In this dawning XXIst century, fear is the strongest universal common denominator. It lies at the basis of the nationalist reflux the entire Western system has to cope with. This reflux explains why, despite media globalization, this year’s presidential election campaigns are permanently focusing on domestic issues instead of drawing parallels with the rest of the world. Dialectics, you see, are not in anymore because they tend to soften government and corporate control over what Marx called “the masses” (but, in this case, one might as easily say the individuals).
New internationalist dialectics might learn us a few things, though : compare the Toulouse killings with the cold blooded murder of Trayvon Martin or the recent massacre in an Oakland university, for instance, and you will obtain a view of the events that is radically different from that allowed by an almost autistic nationalist interpretation.
There is another issue that certainly deserves a global approach : public health care ! The debate about health care reform and whether it should actually be implemented is raging in the US as we write. How could a small insignificant little Gaul from this surreal country called Belgium shed a new light on the subject ?
Over here, we consider freedom is best served through mutual benefit insurance companies. These “mutals”, as we call them, while applying a series of federal guidelines, remain autonomous to a certain extent. In other words, basic coverage is the same for everyone, but marketing isn’t forbidden : if any particular mutual wants to go even further, nothing prevents it from doing so. In this case, “basic” mustn’t be interpreted minimalistically : a visit to a doctor costs about 7 € (9,20 $). Most patrician acts and most (legal) drugs are largely covered (up to 80 % of their cost), even if they occur or are used inside an hospital. To avoid misuse, public authorities, doctors’ representatives and pharmaceutical companies are regularly meeting in order to keep drug prices at an acceptable level.
Even more interesting is the right for every patient / customer to choose ! Christian, socialist, liberal and even neutral mutual benefit insurance companies coexist in Belgium : it takes all sorts to make a world…
But what might such a global insurance cost, you ask ? An individual is fully covered at the rate of 170 € (223,40 $) a year ! Wouldn’t you rather buy a house, a car, your next holiday or your kid’s tuition fee (also much more affordable in our country) than overpay a private insurance company ???… If freedom benefits solely to a set of private companies while being detrimental to the general public, can it still be called freedom ?…
There remains one gap in our health care system, though : it foresees no intervention in the cost of an hospital room. Therefore, the Flemish government (and hopefully the federal government in its trail) is now debating an additional insurance policy to fill said gap.
Still convinced of the supremacy of the old US system ?… Sorry, but intellectual deficiency isn’t part of the contract…
Intrgalaktiklyon's Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.