Women's Health in El Salvador

I found this article from the New York Times Magazine while browsing around the internet. It's a interesting article about the current abortion laws in El Salvador, and it disgusted me. In El Salvador abortion is illegal, and both the woman seeking an abortion and the doctor or otherwise performing it face jail time if caught. There is no exception for the health or the life of the mother, nothing for rape or incest. Doctors are even scared to end ectopic pregnancies, where a fertilized egg gets stuck in the fallopian tube. That situation does not result in a baby, but in pain and possible death for the woman. If done early, a simple operation can remove the fetus. If its allowed to grow until the organ ruptures it becomes a medical emergency. In El Salvador, the unlucky women are forced to wait until the fetus dies on its own or their fallopian tube ruptures, before the operation is allowed.

I just don't understand the view that a group of cells is more important than an already living life.

There are people that want these sorts of laws in the United States too. They must truly hate women and want to cause all kinda of needless suffering.

Single Payer FAQ

Some Frequently Asked Questions from Physicians for a National Health Program about a Single Payer Health Insurance Program

http://www.pnhp.org/facts/singlepayer_faq.php#socialized

I was just looking around for more information on Single Payer and found some great stuff I wanted to share.

Here's a little video about the basics. http://www.grahamazon.com/sp/whatissinglepayer.php

Some information about Taiwan and their single payer system http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89651916

This one is about Japan's system http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89626309 while Japan has a multi- payer system, insurance companies can't deny people because of pre-existing conditions and they have to cover all doctor visits. Premiums are low because the government sets the price for many procedures and medications.

National Health Care/ Single Payer Healthcare

This is a topic that has become increasingly important and something that I dearly hope our next President can tackle.

There is a lot wrong with the for profit health care system we have in the United States. Whether or not you can go to the doctor should not depend on how much money you have or if you can afford health insurance.

If you have had to not see a doctor because of money or have been screwed by a doctor's office or your insurance company, you probably agree with me on this.

If you still think that America has the best health care in the world, here are some facts for you:


The United States ranks 23rd in infant mortality, down from 12th in 1960 and 21st in 1990

The United States ranks 20th in life expectancy for women down from 1st in 1945 and 13th in 1960

The United States ranks 21st in life expectancy for men down from 1st in 1945 and 17th in 1960. http://cthealth.server101.com/the_case_for_universal_health_care_in_the_united_states.htm

The U.S. spends more on health care per capita ($4,637 in 2000) and as a proportion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than any other nation in the world http://www.commonwealthfund.org/usr_doc/leatherman_chbk_520.pdf?section=4039

From Guaranteed Healthcare here are the Top 10 reasons for a single payer system:

1. Healthcare for everyone, period

2. Portability. If you change jobs or are unemployed, you still get healthcare.

3. Uniform benefits. Everyone gets the same care, not better care for those who can pay more.

4. Prevention. Everyone can afford preventative care which improves health and lowers costs.

5. Choice of physician. No more worries about, "Is this doctor in my preferred network?"

6. Ending insurance industry interference with care. Caregivers and patients decide what's needed, not an insurance company deciding what's covered.

7. Reducing administrative waste.

8. Cost savings. A single payer system would cover everyone with the savings from reducing waste.

Taiwan, shifting from a U.S. healthcare model, adopted a single-payer system in 1995, boosting health coverage from 57% to 97% with little if any increase in overall healthcare spending.

9. Common sense budgeting including setting fair prices and getting volume discounts.

10. Public oversight. The public sets the policies and administers, instead of our current for profit system. http://www.guaranteedhealthcare.org/fact/top-10-reasons-enacting-single-payer-healthcare-system

http://www.grahamazon.com/sp/
http://www.pnhp.org/
http://www.healthcare-now.org/