Don't believe the hype. The healthcare debate in the US is being jeopardized by right-wing extremists who yammer that universal health care is socialism.
Once again, they don't know what the hell they are talking about.
Universal health care is a hallmark of fiscal conservatism.
And the freest market economies of the world all have it.
This is a diary about my experience yesterday with healthcare in the most fiscally conservative, most capitalist place on the planet: Hong Kong.
More below the fold —
Hong Kong, while technically rejoined with China since 1997, functions as its own country with a high degree of autonomy and its own laws, taxes, governance, customs, and international borders.
Hong Kong is ranked by the Economic Freedom Network, and the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal as the number one most capitalist place in the world every single year they have had the rankings.
My 97-year-old grandmother recently was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and type II diabetes. I am on my first visit to her since her diagnosis, and was pained to see her having a hard time breathing from the fluid in her lungs and had swelling in her feet that come with her condition. I went with her and her caregiver yesterday to her first visit to a geriatric day hospital.
We had a phone call from the hospital the day before, to remind her of the time of her appointment. We were offered a car pick up, which we declined as I was bringing her in.
There was no line as we walked in. The facility is old, but clean and the staff were friendly. There was some visible mildew high on the wall in one spot, but given the high humidity in HK this isn't surprising. There were plenty of chairs and tables, and lots of exercise 'machines' (simple rigs to move clamps, turn knobs, pull ropes, climb stairs and low obstacles, etc.,) There was ample antibiotic hand wash everywhere, and they handed out surgical masks for those who wanted them.
After an intake, we waited about 40 minutes in a pleasant open area in view of everyone else, and could watch their exercise.
The doctor was friendly and attentive. We discussed medications - increase the diuretic, and adding a heart therapy drug to replace one that gave her a rash.
She had blood drawn, and a test to check her electrolyte levels.
She had an ECG (electrocardiogram) done, checked fine.
She had a lung x-ray done to check for fluid in her lungs and look for other complications.
She saw two physical therapists, one who checked her mental acuity and advised how to break up her tasks so that she doesn't tire too much, and explained how her body is processing oxygen poorly so will need more time to do things. He emphasized that light activity was good for her, and could help her regain the mobility she had before.
In the afternoon, the other therapist checked her for balance and strength, watched her walk up and down stairs, tested her use of a walker, and gave her some simple activities to do. When she tired her day was done.
Almost all the elderly who were there were unattended by family members. Apparently the hospital has a regular bus that comes around to pick people up and bring them home. The center was well-staffed, and aside from one overloud person, people were pleasant and mellow, it was clean and tidy without being too sterile, and 'hospital-like' -- fine for non-urgent palliative care.
We were there a total of 6 unstressful, almost pleasant, hours. The friendly doctor brought her new medication to us while Grandma was on what looked like a no-weight pullup machine. (She told me later the exercises were too easy.)
I was shocked however, when I got the bill for the day.
Total cost, including checkup, free car pickup, medication, ECG, x-ray, bloodwork, two physical therapy sessions, and even lunch: 55 Hong Kong dollars, or about $7 US. Less than the cost of the car ride over.
Even if you adjust for cost of living, that is still really, really cheap. As it should be.
There is no comparison, by the way, with the healthcare that China is able to offer its people, which is even worse than the US. If you don't have the money to pay for treatment, hospitals won't take you in. But even China has now committed to 90% coverage for basic universal healthcare by 2011, and 100% by 2020.
If this is really about capitalism, then look at Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Australia, which are all ranked as more fiscally conservative than the US, and all have UHC.
But we all know this isn't really about capitalism. Or socialism. This is about crazy versus sane. This is about stupid Rethuglican power plays, and it is probably about racism too.
But don't let any of that fool you, or distract you. Don't let the crazies get to you. Stay focused.
We just need to get UHC and a strong public option done in this country. History and future generations of Americans will judge us by it.