Universal Healthcare

Today I had my first "Trends In Nursing" class. It's like an ethics in the workplace class. It should be interesting and a nice break from memorizing medications and physiology. Today we watched this great Frontline episode on Universal Health care. "Sick Around the World" shows the health care systems in the UK, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland and asks what America can learn about running a health care system. The answer: A LOT. On a normal day I want to go live abroad, but after discussing how stupid America is, I really REALLY want to move. We are the freakin' richest country on the planet and the dumbest. I've always wanted to live in the UK but after "Sick Around the World" I am seriously considering Germany as well. Not only do they have awesome food, but higher education is free and there is great health care. Since I won't be able to immigrate any time soon, I can't wait to vote for Obama! I hope he gets things moving around here! I wish he could make all the heath insurance companies and drug manufacturers non-profit like they are in some other countries. That would be just awesome, and maybe I'd feel better about being stuck here in America. Just in case none of you wants to check out the Frontline information, here's a little rundown of what those other countries have going on.....oh, and these are all countries that provide the same (if not better services) than here in the good ol' U.S.

	United Kingdom	Japan	Germany	Taiwan	Switzerland	U.S.
% of GDP spent on Health Care	8.3%	8%	10.7%	6.3%	11.6%	15.3%
Average Premium	NONE	$280	$750 (on a sliding scale)	$650 (per YEAR)	$750	Way too much
Co-payment	NONE	30% (on a sliding scale)	10 Euros (If you're Preggers, it's 0)	Super cheap (under 10 bucks)	10% up to $420 per year	ditto