Posted by Riccardo Pentenero (194.116.8.3) on September 10, 1999 at 02:38:09:
Some news from Italy.
The italian Government has defined the Cluster headache a "Social" illness!
What do this means, you'll ask?
In Italy only 5% of poulation has a private health insurance. We all have (and are obliged to pay from 1,000 to 2,500$ per year, on a salary basis !!!) a "state insurance" that covers the 30% if kind of medicines, the 30% of exams and analysis, the 100% of Hospital recovery and surgical operations, and the family doctor. This insurance already cover our illness with work, in the sense that you can stay at home for approx 3 months per year with all your salary.
Another difference between us and US (mmmh what a joke!) we cannot be dismiss for illness, if we do not get over 1 year of absence from the job.----sorry JohnB!---
....But the medicines and the analysis free are very few, and, for example, I ever paid 80$ for a shot of Imitrex.
Now, CH become "social illness", then Imitrex and many other pills related to CH are TOTALLY FREE.
I have only a question for you: our government said that in Italy there are more than 250,000 people suffering of CH. I think this may be a bit high percentage. On the total of italian people is 0.5 %.
Is this the same in US (or other countries)????
Ciao for now, and pain free days