Sicki

Not too long ago, we saw Sicko, Michael Moore's documentary about the healthcare system in the US. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of MM, but I do think he brings up issues we should be discussing. I just don't always agree with the way he makes his arguments. I know he omits things, but I suppose we all *forget* to disclose everything we know about a subject--only the things that support our opinions.

The part I liked best in Sicko was his roundtable discussion with Americans living in France--not French people, but Americans who considered the French healthcare system superior to the USA's. The question is, will Americans who have never lived abroad believe them?

The German medical system is similar in many ways to the French system based on what they were saying, and when we returned from our first lives in Germany, many of our friends and family didn't want to believe us when we told them we received excellent medical care here. I have to admit; I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is. I, like most Americans, have been brainwashed into believing we have the best medical system in the world, and it is difficult to let go of that belief even after the Chicago Tribune ran an article in 2001 about the WHO rating the US 37th in the world because we don't receive the same amount of care that people in other countries do relative to the amount we pay.

For example, during our first lives abroad, Philip started clearing his throat incessantly. He said he had a tickle in his throat, so I took him to an ENT.

Let me digress here. I didn't need a referral from our pediatrician or to check if the ENT accepted our insurance. I just walked in during his office hours. Back in Chicago, I waited for 4 days before I received a referral to an ENT, because my primary care physician's associate (my doctor, who is a wonderful, was not in that day) couldn't determine if I had an ear infection. He gave me eardrops to soften the wax, told me to take ibuprofen for the pain and return in a week. After 2 days of not being able to hear out of my left ear and of popping pills for pain, I started calling and leaving messages (I guess American receptionists are too busy to answer phones). I broke down and cried during one of my messages, and someone must have taken pity on me and called back with a referral.

Back to our German ENT. I took Philip in, and not only did the doctor look into his throat and nose, but he did both ultrasonic and endoscopic exams of his sinuses. He couldn't find anything and determined that it was probably a nervous tick. Our insurance paid 142 Euros (the Euro was about 1:1 with the dollar at the time) for everything.

When we returned to Chicago, I took the kids to a pediatrician recommended to me by my Ukrainian friends. During their physicals, I brought up Phil's throat clearing. She didn't look into his throat or nose--she couldn't be bothered--and said it's probably a tick. I also asked her to look at a mole Philip had. Again, she wouldn't look at it, and told me to keep an eye on it. Keep an eye on what? For this our insurance paid $130, not including immunizations.

Even though both came to the same conclusion, I would rather pay a little more and have a doctor actually exam my children or me.

Speaking of ultrasound, German doctors make better use of technology than US doctors. My GYN here uses ultrasound during routine exams, and I find it more reassuring to see that my uterus and ovaries look normal than to take the word of a doctor who has simply put his fingers up my vagina. My OB/GYN in Chicago would have used ultrasound more often, but he said most people's insurance won't cover it.

I'm not saying that German healthcare is better. I've had some really great doctors in the US. But, I think if we continue to say to ourselves that we have the best medical system and ignore the fact that other systems, including socialized ones, may be better, we will never improve our own.