>>In the US, they're standing at the door checking your insurance coverage, forcing you to fill in endless consentforms before they even consider treating you. If there is a risk that you cannot pay or find something extraordinary on the consent forms, you might be put back at the line, hoping you will go somewhere else, if you're lucky and not be refused right away.
>>
>>Then I'm not even talking about their ill definition of a medical emergency. Up here, for example sudden hearingloss, a broken nose or any other medical issue that can be cured easily if treated on time is considered a medical emergency. In the US about only if you'll die.
>>
>>Really, your healthcare is seriously ill.
>>
>>And you really think that Obamacare is going to chage this?????? ROF,L and LOL!!! Obamacare is going to make it worse.
>
>My wife and I are both 69yrs of age. We have Medicare and Aetna Medicare Advantage ins. Total cost for both of us is is $376/mo.
>Our primary Family Physician accepts our coverage without complaint.
>
>
>Recent visit to ER for my wife who sprained ankle late evening:
> Drove right up to door of ER
> Retrieved readily available wheel chair
> Triage receptionist immediately took name and assessed injury
> 4 min later nurse wheeled her into treatment room for further assessment
> 3 min later in X-RAY
> 10 min later Doctor consult, diagnosis sprained ankle, applied padded splint prescribed OTC pain medicine
>
> During the short waits above, admin staff showed up with computer on cart to collect personal data, insurance etc etc
>
> 3 min later, therapist appeared with crutches, adjusted them and instructed wife on usage
>
>Total time in ER 20min
>Treated with politeness and compassion at every step
>
>This is, of course, only one example. Small sample indeed and I'm sure there are cases such as you described. But as you have said several times, it is unfair to judge an entire system with a few sample anecdotes.
>
>Obamacare will eliminate the Medicare advantage coverage we enjoy. Also takes away $500B in medicare funding. Am I looking forward with glee?

You probably do have it better now. Maybe, maybe not. One relatively unnoticed factor in the long debate was over public opinion. Opponents of health care reform often made statements along the lines of "the American people are against this." That was slightly true in the aggregate but it was not often noted that every 10 year demographic (20-30, 30-40, and so on) was in favor of reform, with one huge exception. Those 60 and older, or maybe it was 65 and older, were overwhelmingly against it.

IAC we are finally going to see how it works instead of endlessly bickering over how we think it's going to work. I am optimistic.