$300,000 for an X-ray? Welcome to America (and beware of the future)

I am very fortunate to have grown up in the U.S. and always recieved great medical attention.

However, that is not the case for millions of Americans. Many Americans are without medical insurance and with no socialized healthcare system in place, a ghastly number of people simply cannot afford to see the doctor.

The Vancouver Sun just did a big piece on how the future economic situation will affect our future and one big thing they mentioned was higher medical costs in the U.S. of A. One example stated that a women decided not to get treatment for breast cancer because she said the costs were way out of her budget (300,000 for an x-ray) and SHE HAS INSURANCE!

I do not agree with a privitized medical system. I beleive that paying an arm and a leg (literally sometimes) for medical treatment is a crime. Everyone has a right to education and health and the USA's elitist system does not give everyone a fair chance at a good life.

One thing that has stood out in my mind is different people's attitudes towards going to the doctor.

Even though I had great medical insurance growing up, whenever I was sick I would still think, "do I really need to go to the doctor or can I try and avoid it."

After moving to Canada I realized that people go to the doctor for anything and everything, there is nothing stopping them.

I even had an interesting conversation with an English friend of mine who explained that even though the dual public/private health care system in place in England is not without flaws, at least everyone has the chance to go to the doctor.

The point is, no senior, mother, or child should ever worry about going to the doctor. No family should have to re-finance their whole lives so that one family member can receive treatment for an easily treatable disease.

I highly enjoy living in a country where patients are treated first, and asked questions later. Unfoturately, it works the opposite in the States where many have died simply because they did not have medical insurance and hospitals don't want to foot their bill.

Medicine and treatment SHOULD be a right for all citizens, not a priviledge.