I look forward to hearing differing veiwpoints on this, particularly from our members who have personal experience with it:

Were you treated in a timely manner?
Was your pain managed well?
Did they use a triage system to determine where in the cue you would be?
Did you get the tests, scans and labwork in a timely manner? Was your treatment state of the art?
Were your chemo drugs up to date?
What was the timeframe from initial Dx to the actual start of Tx?
Is your follow-up schedule acceptable to you?

I could think up more but that is just for starters. Feel free to add to the list.

I start this thread not so much to initiate a debate but rather to educate and find out the truths in the socialized medical care system. Since the US may be headed in this direction it would be informative to learn the weaknesses amd strengths of this type of medical care system.

I'll make this as short as possible:

March20, 2008: Went to ER with sore throat. Antibiotics and see my Dr.

April 30, 2008; Referred to ENT as I hadn't healed with sore throat that looked like strep throat.

May 05, 2008 Seen by ENT and he felt like I had cancer and scheduled test.

May 06: Cat scan

May 13: Pet scan

June 10: Diagnosis SSC in tonsil and gland. Surgery on tonsil and additional tissue in same area.

June 23: ENT Ordered ultrasound on enlarged thyroid glad, came back okay.

July 15: ENT released me to go to radiation.

July 23: Was referred to see Dentist.

August 11, 2008: Saw Oral surgeon.

August 19: Was sent to another Dentist to clean teeth.

Sept. 05, Had several teeth removed on left side (upper teeth)

Sept 12, Oral surgeon released me to Radiation.

Sept 19: Appt with RO for planning and ct scan and mask.

Oct 01, 2008: Saw a chemo Dr and he reviewed my case to determine if I needed chemo and had new test (Pet scan) done again. He found that the cancer had already returned at the BOT on right and left side and in the tonsil area where it was origionally! They had taken so long to get things done my cancer had already returned. Now after I had complained and complained previously about getting things done everyone was in a hurry now to get it done.

October 15: Radiation started for 7 weeks as well as chemo (Cysplatin) once a week for 7 weeks)

Nov. 21 thru 24: In hospital due to effects of chemo and radiation. Low WBCC, dehydration,

Dec. 09, 2008 Completed treatments.

In my opinion I did not receive the proper care in a timely mannor. Do I like my Doc"s, yea Would I have went somewhere else such as CCC if I had more insurance other than medicare, Yes, most definately! I did have IMRT.

What do you think of this time frame? Angel

BTW, I was put out of the hospital without a peg tube, due to low WBCC and the pic they had put in my arm to feed me at home with was removed because medicare would not cover the cost of the food in a bag so called meat and potatoes and was scheduled for a feeding tube at a later dae but my RO said just forget it now as I am through treatments. I have been awfully sick and dehydrated but am making every effore to drink the ensure and drink water and soups, etc. Angel

But, wouldn't it be different from one country to the next? One can't compare socialized medicine in Aruba to Greece or from Greece to France. The systems from New Zealand to England or Canada just can't be compared. Well, I assume this just out of speculation and I suppose socialized medicine depends on how well the medical establishment was prior to being socialized. In a sense our health care system is socialized into two categories, those that pay and those that don't. Although, for those who are covered one way or another will receive better care then the person not covered. I wonder what will happen first, a two class society or socialized health care? I do have to say that having 40 plus million people in the US not medically covered is an embarrassment. Sending money overseas while we have people living without electricity or plumbing or with no roof over their heads is an embarrassment. I believe we live in a great country but some things are just not right. From the beginning it has always been that way from one perspective or another.

I got off subject...sorry.

I hear a lot about the Canadian model and it sounds attractive. I think we will finally see some serious movement on this issue in the next 4 yrs. I hae Blue Cross/Blue Shield and they have been excellent throughout this ordeal, but now they are baulking at ok ing another pet scan. Meanwhile, my wife lost her job and the COBRA coverage is costing us over $600.00 per month, and she has a much higher co-pay on scripts than I have. Health care costs in the USA are just a nightmare for those who have to provide their own coverage.

Ray, I'm a little off topic here, but nowhere is there a list that says "We take care of each problem or objective 100% before we take on the next one". IOW, government and private projects are started and go on and are or are not completed without reference to other projects. Frankly, nothing would get done, otherwise.

One of the reasons why medical coverage is so high is because of the number of uninsured in this country. Now, with socialized medicine we would still pay, but, How much? Socialized medicine is not free medicine, we would pay in the form of taxes. Everyone would be forced to pay into the system, except for those who don't pay taxes. Btw, I do believe that everyone ought to be medically covered with the same benefits that our Politicians get. Whatever benefits they get--we should get. I don't believe we will see socialized health care within the next four years, it doesn't seem plausible to me. Nothing will happen until we start to see the average life expectancy in our country dramatically drop. The U.S. is a lot different then the rest of the world, especially those in the E.U., we're arrogant and we believe our way is the right way until it fails miserably. The U.S. will have to be forced into socialized medical care for the average citizen. And there is no reason why it shouldn't work...it's worked for our military and politicians for decades.

Maybe car insurance should be mandated through the government too. My sister was rear ended and the guy took off.

Angeles.. go buy some Carnation VHC to drink for meals. There are 560 Claories in a can . They say we need about 4000 cal. a day so go for it,, It helped me and a few others here .You might have to order it thru a drug store. I would like to get some too since my Ins quit paying for it. ILet me know what you find out and how kuch per case. Good luck.

Think that's high? My HMO premiums are $1991.00/mo. That's for my wife and I. We are self emplyed and have our own small group plan which includes drugs, vision and dental. She is 55 and I am 61 and age makes a huge difference.

I am interested in comparisons of different countries health care systems. I understand that one of the best is in Sweden but the tax rate in enormous.

If the government here can barely run the DMV, can't control our borders, give phony info on WMD's in Iraq, what makes you think they can run a health care system? I do agree that changes need to be made and the safety net expanded to cover the lower middle classes. It seems that if you have nothing and are completely broke then you can typically get free health care through the county medical care systems and in some counties it can be very good. But if you own a house (even if its "under water") or a car worth more than 4K then you have to divest or sign over your meager assets before Medical will kick in. This group is in the "donut hole" and need the most help. Petey was a good example of that.

I don't think that the average American is arrogant but we certainly have some arrogant politicians - on both sides of the aisle.

Angel -your time frame seems a little long. It was 2 1/2 months from initial Dx to start of Tx for me. Your initial protocol was pretty fast though. I had 2 rounds of antibiotics and 6 months passed before I was refered to an ENT.

I used the word arrogant a little loosely...I was directing that towards those in power. Being stuck at home the last couple of months watching the news didn't help my assessment of the higher ups in our country...Politics, CEO's, Wall Street...Heck, look at the Governor of Illinois. Now, that's arrogance. How about that big time NY investor, possibly one of the largest Ponzi schemes out there, involving I believe $50 billion. When the wealthy start praying on the other wealthy then it's official--we're in a recession.

If I was a criminal it would eat me alive...the ulcers alone would kill me.

Angel and Gary--I was told it couldn't be cancer and also used antibiotics and such from December 2007 to July of 2008 before my ENT took control. My ENT saved my life.