GERMANY: A Short Course in Brain Surgery

February 21, 2008

At 10:11 AM 2/20/08, you wrote:

A system like that in Canada is not the only method available.

I have never lived in Canada and do not know how good or bad their system

is, but I do know that the system in Germany does not have long waiting

periods, lack of choice, or poor quality deficiencies.

Everybody here in Germany is required to be insured. Low-income

folks, like us, must pay into one of many quasi-government-offered plans,

50/50 with their employer (or the SSA for retired people or the

employment service for unemployed persons). Above a specified

income level, a person or family may opt out of the government plan and

buy medical insurance from a private insurer, if they (mistakenly, in my

opinion) think that would be better.

The system here seems to work quite well. My wife & I have

everything we need at an affordable cost. I am a U. S. citizen and

my wife is a German citizen. Citizenship does not affect the

coverage, however, anyone who legally works here has the same benefits we

do.

In 1998, I went to a doctor in California while visiting my brother

there. I had to wait far longer in that one California doctor’s

office than I had ever waited in a German doctor’s office in 30

years. So much for the “long waiting periods” malarkey.

Under the German universal medical health care system, each person

chooses a family doctor and can choose again, and again, and again, as

often as she/he wants to. If the patient wants to see a specialist,

the family doctor gives the patient a blank specialist check, no extra

cost. The patient makes her/his own appointment with a specialist

of her/his choice. Usually within one to three weeks. The

specialist is required to report his findings back to the family

doctor. This way, the family doctor can and should coordinate and

supervise the efforts of various specialists. So much for the “lack

of choice” malarkey.

In 1999 I developed minor chest pains. My family doctor sent me

immediately to a renowned cardiologist. He performed an angiography

within two weeks. Two coronary artery blockages were found and

within two more weeks I had bypass surgery at a hospital about 15 minutes

by car from our front door. The surgeon was a real crack who used a

stronger, tougher, more long-lasting bypass section from a chest artery

instead of the old-fashioned leg vein method. He performed the

operation through a “key-hole” chest opening only 5 inches long. My

particular operation was on a Wednesday, on Friday I was sitting up in

bed writing on my laptop, on Monday I went home by myself in a taxi and

walked into the apartment without help. In the nine years since the

operation, I have not had the slightest problem with the bypass.

Just in passing, that surgeon spends his negligible spare time

operating on kids from Afghanistan with heart problems, for free,

including the airlift to Hamburg paid by the German government and by the

foundation that runs the hospital where he works.

I’ve had similar excellent results with cataract operations on both

eyes (out-patient), laser welding of retinal detachment in both eyes

(out-patient), and two hospital bouts of lithotripsy (sonic kidney stone

smashing) . So much for the “poor quality” malarkey.

By the way, all of my above-mentioned operations together cost me EUR

140, at today’s exchange rate about $ 205, in self-pay deductibles.

All the rest of the costs, for me, a guest worker, were paid by the

German universal health coverage system without a murmur.

-

CHERI BOHMAN

CreatingAPerfectWorld

Tuesday, February 19, 2008 5:43 PM

A Short Course in Brain Surgery

unreal. tnx, BR!

http://www.freemarketcure.com/brainsurgery.php

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February 21, 2008

The German system is an insurer based system, not an single payer system. Den 21/02/2008 kl. 14.18 skrev thehavens:At 10:11 AM 2/20/08, you wrote: A system like that in Canada is not the only method available. I have never lived in Canada and do not know how good or bad their system is, but I do know that the system in Germany does not have long waiting periods, lack of choice, or poor quality deficiencies. Everybody here in Germany is required to be insured. Low-income folks, like us, must pay into one of many quasi-government-offered plans, 50/50 with their employer (or the SSA for retired people or the employment service for unemployed persons). Above a specified income level, a person or family may opt out of the government plan and buy medical insurance from a private insurer, if they (mistakenly, in my opinion) think that would be better. The system here seems to work quite well. My wife & I have everything we need at an affordable cost. I am a U. S. citizen and my wife is a German citizen. Citizenship does not affect the coverage, however, anyone who legally works here has the same benefits we do. In 1998, I went to a doctor in California while visiting my brother there. I had to wait far longer in that one California doctor’s office than I had ever waited in a German doctor’s office in 30 years. So much for the “long waiting periods” malarkey. Under the German universal medical health care system, each person chooses a family doctor and can choose again, and again, and again, as often as she/he wants to. If the patient wants to see a specialist, the family doctor gives the patient a blank specialist check, no extra cost. The patient makes her/his own appointment with a specialist of her/his choice. Usually within one to three weeks. The specialist is required to report his findings back to the family doctor. This way, the family doctor can and should coordinate and supervise the efforts of various specialists. So much for the “lack of choice” malarkey. In 1999 I developed minor chest pains. My family doctor sent me immediately to a renowned cardiologist. He performed an angiography within two weeks. Two coronary artery blockages were found and within two more weeks I had bypass surgery at a hospital about 15 minutes by car from our front door. The surgeon was a real crack who used a stronger, tougher, more long-lasting bypass section from a chest artery instead of the old-fashioned leg vein method. He performed the operation through a “key-hole” chest opening only 5 inches long. My particular operation was on a Wednesday, on Friday I was sitting up in bed writing on my laptop, on Monday I went home by myself in a taxi and walked into the apartment without help. In the nine years since the operation, I have not had the slightest problem with the bypass. Just in passing, that surgeon spends his negligible spare time operating on kids from Afghanistan with heart problems, for free, including the airlift to Hamburg paid by the German government and by the foundation that runs the hospital where he works. I’ve had similar excellent results with cataract operations on both eyes (out-patient), laser welding of retinal detachment in both eyes (out-patient), and two hospital bouts of lithotripsy (sonic kidney stone smashing) . So much for the “poor quality” malarkey. By the way, all of my above-mentioned operations together cost me EUR 140, at today’s exchange rate about $ 205, in self-pay deductibles. All the rest of the costs, for me, a guest worker, were paid by the German universal health coverage system without a murmur. - CHERI BOHMAN CreatingAPerfectWorld Tuesday, February 19, 2008 5:43 PMA Short Course in Brain Surgeryunreal. tnx, BR!http://www.freemarketcure.com/brainsurgery.php ---Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.859 / Virus Database: 585 - Release 2/14/05******Kraig and Shirley Carroll ... in the woods of SE Kentuckyhttp://www.thehavens.com/thehavens (AT) highland (DOT) net606-376-3363 ---Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.859 / Virus Database: 585 - Release 2/14/05

February 21, 2008

> >

> >By the way, all of my above-mentioned operations together cost me

EUR 140,

> >at today's exchange rate about $ 205, in self-pay deductibles.

All the

> >rest of the costs, for me, a guest worker, were paid by the German

> >universal health coverage system without a murmur.

Is that cost per week day month? If you live in Canada the

waiting time for any specialist appointment is from 6 months to 2

years. I live in Canada so know what I am talking about. People

think Canada is the land of opportunity. Canada is like any other

country we are struggling with inflation, people that want to have

more than they can afford, credit cards maxed out and not just a

few but sometimes more than 10. They cannot pay so they go

bankupt but they are still allowed to have credit. That makes no

sense. But then a lot of things don't make sense any more. it is a

sad world we live in dishonesty, corruption, the law swings to

the people that have lots of money or someone that can hire a very

expensive lawyer. but let me rephrase that, it is not the world

that is sad but the morality of the people living in this world.

Kids are allowed to tell their parents what is going to happen.

Lets hope things will do a turn about and get some semblance of

sanity in this world. Edith

February 21, 2008

At 12:17 PM 2/21/2008, you wrote:

England is generally the same long waiting period to see specialists. My

sister married a Brit, and has lived over there for more than 30 years

now. She needs new glasses so badly.. When she would visit over here, she

always got several pair, as the wait was so long over there, and the cost

so high.

Lynn

> >

> >By the way, all of my above-mentioned operations together cost

me

EUR 140,

> >at today's exchange rate about $ 205, in self-pay deductibles.

All the

> >rest of the costs, for me, a guest worker, were paid by the

German