AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Chat Area Opinions on M. Moore's SICKO

Not trying to be argumentative, but I would love to see this documentation. All the history I read shows quite the opposite. It is in the best interest of the West to make consumers out of the impoverished and where leaders allow it to happen, it works very well, thank you.

interesting reading. i know nothing, so i stay out.

getting back to the beginning, 2 years ago, i got divorced. i was a stay at home mom for 10 yrs, and have no college degree. had to take a job - best one i could do with no resume was for $13/hr with no benefits. ended up i could not take care of my kids keeping the job hours, so i quit and took a part time job.

now, i am available to take care of my family, but i have to pay all my own expenses. i picked up a medical plan i could afford, with a high deductible.

so, i have to pay $3600/yr just to HAVE insurance. i pay copays and RX's myself, and so far have paid out over $2000 toward my deductible (including $775 to poo in a bucket to make sure BZ didnt give me a parasite). i had stomach pains a few weeks after my ex informed me he was taking me to court for primary custody of our kids. i called my doctor, they said call my GI. i did, they were out of the office and told me to go to the ER.

i did. two months later, i get a bill for $3500 from the hospital(plus $500 from radiology, etc) - the ins had denied my claim. i had the hospital resubmit, and am still waiting.

so, did i mention i was a single mom working part time and covering my own expenses? i am fortunate enuff to be middle class and get child support, or i would either be really screwed financially, or would carry no insurance.

now bf and i are starting a small business, and are looking at paying out $10+K/yr in health ins. until we get really running, we will be in the hole because of health insurance - our highest expense by far.

all we can say is, "oh well. that's the way it is."

bf figures that maybe if US politicians had to pay their family's health insurance out of pocket, they may see it as an issue, but won't as long as it doesn't hurt them personally.

I recently had a conversation with a person that I would count as reliable and in the emergency medical business, all be it in Utah. He states that large numbers of illegals are coming into the US only for medical care then returning to Mexico. If that is happening in Utah one can only imagine how many are only going as far as CA, AZ, or TX. And it says a lot for just how easy it is to get into the US.

oh, and i don't know if it relates, but - as far as charitable contributions by affluent companies...

my ex contributed to charities when he went over a certain salary too - because his accountant told him he HAD to...they need deductions to offset the huge profits...not out of the goodness of their corporate hearts.

I love Jesus' parable where he saw more value in the few coins the poor widow gave (all she had) than the many given by the rich (a basic line item on their P&L)! So true.

I don't believe it is a gap between the rich and poor that is the problem. I think it is the gap between those who want to make the world a better place for everyone and those who want to make the world a better place for themselves that is the problem.

Thanks to all who have given us a hand up in one way or another.

I strongly believe in "paying it forward" and helping each other.

Brava TG! You are an example of living those words.

Do unto others as you would have everyone do.

Thanks Otter I really meant it.

My list would be quite long if I counted all the people who have done nice things for us since we got here. That is a pretty good feeling, it has helped us ride through some hard times and know that we can come through any situation.

By many peoples standards we would fall under the "have not" category, one of the lessons I have learned from San Pedro and the people here is that being rich does not necessarily = money in the bank (although that is nice too)

I can identify with the feeling those sick people felt in the Cuban hospital being so grateful for the the care they were getting, and finally feeling like they were getting their health back on track.

(I have had strangers stop on the street here to ask me if I was ok when I was a bit blue and just the fact that someone I did not even know noticed and asked was a huge part to me feeling better right away)

Maybe as a whole we do not have all the answers or any easy solutions, but I think taking the time out to be nice to someone or lend a helping hand to someone needs it we would all be better off.

Now I am getting quite sappy ha ha it is time to go back to burning cd's of yesterdays boat trip