Do you live in a country with national healthcare? Is socialized medicine as bad as the enemies of reform are telling us? I don't know about you, but I'm seeing some of my own Democratic friends buy into the fear that is being spread by those who don't want change. Help us dispell the misinformation.
Here's how:
On Friday, my friend Alison Morano started a new Facebook group so we can invite our international friends to tell their stories. Please join the group and tell us yours.
See below for a sampling...
Harry Keane:
The United Kingdom National Health Service has saved my life twice. In 1958, when I was 11 years old, I had a life-saving heart operation, courtesy of the NHS. There would not have been any way for my parents to have paid for this privately and, without the NHS, I would have died in my late teens. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and once again the NHS came to my rescue. I've had treatment that would have cost tens of thousands of pounds, which I would only have been able to afford by either re-mortgaging my house or selling it and moving into rented accommodation. My treatment was prompt and effective and I'm proud to live in a country that treats its citizens on the basis of their needs rather than their wealth.
Siobhan Harley:
I was born in Scotland and every experience I've had with the UK National Heath Service has been exceptional. My mother has been a nurse since she was 21 years old. She worked for nearly 20 years in the UK and over 10 here in America and she stills says the National Health Service is the best simply because of all the preventative measures they take. In the UK, you also have the option of paying privately to skip the waiting lists (which are not the nightmare people make them out to me). When my little brother needed a simple operation my parents decided to pay for it privately so it could be taken care of right away. When I was under 16, all my medicine was free. It's also free after you turn 65. I had to go to the ER once when I was 15 and there was a 10 minute wait. That's it! My mom says that when you treat one person, you treat the whole community. If you're able to catch & treat an infectious (sic) in one person, you stop the spread of it and have healthier communities as a result.
Can you help?