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How can some of you believe that social health care can succeed in the US? Didn't you see what happened in Hawaii recently?
I have news for you: I am a retire military member, and am fully aware of what socialized medicine is, since I had it for over 20 years. If government health care if what you want, go for it, but it will be real expensive and the lines will be long.
Just wait and see who is going to pay for the health care of perhaps 20-million illegal immigrants and their children
Well--your "neighbors" are not the way the majority of Canadians feel. My mom was the oldest of 15---yes, catholic---and I have tons of relatives in Quebec. Not once have I heard a complaint about it other than having to wait once in awhile. (like we don't do that here). Maybe if you stop waving your flag and listen to folks in other countries, you could actually learn something!
Spend some time in Burlington, VT, Plattsburgh, NY, and Buffalo: look around the hospitals and clinics, and talk to the Canadians in there. You will see plenty. I lived in those towns for years, and the hospitals and private clinics were full of Canadians who could afford paying for fast care.
A lot of Canadian doctors graduate in Canada, and then immigrate to the US to work and make money.
How many people think it will actually work? It has proven many times to not work. If you like waiting in DMV lines, then social health care will be right up your ally. I have family/friends in Canada where social health care is practiced. They say if you are really sick, need to see a specialist, or have an operation, you go to the states to have anything done. You will be waiting MONTHS to have anything done in Canada, even if it is life threatening. That sounds GREAT to me!! YAY!!
Also, to get anything major done, you have to know how to manipulate the system to get to the front of the line. A former co-worker's Canadian wife had a knee problem. I had heard she was at the hospital and expressed my empathy - hoping her condition wasn't very bad. He replied to me - she's fine, you just have to know how to work the system. If you go to the ER you can get follow up treatment sooner than if you go through your regular doctor. Any system that turns the users into liars and manipulators has some serious flaws.
My dad had actual stomach cancer and in order to get him a bed in Bethlehem PA he was admitted through the emergency room here. When his doc tried to sched his surgery, he was told at least 5 weeks, so they go through emergency which has to take you. My mammogram is 9 weeks away. And my sister's foot operation is scheduled for 4 months from now. All American, all private insurers. My husband needs to be seen for anxiety, we moved, how bad do you think he felt, and in the Northern Virginia area, the doctors for new patients are backed up 3 months, we went to the emergency room as instructed by the physician.
How can some of you believe that social health care can succeed in the US? Didn't you see what happened in Hawaii recently?
I have news for you: I am a retire military member, and am fully aware of what socialized medicine is, since I had it for over 20 years. If government health care if what you want, go for it, but it will be real expensive and the lines will be long.
Just wait and see who is going to pay for the health care of perhaps 20-million illegal immigrants and their children
And Ray are you still taking your tricare? I cannot because I got remarried, but I would have it now if I could. Just a drive in to the base pharmacy once a month would be enough to cover any costs associated with tricare. I have the best care my company offers, and I pay the extra and we are paying 210 a month copay on top of the premium just for drugs. When you have a good system, you do not realize what others are going through.
I agree with Alaska's model for healthcare if it works.
State of Alaska | Health Care Services Denali KidCare is a State of Alaska program designed to ensure that children and teens of both working and non-working families can have the health insurance they need.
Many people have noted all the people coming from Canada to have an operation in the US... How are those all lies???
My neighbor is not a middle class person.. He is EXTREMELY wealthy. He has made millions in the stock market, owns 6 homes and does not work a single day in his life. His family comes to the us for operations because they do not want to WAIT in Canada.
Many people have noted all the people coming from Canada to have an operation in the US... How are those all lies???
My neighbor is not a middle class person.. He is EXTREMELY wealthy. He has made millions in the stock market, owns 6 homes and does not work a single day in his life. His family comes to the us for operations because they do not want to WAIT in Canada.
No. The Canadian socialized health care system just means everyone has access to a doctor. It doesn't mean they have great health care. They only fund "x" number of procedures a year. When those procedures have been performed, that is it for the year. Politicians campaign on how many of what type of surgeries they will add to the budget that year. Say they only fund 5000 anthroscopic (sp?) knee surgeries a year. If your case is #5001 you either wait until next year or you have the old style surgery with the big long incisions that take forever to heal.
I have a friend in Calgary whose granddaughter was suspected of having stomach cancer. It took three months to get scheduled for a needle biopsy. The day of the biopsy they were at the hospital for 16 hours. When they couldn't do the procedure they didn't say come back tomorrow. They said they would put the granddaughter back on the list and maybe they could get to her in six months.
I have sleep apnea and was told I should be reevaluated every three years. When it was time to be reevaluated I was given a referral by my general practioner. I received a letter from Alberta Health stating that it would be 14 months before I could see a sleep specialist. If I needed to be seen sooner, i.e. my condition was of life-threatening severity, then I should turn in my driver's license to the nearest registry and they would try to get me in sooner.
Also you need to consider how much the system really costs. It's true you don't pay much at all for doctor visits and meds. (I moved back to the U.S. in 2002 so don't remember details like co-pays.) Canadians pay about 50% of their earnings in taxes to pay for everything that their government supplies to everyone - regardless of ability to pay.
Also, to get anything major done, you have to know how to manipulate the system to get to the front of the line. A former co-worker's Canadian wife had a knee problem. I had heard she was at the hospital and expressed my empathy - hoping her condition wasn't very bad. He replied to me - she's fine, you just have to know how to work the system. If you go to the ER you can get follow up treatment sooner than if you go through your regular doctor. Any system that turns the users into liars and manipulators has some serious flaws.
I cannot address the health care system in Alberta...Each province is responsible for it own. Here in BC I have never had to a long wait for any procedure.
In the past year I have had pancreatitus and was admitted for treatment immediately. Had my Gall bladder removed shortly after (Gall stones caused the pancreatitus) In April I had a heart attack and had a stent installed within two hours. Even a regular check up is done with out a long wait. Below is a link explaining wait times in BC.
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