• Zachariah@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    not free; tax funded

    Which is great! Taxes should be invested in citizens’ needs.

    • towerful@programming.dev
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      4 days ago

      Free as in “free at the point of service”.
      Of course it is paid for somehow.
      But as far a a someone going into a hospital to get a cast, medicine, birth… It’s free

      • Zachariah@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        That’s true. Unfortunately, calling it free is often used by people who want to paint it as infeasible, and is used as an excuse to cut funding—even when data shows it’s an investment with human and monetary rewards.

          • NottaLottaOcelot@lemmy.ca
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            4 days ago

            America wants things to be free when it’s for themselves, but not to pay a dime to benefit anyone else

          • OwOarchist@pawb.social
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            4 days ago

            Conservative America is driven so hard by the fear of somebody poorer darker skinned than you getting something you’re not.

        • Taalnazi@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          As far as everyone except oligarchs are concerned, it means everyone can access it without getting financially fucked over into debt. And that’s excellent news.

          • flandish@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            incorrect slightly- while most boomer and right wing assholes know it means free at point of service and tax funded they act like it means “free for welfare queens and illegals” because they think daddy capitalist is watching them lick boots.

        • luciferofastora@feddit.org
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          3 days ago

          I like to compare it to someone sitting in math class, the lesson is on square numbers and they go “a square is a shape though”. Everyone who actually paid attention knows the relation between the concepts and doesn’t need to compensate ignorance with smug pedantry.

          • kreskin@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            You get free police beatings. And if you’re stopped they will empty the money out of your wallet as “civil asset forfeiture”. So not exactly a cost but not exactly free.

      • scarabic@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Yes I mean nothing is free if we try to be strict about it. The word would have no meaning. I think we all understand “sold at zero price” but there are always people in the crowd who want to pop up and say “it’s not free! someone pays!” Typically their next move is to start breaking down who pays and why it’s unfair. I have no patience for them.

        • huppakee@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          I dont have patience for those people either, but in general a lot of people feel taxes are the state taking away money. Where i live this is true for large corpo’s and rich folk (‘the state should not waste money on things people can pay for by themselves’ is how they tend to put it here), but also by people with low wages tend to complain about how the state robs them. Reminding them how things they use are funded by the taxes they pay (roads, hospitals, police, education) can help them; because here they tend to fall for the retoric of the parties serving the rich and they sometimes truly believe the country would be nicer if they paid less taxes (not understanding they would have much more trouble paying for things like education and healthcare). For that reason I much prefer ‘tax-funded healthcare/public transport/education’, as calling it free is like giving a weapon to the group of people and corporations trying to lower their tax burden (and getting out of their responsibilities as the heavy lifters of funding public services).

          • scarabic@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Even setting aside the deceptive propaganda around this, “they” meaning right wing voters of modest means, still have two problems with tax funded services of any kind. The government may not be “taking money away” as in making it vanish, but they are taking away the choice of how that money should be spent. Conservatives see a moral hazard here where their taxes will pay for the poor lifestyle choices of others - and actually they are right, just not the way they think they are. It’s not abortions for slutty brown women they should worry about but metabolic syndrome brought on by their own white neighbors horrible diets that will burden the system most.

            Their other problem is they don’t want to benefit from this kind of public good themselves. They see it as “taking charity” and although white people accept plenty of advantages, they like to stay proud about it. It doesn’t help to say “look, you’re getting something here.” So there just isn’t any way of making them comfortable with the setup, even when it isn’t being grossly distorted to them.

            The whole “I don’t take no charity” is a very old American value and part of a complex system we have for giving people ways to feel superior to others. We don’t have a formal class system in this society but we service the same instincts in a hundred other small ways. Farm subsidies? Of course! Do you know how important farmers are? Healthcare supports? What… so I can pay for abortions for some illegal immigrant who couldn’t keep her legs closed?

            We’re terminally stupid here and everything is about feels I don’t see how we’ll ever get past all this.

            • AA5B@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              Conservatives see a moral hazard here where their taxes will pay for the poor lifestyle choices of others

              I see a moral choice where my taxes will pay for the poor political choices of conservatives in poorer red states, but they also deserve free healthcare

    • BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      There is “free as in beer” and “free as in speech” — this is “free as in theme park rides.”

      You already paid.

    • scarabic@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      There are so many health services that can be delivered en masse at very little cost. I once lived in a “3rd world” country with state sponsored healthcare. They had an army of nurses in shop storefronts delivering vaccines and basic meds for common illnesses. Just walk in. Nothing fancy - one of them literally reused hypodermic needles after sterilizing them with a bunsen burner. But how fancy does it actually need to be?

      • Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        That’s a thing in the US too, by the way. You can walk into a pharmacy or some grocery stores and get cheap/free vaccines for the current flu strain as well as the standard immunizations for a bunch of common diseases.

        Most people don’t take advantage of it.

        • scarabic@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          True that’s how I get my flu shots and such. It’s often extremely modest accommodations. Once my feet were resting on a pile of discarded coat hangers and other detritus from the drugstore’s retail floor.

        • AA5B@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          It’s unfortunate that vaccinations somehow became political because it’s a great example of public health efforts for all being cheap with huge benefits

    • orbitz@lemmy.ca
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      4 days ago

      I agree, as a Canadian even if not perfect I couldn’t imagine having a pay system or even what the US calls healthcare. That’s the point of taxation, we get roads that are drivable, healthcare that is affordable and stuff like food standards, clean drinking water, education. The billionaires are trying to say everyone else doesn’t need such things so they can get a bigger nibble of the pie when they already have truckloads.

    • Aniki@feddit.org
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      4 days ago

      also money is fictional so i consider it “free” if it helps the people actually.

  • TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 days ago

    Luckily the US built a border wall so Mexico won’t be overflooded with illegal immigrants trying to profit the free health care.

      • TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        3 days ago

        Careful what you wish for. I don’t want them in my country, even if they bring money. They fuck everything up. I’m not anti immigrants and refugees, they are welcome, they should be treated better, like equals which sadly isn’t always the case in my country. But Americans are a different story. There are some proper Americans, I have a few American friends that are proper, but in general I don’t like to have Americans around.

        Even their money can fuck everything up. Like raise property prices so locals can’t buy property anymore. Same with groceries etc.

        It’s better to keep them isolated in their own mess. Otherwise they will leave the mess they made to create more mess where you live, then to go somewhere else after that. Irresponsible and selfish people will only bring misery onto others.

        In the movie Team America they have a nice saying. “There are pussies, dicks and assholes”. Right now Americans are the assholes. They need to get fucked “otherwise you will have all your pussies and dicks all covered in shit.”

        • Typhoon@lemmy.cadeleted by creator
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          3 days ago

          Right now Americans are the assholes.

          Right now? Americans have always been the assholes. Ask the Natives.

          • TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            3 days ago

            I stand corrected, you are totally right.

            Ask the Natives.

            And all their slaves (including the current legal slaves who are incarcerated)

            The Vietnamese, Kmer, Iraqis, Iranians, Cubans, pffff…

            Wait. It’s easier to list the ones that don’t think they are assholes: Israel (bigger assholes), eeeehm… Oh yeah, themselves as they are self-centered AF. End of the list.

        • parricc@lemmy.world
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          Honestly, you’re getting a bad bias from the kinds of Americans that currently are immigrating there. The important thing to understand is you don’t want the Americans with money, you want the Americans without any money that are willing to work and help other people out. Lol. See, what you’ve got right now are all of the rich assholes that don’t care about the culture or people of where they’re moving to - they just want to live like kings in a cheap city that they can turn into an asshole bubble that prices all of the normal people out. Rich people are leeches. Ultimately, the world would be a better place with open borders everywhere, but no rich assholes. Think about why borders even exist. In what world does it matter? The only reason is ultimately just rich assholes not wanting to dilute their wealth. The best thing we can do at this point is to convince them to go to Mars and leave them there.

        • 0x0@lemmy.zip
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          3 days ago

          You can replace “muricans” with “rich immigrants”.
          For corrupt/conservative governments, rich immigrants are cool, and called investors.
          Poor immigrants are terrorists.

  • selokichtli@lemmy.ml
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    3 days ago

    I voted her for this kind of policies, but reality is not that simple. Public healthcare costs a lot of money, and current facilities and personnel are in the stone age. I wouldn’t go to any public healthcare facility right now as my first choice. At least not where I live. Sustained investment and vigilance are key, and I hope that by the end of her mandate we will have something we could call a proper public healthcare system, not yet a decent one, but an existing one.

      • selokichtli@lemmy.ml
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        3 days ago

        True. But it only matters if you are alive. Look, I’m not trying to be cynical, we have both systems in Mexico, and I’ve experienced both as a client. I’m all for public healthcare, but if it doesn’t work, it’s only a pretty idea. On the private side, yeah it’s fucking expensive, but it kind of works for the ones who can afford it. Just to be clear, we agree.

      • rjmalagon@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Dr .Simi login… (Very cheap Mexican drugstore chain, med labs and MDs consultation, even veterinary services on some cities)

    • spicystraw@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      A step in the right direction. Thank you for sharing the realism on a clickbait title.

    • Horsey@lemmy.world
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      This kinda thing doesn’t turn on over night. You might be able to afford private, but very few will be able to. The American paid system has a 3-9 month wait for doctor visits right now in Tucson. My doctor also doesn’t even physically examine me anymore because they’re so rushed to get in other patients, because capitalism.

      Edit: not that capitalism is evil, it just has no place in healthcare.

      • selokichtli@lemmy.ml
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        3 days ago

        I’m okay with both opinions of capitalism as evil or not. The American healthcare system is, sorry, it is dogshit. No one should be living under that system, it’s only better than nothing at all, I guess.

        • Horsey@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          As a Canadian living in the southwestern US because I physically cannot handle the cold, the healthcare here is worse than dog shit.

    • heartSagan5@lemmy.zip
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      3 days ago

      Still something better than the US, where some wait (or are poor so they just need to go to the ER) until the ER when it’s too late. The only prevention is those with regular insurance and use it.

  • Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 days ago

    This stands out even more because we’re in an era when even countries with Universal Healthcare have been walking back on it (as well as Social Security, Unions and other earlier Leftwing conquests) by privatizing them piecemeal through things like forced outsourcing of some services and public-private initiatives.

    • Aragaren@lemmy.world
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      What’s important to note is that these placed aren’t going back on it because it doesn’t work. They are going back on it because of back room deals made with corporate insurance lobbyists and their bought politicians. Profit is always the driving force for privatization.

      • Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        3 days ago

        Exactly.

        You can just look at the experience of creating the National Health Service in the UK (there’s a bunch of documentaries floating around) to see how it’s an overall positive for Society by a large margin, not just directly but also indirectly because for example when people can go see a doctor for free they are far more likely to end up being treated for sickness early on (which its cheaper and easier) or to get treatment for debilitating but not life threatening conditions which in turn even gets reflected in higher Economic outcomes because healthier people are more productive.

        Universal Healthcare Systems only “don’t work” for those who are fatcats getting a slice of that sweet sweet 13%+ of national GDP (about 18% in the US) that goes into Healthcare in the average country.

    • JC1@lemmy.ca
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      Yes it’s what’s happening here in Canada and it’s sickening. But it looks like it’s better to blame the left for no reason, so why vote for them? Better keep slowly dismantling everything we collectively built instead!

      • Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        3 days ago

        I first saw that shit when I lived in Britain a decade ago, already at the hands of he who Thatcher called her “Greatest Achievement” (Tony Blair, who pivoted the Labour Party hard to the Right and away from a party representing the working class) and later directly at the hands of the Tories (Conservative Party).

        Now that I’m back in my native Portugal (which also has a National Health service), the current rightwing government here is trying to do the same thing, tough not quite yet at the same point as NHS sneaky privatization was in Britain over a decade ago.

        By the way, Mark Carney, now PM of Canada, was placed by and served as head of the Bank Of England for the Tories back when I was there, during which he was a great friend of bankers and presided over an economic period when in real terms the income of the lower 90% by wealth of the population was falling at about 1% per year, whilst that of the top 10% was growing at around 23%.

        So, yeah, it does not surprise me at all, in any way form or shape, that Carney is working to make the fatcats fatter - same as he did in Britain - not for the good of most Canadians.

        • JC1@lemmy.ca
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          2 days ago

          Yes I agree, Carney is just the latest one. We’ve been electing people that are dismantling everything for decades. The worst part isn’t the federal, it’s the provincial governments as they are the one who are in charge of most of our social programs. Here in Québec, they’ve been dismantling health care, social assistance program, infrastructures, education, child care and even one of the thing we’re most proud of Hydro-Quebec. Everything so slowly that most of the people thinks its because of the unions or shit like that.

          It’s maddening to see people complaining about the decay of everything then turn around and elect the same type of people again that brought us there, but in another branding. And the only thing they will say is that they can’t elect the alternative as they wear a hoodie… So stupid.

          Like my parents, like everyone they were complaining of the last liberal government (which is akin to a conservative party that likes immigrants), so they wanted change. What did they do? They voted for the CAQ which is filled with conservatives and old boomers. The exact same type of people. Now they act surprised as they are not satisfied with them anymore, for the exact same reasons again. Next time they will probably vote for the PQ which has made a turn towards fascistic rethoric. The only alternative is QS, but a few members are anti-capitalists so they are now intelligible in their eyes. Oh and a member one time used to wear hoodies in parliament, that was such news worthy…

          We’re a bit luckier than in the US as we do have alternatives that are possible to elect, but most people are too dumb to give them a chance. Doesn’t help that the whole media apparatus are for the statu quo and demonize the alternatives every chance they can.

          • Tryenjer@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Most people do not have the time to look beyond the propaganda and schemes that high net worth individuals invest in to ensure their own interests are the only ones served in the long run.

        • Folstar@lemmus.org
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          3 days ago

          Weird, it’s almost like there’s a global class war going on where only one side is organized and doing the fighting. Also, that a big part of their campaign is to infiltrate any remotely left leaning political party to sabotage it from within. But that’s crazy. I mean, if there were going to do something like that they’d also be constantly sowing conflict between left-learning centrists and leftists which only ever happens every single day on every single media and social media platform.

          • Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            It’s my impression that it’s mainly the “center”-left parties (aka the larger ones) which got infiltrated, especially in countries with power duopolies thanks to Mathematically rigged voting systems like First Past The Post.

            If you think about it, it makes total sense that Greedy Posh Salesmen-types with no principles whatsoever who want to get rich quick would be drawn to the two parties in power duopoly systems, were they will sell themselves to those who can reward them the best for their services, and those people certainly aren’t the Poor or the Working Class.

            I’ve concluded some years ago that the secret for Democracy to actually do what it says on the tin is constant change (the very opposite of those voting systems mathematically rigged for “stability”) - rotten politicians must genuinely fear that if they sell themselves, they WILL end up out of power and the next ones in aren’t going to be just “mates with a different pin on their lapel” so they are more likely than not to end up in jail for it.

            • Tryenjer@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              Stability is necessary, otherwise, a country becomes ungovernable, but too much stability causes stagnation.

              A tree must periodically shed its leaves and branches so that decay is slowed.

    • themurphy@lemmy.ml
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      There are big differences then. Where I live, we just got dental included in free healthcare, which is getting rolled out to more and more people in the next 10 years, where in the end everyone is included.

      We already had free until age of 24 I think, but now they will go all the way. It’s in Denmark btw.

  • robocall@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    How will this impact the medical tourism industry that Americans depend on for affordable healthcare?

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        I’m sure it will persist, as it primarily services Americans. And their money is still good.

        If anything, we’ll see the Mexican health care system expand in order to absorb all the domestic residents who can now afford the same care

    • JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
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      I’m sure you need to be a Mexican citizen to qualify for the program, I imagine foreigners get a bill. But I’m an American that expects a crippling bill from medical care so I have a bias.

      • explodicle@sh.itjust.works
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        In some countries they don’t even have the financial infrastructure to bill patients, so injured tourists get free health care. A big chunk of American medical bills is due to the cost of billing.

          • FrederikNJS@piefed.zip
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            3 days ago

            The ones i know: Denmark, England, Sweden, Norway

            But I would imagine that most other countries with unified tax paid healthcare would be the same.

            • Rothe@piefed.social
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              In Denmark (and I would assume those other countries as well) it varies depending on the factors. If you are a foreigner but are living in Denmark, or if you are staying in Denmark for a job, then you can apply for the rights of free healthcare treatment, but if you are a tourist needing urgent care, and are not a citizen of the EU (or the Nordic countries), or under the age of 18, then you will be billed.

              So there definitely is a financial infrastructure to bill in Denmark, even though its own citizens never see it. Without knowing it precisely I would also assume that the bill would be very reasonable compared to a bill for the same treatment in the US.

          • BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            I never went to surgery or anything, but I’ve been to a couple of Drs in Mexico and it’s basically just like paying the copay and just peacing out. Most of the time you can just ask the pharmacist and they prescribe whatever right there.

            You’re overestimating the American Healthcare system.

        • 0x0@lemmy.zip
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          In some countries they don’t even have the financial infrastructure to bill patients,

          That’s a bit fat-fetched…

      • BCsven@lemmy.ca
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        3 days ago

        We have free at point of service health care in Canada for those signed up to the plan. You don’t have to be a citizen just a resident and wait your 2 month grace period. For tourists and non signed up folks you pay the costs out of pocket, but they are reasonable compared to USA. A coworker wasn’t here long enough for the signup and dislocated his shoulder. Hospital visit, xray, sling, etc $400

        • JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
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          3 days ago

          Hahahahaha my postoperative telephone follow up was $354 uninsured rate. 15 minutes on the phone.

    • Lemminary@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      It’ll probably stay the same. This administration is very aware of these issues and I doubt they’ll intervene. Private practice is already available to anyone who wants it, no questions asked.

      Source: am Mexican living in Mexico

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      That’s one of the things uasians don’t understand. Universal health care doesn’t mean there are no private hospitals or practices. It means you have a choice, but you are covered no matter what.

    • sakuraba@lemmy.ml
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      Don’t worry americans don’t use public healthcare in Mexico, otherwise they would actually understand the struggle to get it

      They just use private healthcare since it is catered to them while being cheaper compared to the US (I worked on medical tourism, all the marketing for these clinics is targeted to americans; most of them don’t even bother using Spanish on their ads)

  • DupaCycki@lemmy.world
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    Ah, so that’s why the US is getting more aggressive towards Mexico. Can’t have universal healthcare so close to the border.

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    Mexican here. They are saying everything is free now, but there are not enough medicines, doctors or hospitals so is just a shallow gesture.

    • Rhaedas@fedia.io
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      4 days ago

      It’s a step. Vs. medicines too expensive to buy, and doctors that you can’t see for months who run you through the mill to get their numbers up. I can’t say which is worse when the result is about the same. At least you have more of a chance now.

      • krisevol@lemmus.org
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        4 days ago

        Kaiser was excellent when they only provided service to kiaser members. When the government stepped in, the whole system went to shit. They still have the same amount of doctors so the only thing that happened in now everyone gets shitty service and long wait times.

        Sometimes the government getting involved isn’t a good thing.

      • Talentless Sculptor@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Mexico has around 25 Doctors per 100000 capita. That is lower than almost all European countries that averaged 40 Doctors per 100000 capita.

        When it comes to nurses, the comparison is worse. 29/100000capita in Mexico and over 100/100000capita in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. With no EU nation falling below 40/100000capita.

        https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/doctors-per-capita-by-country

        • Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca
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          3 days ago

          That is valuable context for sure, but the data doesn’t illustrate wait times.

          I’m from Canada which appears to have a similar ratio to Mexico (I don’t consider our basic healthcare a “shallow gesture”)

          Wait times are long here, but twice as many doctors & hospitals would make the wait times only half as long, which would still be counted in years in some cases. So I don’t believe that any country has “enough” or enough to make the wait times negligible, which is probably an unrealistic goal.

            • Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca
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              3 days ago

              I didn’t find the nurses figures on the link. Within 10% is similar for doctors, but 300% of the nurses is a big difference for sure.

          • sakuraba@lemmy.ml
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            3 days ago

            it’s a shallow gesture here because wait times are longer than reported, if you are lucky enough attended in time, and even then you will probably have to pay for every medicine and if you need surgery you will have to pay for any materials used too

            hope that clears the sentiment we have in Mexico regarding our public healthcare

        • Miaou@jlai.lu
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          3 days ago

          One probably needs to look at the demography as well. Half of Germany’s healthcare workforce is probably busy explaining retirees not to drink beer to swallow up their pills at any given time

        • Optional@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          No we just don’t get medical care if there’s any way to avoid it. If it was free we’d have a doctor shortage instantly.

          • Dhs92@piefed.social
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            4 days ago

            We already have a doctor shortage in a lot of places in the US, even without single payer healthcare :/

            Part of it is due to private equity destroying private practice and buying up healthcare providers

            • JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
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              4 days ago

              You’re being deliberately obtuse. You smarmily answered your own question in your previous drivel comment.

              • wpb@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                Why do you think it’s not free? I’ve got my answer, it’s capitalism. Why isn’t it free according to you?

        • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
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          3 days ago

          We pay out the ass and still have to schedule a surgery 4 months out or just argue with insurance denials for cancer treatment until we die first. Show up to an ER with something that won’t immediately kill you and be prepared to wait for 5 hours so a doctor can see you for literally 5 minutes. Nursing homes will bill you $4,000 a month to share a room while you wait to dies, with staff going down to like 2 people for 60 people after 7pm.

          The only ones there’s enough doctors for are the wealthy. Everywhere else your screwed, and also get billed into permanent debt. It’s like $15,000 just to have a baby. Heart attack will run you six figures .

    • naught101@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Free with crazy wait times is still surely better than expensive with crazy wait times?

    • PunnyName@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      How is it a shallow gesture when people can now get the care, instead of just dying or suffering?

      • kobra@lemmy.zip
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        4 days ago

        Well their original comment alluded to people not being able to get care because there aren’t enough medicines, doctors, or hospitals.

        I hope they answer you, because I know nothing about what’s going on there, but I’m fairly certain that was their point.

        • sakuraba@lemmy.ml
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          3 days ago

          that’s the reality here, there are not even enough beds for people coming to any public hospital

          people are expected to sit in chairs for hours or days waiting for surgery

      • dustyData@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Because healthcare has been free in Mexico for decades. This seems like the usual political posturing. Saying “healthcare is free” is an empty statement if people are turned away at the point of service because of a lack of medicine or service providers. Give them three months and then check again. Then you’ll know if it was a shallow gesture or not.

        • wpb@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          But a cursory google search shows that it isn’t currently free for everyone, and in particular tied to your employment status. This means that in your negotiations with your employer, your health is essentially a bargaining chip (and this is bad for you and your salary for obvious reasons). The new system abolishes this tie to employment. This is a huge step for workers and the unemployed alike. This is not a hollow gesture.

          • daizelkrns@sh.itjust.works
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            3 days ago

            It is not part of your negotiations with your employer. You get health insurance through IMSS (social security) by law. It is not optional and the service is not tied to your salary. You can make millions, or minimum wage, your IMSS coverage would be the same.

            We’ve had another coverage called “seguro popular”, this has been free and not tied to employment since early 2000s. It was revamped and gutted by the previous president. The only requirement to get coverage was to not have coverage by IMSS. So, employed, you get IMSS. Unemployed, you got seguro popular.

            So it is an empty gesture

            • wpb@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              Yes it is. A repeat of a previous comment:

              If you lose your job, you lose your coverage. That makes it a bargaining chip. The employer has one up on you in negotiations. When I negotiate my salary (my health insurance is not tied to my employment), I know that if I can’t work it out with my (potential) employer, and I get sick, I’ll be fine. Not so if my coverage was tied to employment. The pressure to accept an offer that’s worse for me would be much higher.

          • blujan@sopuli.xyz
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            4 days ago

            It is linked to employment but equal and mandatory for all employees, so not quite a bargaining chip in the way it is in the usa

            • wpb@lemmy.world
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              4 days ago

              If you lose your job, you lose your coverage. That makes it a bargaining chip. The employer has one up on you in negotiations. When I negotiate my salary (my health insurance is not tied to my employment), I know that if I can’t work it out with my (potential) employer, and I get sick, I’ll be fine. Not so if my coverage was tied to employment. The pressure to accept an offer that’s worse for me would be much higher.

    • wpb@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Paying for some supply through progressive taxes is better than everyone paying a flat rate, even if that supply is scarce.

      • eltacopeludo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 days ago

        I’m with you. I’m glad I pay taxes and they should make everyone’s life better. The thing is we already had a good enough public healthcare system, but at the moment is falling way short of what it should be. It is worse than before, and there is an issue when critical medications are not in supply.

    • Annoyed_🦀 @lemmy.zip
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      3 days ago

      Sounds like everywhere with actual free healthcare tbh. Here in Malaysia the healthcare has been free for decade, but doctor shortage, wad shortage is the common theme plaguing the sector, so the wait time for non-emergency treatment tend to be long. If you want quick service you can visit private healthcare.

      This doesn’t seems like a shallow gesture, this could actually pave the way for the future when the issue is under control.

      • sakuraba@lemmy.ml
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        3 days ago

        The issue won’t be under control anytime soon if ever, public healthcare has just been declining for the past two decades in Mexico and this won’t fix anything in practice, just in paper

      • eltacopeludo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 days ago

        Obviously I can only speak for myself and my perception. If reports are to be believed, I live in one of the most dangerous regions in the world. You can google el bajío or guanajuato. Day to day life is very good for me. I have a good enough job and my city is cheap compared to Mexico city. Distances are short and walkable. I have kids and there are many public places for them to play sports or just hang out.

        Hard violent crime has slowed down. There were many drive by killings, at least 2 or 3 a week just a year ago, but now I hardly ever hear gunshots or news about new deaths. The main issue at the moment is paying for “protection”, its happening everywhere and some business cant afford it. Despite of it, many new restaurants, cafés and other small business are opening.

        As for healthcare, which was the subject of this post, I can get a private appointment with a really good doctor in less than a couple of days if not urgent, and it costs from 800 to 1200 pesos. Medicines go from really generic cheap, think about 200 pesos, to 3000 depending on what is needed.

        If you have any more questions for anything that may tickle your curiosity Ill be glad to answer as best as I can.

    • huppakee@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      But now you can say your healthcare system is as good as the one in the UK, which is nice. It’s not like the US can say that.