Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
you think that's bad here vs. Canada????????? oh, JUST WAIT!!!! You'll be praying for this system back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not talking about applying the Canadian system here (Incidentally so is the president) but rather striking a balance such as keeping the system primarily privatized as it is now but having a government *option*. This way people who like their current insurance can keep it and those who can't get private/employer-provided insurance due to cost, pre-existing conditions, etc... can use the government *option*. Since when does it have to be either/or ?
Last edited by 5trillion; 08-10-2009 at 10:23 PM..
You can find a new family doctor in a major city like Toronto without problem. Most hospitals will be able to direct you to a family doctor that is accepting new patients. If you can't be bothered doing that there are MCI Medical Centres and other "walk-in" doctor's offices.
My family doctor has a private test clinic in her medical building and you can get whatever tests you need done immediately. It is all billed through OHIP so I never have to show anything other than my health card.
People do need to take some responsibility for their own health. You should have a family doctor that you are comfortable with. Now I realize that it rural Saskatchewan or on a First Nations Reserve then things will be different than in Toronto. Some rural communities have trouble attracting a doctor to work locally. I gather there are similar problems in the United States as well which causes people to drive for an hour to get to a doctor's office. I doubt too many physicians make house calls anymore since this isn't "Little House on the Prairie".
Yes, people can be misdiagnosed in Canada. It helps to have some sort of advocate with you to help deal with all of the information that you get bombarded with. I will mention that medical malpractice insurance is drastically cheaper in Canada suggesting that gross misconduct is relatively rare here.
I am surprised though that you have the problems that you do with a population that is about 7.5 times less than the US. I honestly believe it can work better with countries in Europe that have small populations but once your population exceeds 60 million, I don't think the system will be solvent especially if you are a country that is plagued with illegal immigration like the US is.
I am surprised though that you have the problems that you do with a population that is about 7.5 times less than the US. I honestly believe it can work better with countries in Europe that have small populations but once your population exceeds 60 million, I don't think the system will be solvent especially if you are a country that is plagued with illegal immigration like the US is.
Canada spends less money per capita on health care and we use it to cover a higher percentage of people. It seems to scale pretty well. It all depends on how much money you want to throw into the system. As far as I am concerned, things work pretty well right now. If you have a medical need for a CT scan or a MRI then you will get one. If you complain of headaches to your family doctor and you ask him/her for a MRI then you are going to wait a long time unless there is some other corroborating evidence. There are ways for your family doctor to accelerate the process if he/she truly believes that you need it. Services are rationed based on need so that hypochondriacs don't waste taxpayer dollars.
Its not that the private system will disappear... it is that the private system will double/triple in price, forcing you to use the public plan because a middle-class to poor US citizen will not be able to afford the private system.
Yea, they'll double or triple their price, and there is WMD in Iraq too right?
You guys don't really have a good history of being right about things ya know.
As a European I know what it is like and let me tell you... jja100 "quote"
Funny, your bio said you were born in the U.S.A.??? I think that makes you an American.
I am an Italian citizen and American citizen. I am an Italian citizen because my father was born in Italy. Europeans go by "law of the blood" not "law of the land" like the US. Secondly, after I was "hatched" here we moved back to Europe where I was raised.
Yea, they'll double or triple their price, and there is WMD in Iraq too right?
You guys don't really have a good history of being right about things ya know.
I got this information from the video. Not sure if you even watched it. The nurse said a check-up would be $900 under the private system.
I had stomach problems for four months and looked up the best gastroenterologist in my area. Stated that I didn't have insurance and he gave me a cash rate of $95. He performed a full physical, checked my stool for blood, and gave me medication for one month where each pill costs $1. I think I got a pretty good deal for someone that doesn't have insurance. I honestly don't know what people are complaining about here in the US. It costs more to have insurance than to not have it. Just get a basic insurance that covers things like catastrophic and cancer. Be responsible and do a genetic profile on yourself to see which diseases you are succeptible to and get a healthcare plan accordingly.
If we had less government in the US we would be better off because more insurance companies would be finding more creative plans that specialised in coverage for certain areas.
The current umbrella policies are just rediculous because you pay for so many things you don't even need such as accupuncture.
Right. But we die sooner. So your point is ... not right.
Seriously, are you interested in truth, or just in defending your dwindling tribe?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
