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I have a lot of CDN snowbird neighbors and I'd rate their approval rating of their health care system around 85%
The only 'bad' stories are waiting times for non-emergency surgeries. Evidently there's a current shortage of surgeons. The wait times for knee replacement (non-emergency) seems to be 3 or 4 months.
Someone I knew waited 6 months for his hip replacement right here in the states.
The reason he had to wait so long is that he had a couple of long-term chronic health issues that his surgeon wanted resolved before surgery. And the reason he had those issues is that he had avoided regular doctor visits, in part because of finances.
I also knew a woman who had to wait six months for her bariatric surgery. Her surgeon wanted her to demonstrate that she could follow a diet before he operated on her.
So whenever I hear of long wait times for non-emergency care, I wonder what the whole story is.
Canadians may have "free" healthcare but they are paying for it! Everything in Canada is more expensive - cost of living, houses, cars, clothing ect.. That is why they flock down here to purchase cars, clothing ect...
Nothing is free folks - you may get that free physical but taking the kids to McDonalds afterwards is going to cost you. We use to frequent Toronto quite a bit - but it's gotten so expensive that we find interesting things to do right around home.
Someone I knew waited 6 months for his hip replacement right here in the states.
The reason he had to wait so long is that he had a couple of long-term chronic health issues that his surgeon wanted resolved before surgery. And the reason he had those issues is that he had avoided regular doctor visits, in part because of finances.
I also knew a woman who had to wait six months for her bariatric surgery. Her surgeon wanted her to demonstrate that she could follow a diet before he operated on her.
So whenever I hear of long wait times for non-emergency care, I wonder what the whole story is.
80 year old Mexican woman suffers a hip fracture in Mexico. 2 days later she comes to the US to "visit family." Visits our ER instead. Do you have insurance? No. Can you pay the $300 fee? No. That's fine, we'll immediately send you over to the orthopedic surgeon for surgery. Surgery and rehab for free. True story. It happens all the time.
If the Canadian system is so much better than ours, then why are Canadians increasingly coming to the US for care?
Are there any figures on how many Americans go to other countries for care? I ask because a co-worker of mine went down to Mexico when he had cancer. They were very much into alternative medicines and it sounded kind of woo to head down to Mexico, but I know it happens here as well.
When wealthy Canadians come across the border, do you think they're going to your local hospital? No, they're going to the top hospitals in the US just like wealthy Americans travel to top hospitals. I am lucky to have two of the top 10 cancer centers in the country in my city and I went to one in the top 5, covered by my insurance. Many of the people I met getting treatment were from other parts of the US where there was not adequate care for their cancers.
It took me 2 months to get into treatment for stage IV lymphoma in the US, and my insurance would not approve the recommended treatment plan from my world-class American oncologist. Friends in Canada were into treatment in a matter of weeks, with absolutely no fighting to get the treatment their specialists recommended. Yes, I would much prefer the Canadian system.
Last edited by charolastra00; 03-28-2017 at 11:31 AM..
Are there any figures on how many Americans go to other countries for care? I ask because a co-worker of mine went down to Mexico when he had cancer. They were very much into alternative medicines and it sounded kind of woo to head down to Mexico, but I know it happens here as well.
I'm sure there probably are stats somewhere. I know drugs are much cheaper in Mexico. Many Spanish speaking Americans with ties to Mexico that live near the border go there for stuff all the time. I don't think it would be a good idea unless you know what the heck you are doing down there.
45 year old Kentucky woman with State 4 breast cancer. Too rich to get Medicaid, too poor to buy insurance!
Goes to emergency room where she will sit for hours, only to be given a prescription for pain-killers that she may or may not fill. Dies 3 weeks later at home!
That's how health care goes in lower middle-class America!
The mother was born and raised in St Catherine's, Ontario, and did not give up her Canadian citizenship when moving to the US, so her kids are dual citizens as well. And they make the drive to St Catherine's for doctor, dentist, optometrist etc
When wealthy Canadians come across the border, do you think they're going to your local hospital? No, they're going to the top hospitals in the US just like wealthy Americans travel to top hospitals. I am lucky to have two of the top 10 cancer centers in the country in my city and I went to one in the top 5, covered by my insurance. Many of the people I met getting treatment were from other parts of the US where there was not adequate care for their cancers.
It took me 2 months to get into treatment for stage IV lymphoma in the US, and my insurance would not approve the recommended treatment plan from my world-class American oncologist. Friends in Canada were into treatment in a matter of weeks, with absolutely no fighting to get the treatment their specialists recommended. Yes, I would much prefer the Canadian system.
Actual many Canadians do come to the US for non emergent care - I can't tell you how many knee surgeries and hip and knee replacements we did on Canadians from as far north as Montreal because the waiting periods were so bad.
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