en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/271322 Comments by Michael Oman-Reagan http://change.gov/page/content/discusshealthcare#IDComment11761183 This is right on. These services don't have to be called 'socialized.' Why don't we call them "Democratic". We have Police, Fire, Libraries, Schools for everyone - they don't discriminate based on how much money someone makes. We need the same for healthcare. We need DEMOCRATIC healthcare. Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:13:03 +0000 http://change.gov/page/content/discusshealthcare#IDComment11761183 http://change.gov/page/content/discusshealthcare#IDComment11760849 Is healthcare a right? A few years ago, I was in Vancouver, BC with friends when I got a terrible sore throat and fever. My friend looked up a hospital and drove me there. From the moment I stepped into the hospital, I felt like I was on another planet. Everyone in the place was interested in one thing, my health. It was a shocking change from my experience in American hospitals. After I saw the nurse, I sat down and waited to see the doctor. A few minutes later, he came out and walked up to me and introduced himself and took me back to an examining room. I felt like I was visiting some kind of luxurious private hospital for celebrities. He took time and care to really talk to me, ask me all about my medical history - he was really problem solving. After spending a long time talking to me, examining me and asking me questions - he wrote me a prescription and sent me back to check-out. When I got to the desk, the woman said "do you have health insurance at home?". I said "no." She said, "well, it's OK, we'll just take care of this, don't worry - and feel better." She smilied at me. That was it. I got 1st class treatment, hands on attention from nurses, doctors and FRIENDLY staff. And then I left. No payment, no stress, nothing. And no one there seemed to be worried. In fact, it seemed that taking the profit and the money out of the system, changed everything. That's how healthcare can be in this country. It can be a right that we all deserve, that everyone deserves. Not a business trying to make money out of sufferring. And you know what? I think we'll actually save money doing it that way. Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:38:01 +0000 http://change.gov/page/content/discusshealthcare#IDComment11760849