Log In | Register
As if there weren't enough reasons for passing health insurance reform, Rush Limbaugh just gave America another one: his promise to leave the country!
I’ll just tell you this, if this passes...I am leaving the country.
Wow, what a gift! I think the Democrats should take advantage of this opportunity, don't you? At least one blogger has had the foresight to start a campaign to help Rush pack his bags by demanding that Congress passes health care reform NOW!
Well, last year he bid New York goodbye, so maybe the rest of the country could have that state's good fortune, too. As for Rush's destination of choice, Costa Rica, it is the most stable democracy in Latin America, it has no military, a female President-elect, low infant mortality, high life expectancy and a public health care system!
Costa Rica is a very healthy country. Costa Rica’s health status is comparable to that of developed nations. The country’s private health clinics have international fame and attract people from around the world for everything from dental care and ocular laser surgery to major cosmetic surgery and life extension treatments.
Costa Ricans are proud of their nation’s achievements in the field of health care. Their up-to-date, affordable, state-run “cradle to grave” health care system reaches all levels of society by offering the same medical treatment to the poor as those with greater resources. Hospitals, clinics and complete medical services are available in all major cities and some small towns. More than 90 percent of the population is covered by the Social Security System.
Many international medical authorities rate Costa Rica as having one of the best low-cost medical care systems in the world, when preventive and curative medicines are considered. The United Nations consistently ranks Costa Rica’s public health system as the best in Latin America and one of the top 20 in the world.
It is no wonder a large number of foreigners are attracted to Costa Rica because of its affordable health care. In the United States, for example, millions of people do not have health insurance because it is prohibitively expensive. For this reason, Costa Rica attracts many retirees from North America. It doesn’t matter if you are a legal resident or a traveler. Everyone is entitled to emergency care at a government hospital.
Costa Ricans are a healthy people. The infant mortality rate of less than 11 in 100,000 live births is lower than that in the United States. This figure is on par with any industrialized country in the world. Life expectancy is 76.3 years for men and 79.8 years for women. Today, an 80-year-old man has a life expectancy of at least eight (actually, 8.4) years. This puts Costa Rica in first place in the world for life expectancy from this age up. Iceland and Japan follow with 7.7 years. Costa Rican women at age 80 are expected to live longer than men of the same age, 9.5 years, slightly behind the women of Japan and France.
Hospitals have the latest equipment, and laboratories are excellent. You can feel safe having most operations without returning to the United States or Canada. Most surgical procedures cost only a fraction of what they do in the United States. For example, a heart bypass operations costs about a third of what it does in the United States.
Even if you are in good health, the probability of needing medical care increases with age. The security of knowing that good health services are available represents an enormous relief.
What a progressive country -- I just hope they'll let him in! If they don't, someplace more in keeping with his political views and the kind of health care system he wants: Paraguay, for example. Although, he may not be totally happy in Paraguay, as their current President is the first one from the Left in 74 years.
Do you want to help send Rush packing?
Sources:
