How the French take care of their vets

[forestal]

Wonder why they can do this and we can't???

Health care in France - special support for veterans
by <script type="text/javascript"> makeprofilelink("Chris in Paris"); </script>Chris in Paris · 3/03/2007 11:33:00 PM ET
Discuss this post here: Comment<script type="text/javascript">myCount('4854096829464083694');</script>s (63) · digg it · reddit · FARK ·· Link

With the story of US vets being mistreated upon their return from Iraq I have compared those stories to a close friend and retired WWII wounded vet here in France. Donald is 80 years old and both American and French, his father being a US journalist who came to Europe to cover the WWI news and his mother, a local from Cannes. In November upon his return to France for the winter months, Donald fell ill while we were eating lunch. After a call to the emergency services, an ambulance took him to a local hospital – Val de Grace – where he was tested and monitored. Sadly, the hospital discovered a few very serious and advanced health conditions which can be attributed to avoiding doctor visits due to religious beliefs. (The French system provides a complete health checkup every five years, free of charge.)

A few days after his arrival at Val de Grace, which is one of the most prestigious hospitals in France, the hospital asked us during our daily visit if we knew anything about Donald’s health care coverage. I compared this to my US example where my mother had called 911 when my father was being treated for cancer and upon entering the lobby of the US hospitals – again, after a 911 call – the first thing the hospital wanted to clarify was his health insurance policy, leaving my father waiting in the lobby during a critical time. In France, Donald is officially listed as an injured war veteran (from WWII) so his health coverage is 100%. Not just 100% of the government assigned costs, but 100% of all health care costs which is above and beyond the standard coverage. In the eyes of the French system, Donald sacrificed for his country and so today his country is there to support him in his time of need. Treatment and health care can be at any number of hospitals as opposed to special military hospitals or VA hospitals in the US. Val de Grace just happens to be connected to the military.

Donald spent one month at the hospital in a private room with round the clock care in a hospital that often treats senior politicians from France and the world. They insisted that he stay in order to get his diabetes treatment started properly, so he could adjust and familiarize himself with the treatment. Sending him out alone was not even a consideration and the hospital refused to allow him to leave until we had organized regular medical care at his home in a remote village. Can you even imagine this in the US?

As I listen to the Republican smear machine get started in their attacks on nationalized health care and their quietness during the years of mistreatment of US soldiers returning from Iraq, I have to wonder whose interests they are protecting. From my vantage point I just scratch my head and wonder why this crowd is so against being there for soldiers and citizens who are in need. I know France is not popular with that crowd because France was correct about Iraq, but what I see is a country that actually stands up for its vets and is there during times of need. France is a country that has found a way to implement a top ranked health care system where its people are covered and its veterans are treated with proper care and respect. If the love-the-war-hate-the-troops people can’t grasp these basic ideas they need to realize that they are in the minority because the American people are looking for answers, not another smear campaign.

The right wing crazies can go ahead and make jokes about France and socialized medicine, but let's ask them about why France can serve their vets and their citizens with better health care and for less money.

[ylexot]

How do they do it?
http://www.nchc.org/facts/France.pdf

Because of this high level of reimbursement and coverage, French health care is among the most expensive in the world. France’s health care budget is the world’s third largest, accounting for 9.8% of GNP. If spending continues at this rate, the health service may be 11 billion euros in debt by the end of 2004 and 70 billion euros in debt by the end of 2020.

[aps45819]

From my vantage point I just scratch my head and wonder why this crowd is so against being there for soldiers and citizens who are in need.

This "crowd" is you dumbazz

FYI - France only has 7 veterns.

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

Originally Posted by ylexot

How do they do it?
http://www.nchc.org/facts/France.pdf

Forestool, you know there is also no opprotunitty to the youth in France. You have be be, what, 28 in order to to be insured equality in the workplace.

I'd rather be in America. But if you want to be in France, go on...

[Penn]

What's the difference between a Swiss Army knife and a French Army knife? The French Army knife comes complete with a little white flag.

The right wing crazies can go ahead and make jokes about France and socialized medicine, but let's ask them about why France can serve their vets and their citizens with better health care and for less money.

and.......as aps sez, France only has 7 veterans!

Originally Posted by AndyMarquisLIVE

Forestool, you know there is also no opprotunitty to the youth in France. You have be be, what, 28 in order to to be insured equality in the workplace.

I'd rather be in America. But if you want to be in France, go on...

Ill donate $20 bucks ..........

[itsbob]

Originally Posted by forestal

Wonder why they can do this and we can't???

40 - 48% tax rate on the middle to upper middle class.. + 3.4% for their Social Security, plus another 2% fora Social Levy

Then another 19% VAT (sales) tax..

reduced to 5.5% for food

[Pete]

First I think your choice of the word "mistreated" shows your true tact in this matter. Mistreatment? Are they being whipped? Are they being locked in rooms? Are they being turned out in the street? Are they being experimented on? I think not.

Not that I am saying the military medical establishment and the VA are the greatest on earth, they are bureaucracies of the most vile kind. They are inefficient, rife with bullchit and inadequate things like barracks in poor material condition happen just as they would with any government run health care system. But to call it "mistreatment is wrong and you know it but that word better suits your purpose.

Next, veterans in this country do get 100% free health care if they are wounded, have service related disabilities, or if they retired after 20 years it is closer to 95% with the catastrophic caps imposed on tricare. To imply that the US does not treat its veterans with the same dedication as France is disingenuous but you know that and you are misleading on purpose to suit your purpose or maybe you are talking out of your ass or this story is just something you cut and pasted from somewhere else.

You "scratch your head and wonder why this crowd is so against being there for soldiers and citizens who are in need." Now isn't that just a fine assumption. We have so many war veterans turned out onto the streets, ignore, refused service, abandoned. We have so many citizens who dies in shacks down by the river from curable maladies refused even the most basic of care. This is stupefying that you 1. Ignore the simple fact that we as a nation DO provide for the poor, and the veterans and 2. So insulting that you think people reading this ignore it too or will blindly believe what you say is true despite knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt you are lying.

As far as France, if does not surprise me one iota you would embrace a socialist country despite the fact it wallows in mediocrity. I dislike France for pretty much one reason only. They are a country whose national attitude is self serving smug indignation that not only refuses do the right thing despite the right thing being unpopular, but they actually thwart nations who do try to do the right thing to cover up indiscretions and back room dealings they have committed. The Swiss are world renowned at remaining neutral and I can admire that, but unlike France they do not make it more difficult for the worlds other nations to do the right thing.

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

Originally Posted by Pete

First I think your choice of the word "mistreated" shows your true tact in this matter. Mistreatment? Are they being whipped? Are they being locked in rooms? Are they being turned out in the street? Are they being experimented on? I think not.

Not that I am saying the military medical establishment and the VA are the greatest on earth, they are bureaucracies of the most vile kind. They are inefficient, rife with bullchit and inadequate things like barracks in poor material condition happen just as they would with any government run health care system. But to call it "mistreatment is wrong and you know it but that word better suits your purpose.

Next, veterans in this country do get 100% free health care if they are wounded, have service related disabilities, or if they retired after 20 years it is closer to 95% with the catastrophic caps imposed on tricare. To imply that the US does not treat its veterans with the same dedication as France is disingenuous but you know that and you are misleading on purpose to suit your purpose or maybe you are talking out of your ass or this story is just something you cut and pasted from somewhere else.

You "scratch your head and wonder why this crowd is so against being there for soldiers and citizens who are in need." Now isn't that just a fine assumption. We have so many war veterans turned out onto the streets, ignore, refused service, abandoned. We have so many citizens who dies in shacks down by the river from curable maladies refused even the most basic of care. This is stupefying that you 1. Ignore the simple fact that we as a nation DO provide for the poor, and the veterans and 2. So insulting that you think people reading this ignore it too or will blindly believe what you say is true despite knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt you are lying.

As far as France, if does not surprise me one iota you would embrace a socialist country despite the fact it wallows in mediocrity. I dislike France for pretty much one reason only. They are a country whose national attitude is self serving smug indignation that not only refuses do the right thing despite the right thing being unpopular, but they actually thwart nations who do try to do the right thing to cover up indiscretions and back room dealings they have committed. The Swiss are world renowned at remaining neutral and I can admire that, but unlike France they do not make it more difficult for the worlds other nations to do the right thing.

JIMMY CARTER FOR PRESIDENT - of France.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by AndyMarquisLIVE

JIMMY CARTER FOR PRESIDENT - of France.

One problem with this; Jimmy Carter, despite being wrong most of the time, was not a crooked as a snake. He had integrity, France has none.