Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2016, Qupperneq 20

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 11 — 2016
20
Offering fresh Icelandic cuisine in a
stylish and casual atmosphere in the heart
of down town Reykjavík.
isafoldrestaurant . is
Þingholtsstræti 5 - tel: 595 8535
RESTAURANT
ÍSAFOLD
Fresh local food and cozy ambiance in the city center
Kitchen open from 11:30 - 22:00

Þingholtsstræti 5 - Tel: 595 8535 - www.isafoldrestaurant.is
Hello, Icelanders. American-born
citizen here. I've noticed there's
been a lot of speculation as to
what opening a private hospital—
as one Dutch company hopes to
do—would do to a country with
a national healthcare system. As
someone who grew up in a country
with private health care, I beg you:
Please, do not let this happen here.
Here's why:
Not once in my entire adult life
in the United States did I pay a
visit to a doctor for a check-up, nor
did I visit a dentist. This wasn't a
political stance on my part, but
rather because I was one of the
millions of Americans whose em-
ployers did not offer some kind of
healthcare plan. As such, I went
through life hoping I would never
become seriously ill, rather than
going in for regular check-ups that
could help prevent serious illness.
I figured that if I got sick enough,
or was seriously injured, I would
simply go to the emergency room
and then skip out on the bill—
which would most likely ruin my
credit rating.
The credit rating angle is inter-
esting, too. If I did ruin my credit
rating by skipping out on an emer-
gency room bill, this would likely
shut me out of being able to take
out loans that I might use for pay-
ing for healthcare.
Even being covered isn’t enough
But even being lucky enough to
have an employer who deems you
worthy of a health plan doesn’t
guarantee you much. What if you
lose your job? What if you want
to look for a new job? What if you
don’t want to work for the rest
of your natural life just to have
something resembling decent
healthcare? What if you have a
plan that doesn’t cover exactly
what is damaging or has damaged
your health? Well, hope you saved
your pennies.
One of the first things I did
when I came to Iceland was go in
for a general check-up, and go see
a dentist. I was delighted to do
so. In fact, the common notion
that we are all entitled to basic
healthcare is one of the reasons
why I moved to Iceland in the first
place. When my daughter was
born, we paid for nothing. And I
am pleased that my daughter, who
requires special needs care, can
enjoy not only basic healthcare but
additional assistance because we
predominantly consider it a given
that everyone is entitled to this.
I mean, sometimes I imagine
what would have happened if my
child had been born in the US in-
stead of here in Iceland. I imagine
arguing with my insurance com-
pany, if I even had one. I imagine
maxing out credit cards, drown-
ing in debt, cutting corners to
poverty levels just to get the kind
of services that cost little to noth-
ing in this country.
Don’t let it happen here
Opening a private hospital in
this country would siphon away
healthcare workers from a system
that is already in desperate need of
support. The private health sector
would grow, while public health
would wither. It would divide us
between those who can afford to
stay healthy, and those who will
have to either rely on their bosses
to offer healthcare, or simply cross
their fingers and hope for the best.
This isn't theory; this is reality for
millions of Americans right now.
Do not listen to the specula-
tions of the country's neoliberals.
You need only look westward to
see the end result of introducing
private healthcare. I can attest,
from firsthand experience, that
introducing a private healthcare
sector would ruin us.
Stand up for justice. Stand
up for equality. Fight corporate
healthcare.
Corporate
“Health Care”
Will Ruin
Us All
OPINION
“This isn't theory; this is reality for
millions of Americans right now.”
Words PAUL FONTAINE