The Dynamic Duo

By the way, are any of you podcast listeners?  I’m wondering how urgently I need to get the podcast feed up and going so that you adoring listeners can receive the audio automatically when it is released.

Wow! I am really appreciating how much power I seem to have been bestowed with. First, Mike claims to respond to the DD debate at my command and now this. I’m excited to listen to it later when I get more time. Oh, and to clear the record on how “obedient” Mike is. Last night I informed him that the silverware drawer seemed to be getting stuck and that as the man of the house he needed to fix it. I then reminded him that he “always does what he is told.” He quickly responded, “come on. You know that was purely for comedic effect.” [Long drawn out sigh from Chenoa-the-Martyr.)

Do you mean are we i-tunes podcast listeners? I’m happy to just listen to it on the DD site.

by the way Chenoa, are you on any instant messaging services (skype, MSN messenger, AIM, ichat?)

Also, yes I meant the same podcasting as you might find on iTunes.  iTunes is not, of course, the only means of subscribing to podcasts.  Many do not realize that you don’t need an ipod to listen to podcasts.

First off, UltraGirl, you speak great English.

Second, thank you both. Your discussion was very interesting and it was nice to hear Linc chiming in from time to time. I’m glad to hear he has an informed opinion on the subject as well.

What you mentioned about the quality and advanced technology of medicine in the US is one of the arguments opponents of universal healthcare fall back on most often. They often claim that if we adopt universal health care we will do so at the risk of losing top-notch healthcare. My response is that if you cannot afford any health care, that’s a sacrifice you’re willing to make. And of course, for those who can afford to go to the top cancer research universities, cardiologists, etc (I’d wager it’s a small percentage), I believe they will still be able to afford such care. They will merely pay for it on top of what other health plan they already have.

I am curious how much your annual payment into the national insurance system costs you. Can you throw out any numbers? Also, what percentage of your income is paid for taxes? Is it a gradated system as we have in the US?

Your discussion re: organ transplants was very interesting. I was not aware of that. Is the reason behind the prohibition cultural?

I’d read recently about a custody battle over a baby born via surrogacy in India. At the time I assumed the Japanese parents had traveled to India for the surrogacy program for the same reason many Americans travel to India, Thailand, Chili, etc. for major surgeries and fertility treatments (i.e. fairly good quality medical services for much less money than an identical treatment would cost in the U.S.).

Bob, you hinted at how costs are kept down in the Japanese health care system. Any ideas on how much commercialism there is in the Japanese medical system? i.e. in the U.S. equipment and pharmaceutical sales play a big role in costs (salesmen convincing Dr.s to prescribe certain medicines, upgrade, etc.). Not saying that equipment upgrades are not a good thing, but I’ve heard recently that equipment salesmen are often in the operating room to advise the doctor which implement is best in which case. These “surgical upgrades” can raise prices as well.

Chenoa, I haven’t listened to it yet, but here is an NPR report on it:

The associated article seemed to answer some of your questions.  Our OB-Gyn drives a Mercedes Benz and seems to have most of the upper floor of the hospital as an office as well as a house somewhere else so he seems to be doing ok financially.