[bullseyebarb]

Originally Posted by garinda

I have friends in the U.S. who can't access the same drugs as I get prescribed here, for Parkinson's disease, because their health insurance won't supply them. They are the lucky ones, the ones with some form of health insurance.

As a consequence many of them suffer unnecessarily, and have a poorer quality of life than myself. Other patients with long term degenerative illnesses have similar experiences.

Health insurance companies are businesses, whose primary motivation is making money.

As flawed as it might be, happily here in Britain, patient's needs still take precedence over shareholder's profits.

You shouldn't always believe everything you read in the press.

You can't insure health. Insurance is meant to provide a cushion against the unexpected and catastrophic. As I have previously stated, the whole nature of insurance changes and is no longer viable when government steps in and begins mandating things. There are much better ways of handling whatever problems we have.

I don't have to believe everything I read in the press. I've visited some of your hospitals and clinics. That's why I always carry medical evacuation insurance when I travel abroad.