I fully understand the mystery to our health care system to those abroad. What people do not realize that no one is denied care that is life threatening or an emergency regardless of one's ability to pay the bill. Those cost end up getting shifted to those that pay their bills. Every hospital provides what here is known as uncompensated care. You just pay what you can, for as long as it takes to pay the bill off or until you file bankruptcy or go meet the great physician. It is common for someone to be in a car wreck and run up hundreds of thousands in bill to save their life, and the victim has no insurance. Though it may be covered by Uncle Sam if it qualifies under one of several programs, the hospital is ultimately the one that bears the brunt. Yet that good travel insurance is a must!!!! With some exceptions, all the hospitals here are private. What you don't see in the US is a waiting list, at least not yet. What many places have is universal coverage, but not necessarily universal access. Here its universal access but not universal coverage.
I suspect she will do something much like your grandfather did. He found a way to work with what he had and she will too. Though her vision isn't good, she is still functioning ok in life and if the injections maintain that we have a lot to be thankful for during the holiday season.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Don't take it for granted
From: Karl Shah-Jenner <shahjen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, December 14, 2011 7:39 pm
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
<photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Mark writes:
As photographers we put a premium on sight. We see things others don't. We
preserve things for others to remember. We document the lessons of history
in the hopes that future generations are not doomed to repeat them.
Yet don't forget to enjoy the moment. This week I found out the wife likely
has a form of Wet Age related Macular degeneration. She may be looking at
an injection in the eye once a month for life. I am really hopeful the
Affordable Care act is overturned because she would be the type that would
be too expensive for many to consider it worth the cost for her to keep the
sight in that eye. Yes I have read all 2200 pages and the rationing board
IS in there. I am very worried she would be one of the first deemed too
expensive to keep treating.
I hope the treatment works out well for your wife Mark.
My grandfather, a cinematographer and amateur photographer had his retina
detach due to an advanced form of wet AMD. He was also the first person to
undergo laser treatment here in australia for this which resulted in him
recovering, but with multiple image vision. Oddly though after a few
months he got used to it all and took to driving again although it was
always best to use a seatbelt and close your eyes when travelling with him.
He got back to photography and painting - and became convinced sight was as
much a process of the brain as the eyes .. especially after reading of
inverted image experiments.
On the whole he was delighted with his new view of the world and felt
indebted to those who had zapped his eyes. The rest of us were not so
convinced, but he seemed happy and really did enjoy driving a lot even
though it induced utter terror in others. I'm sure things have progressed
since the 80's but her optho would know better than others what treatment
best suits her.
Here in the land of the homosexual communists (Robert really should have got
out of Sydney) our free health system simply has 'waiting lists' which are
apparently administered by the hospitals. Not perfect by any means, and one
bad egg can screw the system sure, but no one is *denied* treatment . I
had advanced tonsillitis diagnosed at 41 and found myself under the knife
and home inside of a month. Others in their 20's I later discovered had
been on the waiting list for this surgery for nearly 2 years.. so someone
felt my situation was dire. People also have the choice to have relatively
cheap private insurance (as the government still picks up some of the bill)
or pay and go to private hospitals if they want immediate treatment.
The health system in the US is a mystery to those of us outside your
country, but the rule for us travelling there is to make damned sure we have
good travel insurance ..
again, I hope your wife and you see this through
k
