Poll: Is healthcare a concern for those in your profession where you live?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Oct 5, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is healthcare a concern for those in your profession where you live?".

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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 02:18
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes Oct 5, 2017

Isn't healthcare a concern for everyone, whatever their profession? When living in the UK, I relied on the National Health Service, and nowadays living in Spain I likewise depend on the national public health service. That's what my social security contributions are for. To date, I've been very satisfied with the service provided, which has included surgery for a compound wrist fracture and another couple of surgical interventions, as well as an eighteen month chemotherapy treatment, which I hap... See more
Isn't healthcare a concern for everyone, whatever their profession? When living in the UK, I relied on the National Health Service, and nowadays living in Spain I likewise depend on the national public health service. That's what my social security contributions are for. To date, I've been very satisfied with the service provided, which has included surgery for a compound wrist fracture and another couple of surgical interventions, as well as an eighteen month chemotherapy treatment, which I happen to know cost over €1000 per month, but was covered by my security payments over the years.

However, if I lived in the USA, I'd either be paying through the nose for a private healthcare policy, or likely be dead or crippled by now.
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 01:18
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes Oct 5, 2017

neilmac wrote:

Isn't healthcare a concern for everyone, whatever their profession?


Social security contributions are compulsory and they include accident, injury and sickness benefits, old-age, disability and survivors' pensions, family allowances, reimbursements for medical and hospital expenses or provision of hospital or medical services. In Portugal, official services for providing healthcare to the population are organized as the National Health Service. In addition to this public service, there is a comprehensive range of private health insurance options.


 
maryblack
maryblack  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 20:18
Member (2013)
Spanish to English
+ ...
In the U.S. it's THE worry Oct 5, 2017

Which is why, since I've moved here, I've had to not only keep translating full-time (what I want to be doing) but also hold down a full-time faculty position at a university (poorly paid, but with healthcare). Otherwise, last I checked, my health insurance payments would be $1200 a month, and that's not counting what I'd pay every time I went to the doctor. In the U.S., every single life decision is determined by whether or not we will have health insurance. And people don't realize that it doe... See more
Which is why, since I've moved here, I've had to not only keep translating full-time (what I want to be doing) but also hold down a full-time faculty position at a university (poorly paid, but with healthcare). Otherwise, last I checked, my health insurance payments would be $1200 a month, and that's not counting what I'd pay every time I went to the doctor. In the U.S., every single life decision is determined by whether or not we will have health insurance. And people don't realize that it doesn't have to be that way. But it's kinda like gun control, American exceptionalism...Collapse


 
Eden Cope
Eden Cope
United States
Local time: 19:18
Swedish to English
+ ...
Unfortunately, yes Oct 5, 2017

maryblack wrote:

Which is why, since I've moved here, I've had to not only keep translating full-time (what I want to be doing) but also hold down a full-time faculty position at a university (poorly paid, but with healthcare). Otherwise, last I checked, my health insurance payments would be $1200 a month, and that's not counting what I'd pay every time I went to the doctor. In the U.S., every single life decision is determined by whether or not we will have health insurance. And people don't realize that it doesn't have to be that way. But it's kinda like gun control, American exceptionalism...


Yep. Fortunately for me as a young adult, the Affordable Care Act has helped me immensely, but for others it is not enough and sometimes it even causes more harm. However, with this current administration's multiple attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act without replacement, I am particularly threatened as a type 1 diabetic. The inability of insurance companies to turn me away because of my preexisting condition is the entire reason that I can afford insulin, which I need to survive.

Yes, healthcare in the US is a big concern for anyone here, but especially freelancers such as translators and interpreters. We are not protected by the availability of health policies provided by work. The US health system needs serious changes and I wish that more people understood that it doesn't have to be this way. It is exhausting to constantly be campaigning just so that the basic laws protecting me don't get overturned without an adequate replacement. Fortunately, I am planning on moving to Germany next year...



[Edited at 2017-10-05 12:10 GMT]


 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 21:18
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Of course Oct 5, 2017

Of course healthcare is a concern for everyone, but thankfully in Canada the cost is not a concern. A family member is on a new drug that would cost $6000 a month if we had to pay for it, but thankfully the Quebec government plan covers it. I have been very impressed with our medical service in my personal experience.

[Edited at 2017-10-05 14:27 GMT]


 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:18
Czech to French
+ ...
Not for the cost Oct 5, 2017

...and not specifically in our profession. But there aren't enough doctors, especially dentists for example, so getting an appointment can be hell. And no real private medicine - everybody has access to the same healthcare, which sounds great up to the moment when you need an intervention and your doctor says no because he/she has used up his/her quota with your health insurance company. You aren't allowed to pay for it yourself, just because not everybody can!

 
Hege Jakobsen Lepri
Hege Jakobsen Lepri  Identity Verified
Norway
Local time: 02:18
Member (2002)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
Thankfully I'm neither worried about the cost, nor the quality. Oct 5, 2017

I've been very satisfied with what the Ontario health system can provide. I have to admit, though, that I'm healthy and on no medication except anti-histamines, and my husband's job provides coverage for dental, which is not covered by the public health system.

 
Vanda Nissen
Vanda Nissen  Identity Verified
Australia
Local time: 11:18
Member (2008)
English to Russian
+ ...
While we all should take care... Oct 5, 2017

... of our own health, I am not that concerned because we have Medicare in Australia. However, the waiting lists for some non-life-threatning conditions are very long that is why we also have a private insurance. I was happy to use it for my endoscopy procedure (it can be done at a public hospital but the waiting lists are too long).

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 22:18
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes Oct 6, 2017

In Brazil, you have three choices:
1. You have a health plan if you can afford it. It's a priority.
2. You can't afford, and you count on public services. Lots of suffering and lousy services.
3. You are very rich and you don't give a damn, as you can pay for what you need. However, rich people usually do have an excellent health plan, too.


 


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Poll: Is healthcare a concern for those in your profession where you live?






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