[sarah]

Here in France, the sicker you are the more the coverage, if you have cancer, everything for it is paid for 100% including taxis to treatment and all prescriptions, physical therapy, etc. However trials are a little different and I'm not sure what outside of the trial is covered. As long as my oncologist felt I needed Herceptin and Femara, I got it and he consulted me about going off it. We decided together and I delayed going off it for over 1 year. I get a Petscan and numerous other tests free every year. We pay into the universal health system as does everyone in France. We all love it!!! no hassles. It's considered a right in France not a luxury.
It pains me when I hear people fighting about their insurance and reminds me when I was diagnosed the first time and I called my excellent Californian health insure provider to let them know, I ended up in tears and hysterical and my husband forbade me to ever speak to them again and jsut asked me to tell what doctors I wanted and which hospital and he fought the fight. I believe it cost us out of pocket an extra $20,000. luckily we were both working back then and it didn't totally cripple us. It's not the reason we moved to France - I was told I was cured!!! but since I did get sick again, I'm really glad I was here and the hospitals are clean, the nurses so sweet, you are really indulged - they have people come around and give you massages, manicures, make-up and psychologists and nutritionists if you want it and being France you're offered wine with meals!!! I told them I didn't think it went with chemo!!!
oh and the cost to the French government is half what the US government pays out for medical costs!!! interesting, n'est-ce pas??? People rarely go to the emergency ward here - only in traffic accidents etc. You pay a GP 22 euro (about $29) per visit and you get back 16 euro if you're in the system. So the GP treats most problems instead of you having to rush off to emergency. My oncologist (world renown, speaks at ASCO, etc) I pay 80 euro and get back 40.
Americans pay less in taxes, the French pay more but their health system is fairer, their roads and trains are great, so it's a question of priorities and lifestyle.