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I'd like to react on Mrs. Trudy Rubin's column in The Times on Thursday.
I am a resident alien for over 15 years and enjoy the privilege and pleasure of living in the U.S. I am from the Netherlands, one of the countries mentioned with a socialized medicine.
I realize that I am a guest in this country but as I pay taxes, and (very high) medical insurance premiums, with some pre-existing conditions and a deductible of $10,000 per family member I think I am entitled to join the discussion about health care in the U.S.
Mrs. Rubin hits the nail on her head. The European systems may be socialized (I do not understand why "social" is a dirty word here) but there are no uninsured people, there is top quality medical and social care, there are no pre-existing conditions and the insurers are private companies.
You can choose your own doctor, specialist and hospital, even in another country. In case you cannot afford the premiums because you lost your job, you will not be obliged to sell everything you have and end up living in your car.
A further interesting point is that some U.S. prescription medicines can be bought in Europe for a lower price than they are here. Apparently the European patients pay less for research than their Americans colleagues.
It is my experience that the socialized Europeans are happy with their systems and do not understand why this must be such an issue in the U.S.
As far as the costs are concerned, Mrs. Rubin gives a correct assessment of the reasons why they are much lower in Europe than here. She did, however, not mention another important aspect; the fact that the socialized health care system is not infected with a suing culture that forces doctors, specialists and hospitals to cover risk of absurd claims by paying astronomical insurance premiums, prescribe unnecessary tests just to be on the safe side, and make us fill out and sign at every doctors visit disclaimer forms, payment promises and legal forms that requires a legal education to understand.
I hope that many people will read Mrs. Rubin's column and that the American people and their (well-insured) representatives stop being afraid for myths and instead learn of proven facts and give the U.S. a health care system that is in line with the spirit, the greatness and what we are all entitled to, in this most developed nation in the world.
Jan Lucas Kuiper
Gainesville