>>You can twist and turn the issue as much as you want but this would never ave happened to Victor in Belgium. For starters it is next to impossible not to have health insurance in Belgium and there's a fund to help hit and run victims.
>>In short the USA isn't a caring society.
>
>Somehow, my brother and I, our many relatives (the Irish had big families then) and millions of other people survived the great depression without any health insurance.
>For our health care, we went to free clinics supported by churches (people went to church in those days) and local government agencies.
>I had my tonsils removed in a catholic hospital supported by the same poor people who were using it.
>My parents were lucky to get a meal on the table. Paying for health care was out of the question.
>
>Guess what, though - those sickly people in the horrible, un-caring society liberated Europe and defeated Japan (they must have been on crutches without health insurance - but they did it).
>
> Insurance != health care.
I agree- Insurance != health care
I too remember those days. I had a accident similar to Victor's in 1956, but not nearly as bad. I went off the back of a Cushman Highlander motor scooter(remember those). I had a fractured skull, concussion and was out cold for 3 days. I was treated at St. Luke's Catholic Hospital in Jacksonville with the absolute best care available at that time. My family couldn't pay the bill but it went into the family budget just like food or electric bill and all the other bills. Each month for years we paid a little. Of course, in those days the first question when you went to a doctor or hospital was NOT "What's the name of your insurance company?".
The best company provided insurance I ever had(outside of active duty army) was a catastrophic plan so cheap that it was entirely paid for by the company. I had to pay at least $500 for 1 member or $1500 for a family total before I even submitted a claim after that the insurance paid 100%. Those plans under the ADA now like the shamrock in "The wearing of the green".