baby. FREE and the baby automatically transforms from an illegal immigrant fetus into an American citizen by simply being born.

The people in America who get hurt by Medical bills are the working class who don't qualify for the free stuff because they have a job and can't afford the insurance because it is so high.
That's the problem we have.
Lack of care isn't the problem. It's the cost of insurance that is the issue. The industry is not competitive. You are limited to just a few companies.
We can get our automobile or home owners insurance from any state we choose but cannot get health care insurance outside the state we live in. I simply don't understand that.
I much prefer to be in charge of my own insurance than have some government bureaucrat determining my care.

The cost of insurance is the problem. And the reason the insurance is so high is the cost of the care itself. Why is the cost so high? We demand the highest care possible. We get pissed if we have to wait a few minutes or if we have to drive to the next town to get an MRI. And we have a large population who demand that quality of care and then simply don't pay their bills.

Bill,

You should be allowed a choose to buy from what ever Helath Insurance you want to.

Border crossing and illegal immigrants using your Health services..what about the Mexican Borders...hopping the fence and using your system. People from 3 rd World Countries are illegally in your country using your Health Care, using fake id's
You need stricter polices or something here. (securitie measures)
Do you guys have boyd scans at each airport now?

Petra

P.S. We have Randy Quaid..on stage with Charlie Sheen...how did they get in LOL

Petra
Back to your topic
Do they have organizations like the humane society in Japan? I wonder if PETA or any of those organizations are helping?
I am an animal lover myself. We have a Dog and a Cat.
I just spent $650.00 on the dog. She had an upset tummy. Some type infection.
No health insurance for them.

I do applaud your efforts the help. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't a good thing you are doing.

Well Bill, jeees, thanks for the support

Pet Insurance...another interst of mine..as I too had a health issue with Dean, my male cat that I resuced as a kitten back in 2001, allergic reaction, skin all flakey, scratching, loss of hair..No Pet Insurance Here for cats over 10 years old, major liability.

It is a Business and if you Cat is Dying too bad! So I checked around found out PetCard aka MediCard, don't know if US Company, but I got a loan from them and now I pay monthly payments back..no money upfront you go a Vet on their List and do the paper work at Vet's office..you must have good credit rating though, what level, I don't know.

But in short cost me $800.00.

Health Insurance is a Business and I don't think It should be..I prefer to pay through my taxs.

We had a Hospital in Fort Erie shut down by our Porvincial Governemnt. Well this youg girl whould of be saved if the Hospital was still open, ambulance driver had to go to Niagara or St. Catharines Hospital..in shor she died enroute...Everyone was so vocal about it nad I think the Family is going to court for the this...A Liberal Governemtn is suppose to be for the people and expanding programs and be open minded..this guy McGuinty lied about his promises and I am voitng NDP next election. Once they get in power they become different people and do what they want.

Anyhow, Bill back on to Pets...no nobdoy will change my mind..I keep plugging away. I am a person who helps out my fellow man in little ways whenever I can.

Petra

I do believe Peta is on top of everything in this manner. Will check it out and Humane Society in Japan, will look it up,
Anyways Bill thanks for the support.

Like this site; helping out others is what life is all about.
God Bless

Bill,

Found the link to Peta,

http://www.petaasiapacific.com

GENEVA CRUZ, singer and model - baring it all for the cause in Japan..there is a video to view.

Peta

And those wanting to go Vegan...free information/kit.

Hey Petra,
Do you feel like when a branch falls in the forest no one hears it? Most people do what they can to help. My wife and I do send donation's to a few Charity Organizations such as The Salvation Army and the Red Cross so I suppose some of that may help.

There is only so much you can do to help and the U.S. is sending Aid to Japan so I'm sure it will also help the Animals in Japan.

Bill,

Actually in the past not everyone could get insurance. I had pre-existing conditions and though I could get a plan, they wouldn't cover any pre-existing conditions, nor the results of any. Type 1 Diabetes which I have had since I was a kid, leads to nearly every significant illness other than Cancer so pretty much nothing would have been covered (blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, neuropathy, circulation issues, eye problems, strokes, weight problems and on and on, all would have been excluded. Back when I was trying hard to get it, even with all those exclusions, it would have cost me over 2K per month for insurance, plus no prescription coverage. My prescription drugs, if bought purely over the counter, which I had to do without for many years because I didn't have the money for them, cost well over $2000 a month alone. (In fact, since my stroke, it's closer to $2500 a month). Even WITH insurance (and really good as a matter of fact) we maxed all our deductables and still the copays have cost us well into 5 figures, not counting the cost of insurance. But I am on my wifes group plan.

Supposedly pre-existing conditions are now accepted and covered, but I bet the cost is still astronomical, but at least everything would be included.

And to Everett: You contradicted yourself big time. You said Canadian Dr.'s are fleeing Canada so they can make more money (and work less?) then go on and on about how amazingly well paid Canadian doctors are? So which is it?

And by the way, it doesn't cost you nothing. You're paying gigantic taxes for it.

Brian

Brian,

It is paid through our taxes. One way or another you pay. No free ride here. I believe the Doctors flee to States because they get better pay, there was a Heart specialist years ago that went to California..big uproar about it. (Toronto)

Shortage is a big topic here. Not a Perfect World..just gotta keep plugging away.

Anywho...got to run.

Brian
There are folks that get caught in the to much income to qualify for medicaid and not enough to pay for insurance.
And for the folks with chronic pre-existing conditions it is even worse.
I know a person born with a condition where his skull fused prematurely. He had to have surgery and they put in a metal plate and mesh in is skull. I don't know all the details.
But it was paid for through Medicaid. The parents never paid a dime of it.
He subsequently developed epilepsy as a result of this condition. He is on medication for the seizures. He gets all his meds free. Medicaid. He can't get insurance for the epilepsy because it is pre-existing yet he does get medicaid for the medications.
I don't know what to tell you or the folks from Canada but these are facts. I know them personally and can tell you it is fact.

Now he has turned 18 and I just learned he got his first job. I am curious how it is going to work out for his meds now that he is an adult and working.

Why you couldn't get the meds I don't know.
My Daughter has had both knees operated on. FREE. Medicaid.
I don't even try to say I understand it. Why some get it and some don't. She is on Medications right now. One costs $130.00 a month. She pays $3.00 for it.