Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Dennis Merwood's avatar

Bill, last Sunday at 1.00am in the night this 75-year-old New Zealander had a medical emergency.

I called 111, and the free St. Johns ambulance showed up within 5-minutes.

The wonderfully trained young lady did a full series of tests in the brand-new Mercedes ambulance with all the modern gadgets. Including an EKG. My blood pressure was 240/120. Stroke territory.

She wired this to the hospital using her modem.

I was rushed to the hospital, and by 4.00am had the full gamut of tests done. Includer MRI

I was treated for 4-days in a new wing of the hospital - wired to God only knows what.

Treated for high blood pressure, and discharged after 4-days.

The hospital drove me home. Faxed my (3) new drugs to my pharmacy. Who delivered them to my home free of Charge.

The Social Worker went to the supermarket for me and stocked up my groceries.

This morning the doctor called me at home - to enquire how I was doing.

The Social service lady visited to see if I needed anything else.

The only paperwork - tell them my name at the hospital - I come up on their computer.

The only cost = $0.00

Is this why I retired back to New Zealand, my country of birth?

America is a rich country. You could have this also. It's just a matter of priorities.

EDIT: Btw, I had equal service in my working life in Seattle. But I was a highly paid professional. My healthcare was provided by my company as part of my compensation package. An enormous cost to my company - one of the reasons American companies are not competitive on the World Market.

Expand full comment
Ed's avatar

only thing more imminently dangerous to life and limb is war machines bought for profit.

Expand full comment
47 more comments...

No posts