HW#26: Looking Back and Forth in Unit

What I learned so far:

1.) There are flaws in the U.S. health care system that has infinite reasons to deny coverage so the companies can maximize their profits. (Sicko)

2.) Health unsurance in the U.S. started in the congress. President Nixon approved HMO's around 1973 for the purpose of gaining profit. (Sicko)

3.) One of the main reasons why U.S health insurance is exspensive is because of indigent care. Individuals who do not have money tend to go to emergency rooms which are more pricey than normal doctor appointments. Public hospitals pay the money which can cause the hospital to collapse. (Andy)

4.) Doctors sometimes make decisions through conversations with each other instead of with the patient. The issue of consent gets confusing. (Near Death)

5.) Doctors pursuade ill patients toward certain 'care.' In the film, a doctor told the patient the choice of rejecting tubes going in his body again was 'unreasonable' and said that money was not the main issue at hand. (Near Death)

So far in the unit, I learned a glimpse of the history of U.S. health insurance system and the contrast of U.S health insurance to those of Canada and Europe. I also learned that health insurance and the issue of the relationships between doctor and patient is not simple. The film 'Sicko' was helpful in having a better understanding of the dominant social practices of illness and dying. For some reason, I didn't think much about health insurance, and the film helped me develop an opinion on the system. It gave me some insight into the vague flaws of the health insurance in the U.S. and introduced places that provided free universal health care. Not only was the film interesting, but it was a helpful introduction to give me a sense of the reality of health insurance. It was easy to follow and helped me gain interest in the subject of health insurance and how this connects to the dominant practices of our unit.

Another helpful source was the documentary 'Near Death.' Our dominant model of allopathic medicine is portrayed well in the film and helped me deeply think about the dominant practices of dying. Doctors in these hospitals deal with dying and ill patients all the time, and sadly, there are times when they cannot base decisions solely based on the sick patient. The film so far has made me question theses dominant practices, and if perhaps our society does not treat death as a serious topic.

For the last part of the unit, I think exploring the alternatives and possible solutions in the flaws of allopathic treatment and our health insurance system. I'd like to learn more and make a contrast between different countries when dealing with health insurace. Free universal health insurance seems like the best solution, but then why did many Republicans disagree with Obama's plan? A difference in opinion means that not everyone thinks free health care is best-I like to learn why, or at least their opinion.