sicko

I have never personally experienced health care in a foreign country so I asked my coworker who moved to the states from Taiwan what her impression of health care there was.  She said that everyone has access to health care in Taiwan.  Primary care and basic pharmacy needs are met at no cost to all citizens.  Surgeries and more advanced care came at a cost of 10% to the patient.  I asked her what might happen if someone couldn't afford the 10% copay and without any hesitation she said they would be provided for somehow.  In America we would never make that assumption because in reality we know that when catastrophic medical events occur people sometimes don't get help and end up bankrupt or under treated.  As we were finishing our discussion of health care in Taiwan, my coworker said, in answer to my question of whether she thought America could function like her country, "No, because of the caste system that exists in America".