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eridani

(51,907 posts)
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 07:35 AM Mar 2014

Spaniards Say No to Privatized Healthcare


http://www.popularresistance.org/spaniards-say-no-to-privatized-healthcare/

The Spanish healthcare system was ranked seventh best in the world by the World Health Organization in 2000. But last year, Spain appeared to be well on its way to adopting a healthcare system more akin to the one used in the United States, which ranked 37th

In October 2012, Ignacio González, the leader of Madrid’s regional government, put forward a plan to privatize six hospitals and 10 percent of the city’s health centers. Critics feared the plan was the first step toward privatization of hospitals in other regions.

But after a wave of strikes by medical providers, as well as lawsuits and a popular referendum, Spanish unions and citizens have won a decisive victory in the battle for public healthcare. On January 27, the Popular Party (PP), Spain’s center-right ruling party, canceled the planned privatization of Madrid’s hospitals.

Shortly after the plan was announced in 2012, a coalition of unions called the first general strike in Madrid’s healthcare sector. The “white wave”—a reference to the medical smocks that strikers wore—quickly spread to the rest of the country as healthcare workers in 15 cities supported Madrid by staging a sympathy strike. This was followed by a popular referendum in May 2013, which resulted in more than a million people going on record to oppose privatization.
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dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
1. "Privatized Healthcare" means different things in different countries.
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 07:51 AM
Mar 2014

See Holland for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_the_Netherlands

In the UK none of our general practitioners work for the NHS : they are paid to do work on behalf of the NHS. Similarly the NHS pays for the use , on occasions, of some private hospitals that being economically more efficient.

iandhr

(6,852 posts)
3. In France healthcare is also a public private partnership.
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 10:28 AM
Mar 2014

In France every French citizen pays a 200 euro a year free for the government insurance (called Social Security) which doesn't cover everything but does cover a large portion.

What Social Security doesn't pay for you use private issuance to cover the remainder.

eridani

(51,907 posts)
13. It isn't a partnership at all. The government dictates the prices and coverage
Thu Mar 27, 2014, 02:10 AM
Mar 2014

--for the private insurance that covers the 30% copay.

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
4. this is the long term prospect the repukes (and some dems) fear for our nation...
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 10:45 AM
Mar 2014

when ACA eventually becomes single payer (yes, I believe that) the right wing will have no power over peoples health and an avenue to brain wash people.

 

Sheepshank

(12,504 posts)
5. IMHO there are abolutely 4 istems that should NEVER be privitized
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 10:47 AM
Mar 2014

water distribution
military
schools
healthcare.

Republicans are shilling for all 4. Fuckers!

mountain grammy

(26,571 posts)
6. Bravo! Wonder if a simple "Medicare for All" referendum was put before the American people
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 10:51 AM
Mar 2014

if it would succeed? Call me crazy, but I think it actually would.

TBF

(31,922 posts)
9. Only if we do paper ballots -
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 09:38 PM
Mar 2014

I can only imagine what would happen to the voting machines if that were up for vote.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
17. It would pass. Even in the face of years of propaganda.
Thu Mar 27, 2014, 07:19 AM
Mar 2014

The media pretends that these alternate health care systems do not exist.

But because of Canada's close proximity they have found it necessary to create false stories about the Canadian system.

Funny how the truth has gotten through to the American people anyway.

Aristus

(66,096 posts)
7. I would gladly and proudly join that strike.
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 10:54 AM
Mar 2014

It's wonderful to see medical providers striking in favor of national health care, instead of against it.

'Profits Before Patients' is a policy that brings shame to the American medical profession.

Sarah Ibarruri

(21,043 posts)
11. I spent a lot of time at Hospital Gregorio Maraņon with someone I loved who was sick.
Wed Mar 26, 2014, 11:32 PM
Mar 2014

I'm glad the Spanish don't take things sitting down. The culprits are the members of the Partido Popular (similar to the GOP but in truth not as horrific as the GOP, which is scary to me since they are an offshoot of the fascist government under long-dead fascist dictator Francisco Franco. So what's scary is what that says about the GOP.


Dr. Coates: We have been hearing about many protests against austerity in Europe, in Spain, in Madrid. What is the justification used by the government to move to privatize the public system?

Dr. Sanchez Bayle: The government says that it’s the crisis and that there is no money, but it’s a lie. They have allocated 215,695 million pesetas to bail out the banks, and with these measures they say that they will save 7,000 million pesetas in health care. What they want to do is to use the excuse of the crisis to privatize health care, to put it in private hands in order to make a profit on the health of the people.

Dr. Coates: What is your view of this demand for austerity?

Dr. Sanchez Bayle: I have already said that they want to take away peoples’ rights in favor of the banks and private businesses.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/13/defending-public-healthcare-in-madrid/

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
18. Today's American Republican Party doesn't bear a passing resemblance to Fascism.
Thu Mar 27, 2014, 07:23 AM
Mar 2014

They are precisely Fascist.

"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini

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