Raw deal It's official: We have one of the worst healthcare systems in the world. And I'm not just talking about the lack of access to and coverage for alternative medicine. Even the most mainstream aspects of mainstream medicine -- getting an appointment with a doctor or obtaining care on evenings and weekends -- fall dismally short in this country. Researchers compared our statistics to those of five other major countries around the world: Great Britain, Australia, Germany, Canada, and New Zealand. Apparently, the U.S. is the only one of the bunch that doesn't provide universal health care to all citizens. In fact, there are roughly 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance at all. And to add insult to injury, those of us who do have insurance are actually paying at least twice -- and in some cases, three times - the going rate in other countries. Here, the average yearly cost is about $6,000. In Germany and Canada the annual rate is about half of that. And New Zealand, Australia, and Great Britain all rank somewhere in the $2,000-3,000 range. Of course, Congress is promising major healthcare reform over the next few years in this country, and this is bound to be a hot topic of debate in the upcoming presidential campaign. Unfortunately, though, most of the promises being made make little if any mention of natural medicine, so chances are you and I will still be on our own when it comes to getting -- and paying for -- the care we choose. But I suppose maybe its some consolation to know that it's not just us: Apparently everyone's getting a raw deal. | 
