Trick or treat

[beeniesmom]

I heard nightmare stories about Canadian and English healthcare in particular too. I really think the US can pull it off, if it's done the right way.
I'm sorry about the treatment your friend got.

[sparks19]

I heard nightmare stores about Canadian and English healthcare in particular too. I really think the US can pull it off, if it's done the right way.
I'm sorry about the treatment your friend got.

Thanks... it"s all good now. Now she has a happy and healthy baby boy... but I guess the dangers of being so far overdue... he was 10;bs 10 oz. YIKES lol

[RICHARD]

Not ONE hospital in London had ONE bed open? they told her that if she went in to labor she would have to go to another town 45 minutes away and hope that they had beds. I'm not exaggerating this.

So... seeing how badly the system CAN be mismanaged with a population no where CLOSE to the US... and seeing how bad the government has screwed up just about every other program. I don't have a lot of faith that it will be organized correctly.

That is incredible.

The least the facility could have done is placed her into an ER bed? A triage area bed? A post op bed?

The reason that physicians DO NOT WANT TO DEAL with the government is the turn around on the payments for services rendered, that and malpractice insurance for doctors is driving them out of certain specialties.

A good surgeon can do two cholecystectomies and two or three hernia repairs in a day. One heart surgeon will do one valve replacement and a couple of vein strippings on a person's leg.

The money is made on the hard operations, But, it's also lost on how many people you have in the room with the surgeon. For a simple hernia? One surgeon, an anesthesiologist, scrub and circulator. For a heart valve? 6? more?

If there is to be any kind of health care reform in the United States it has to be done from the top to the bottom. It's not without people fighting the system and the changes.

IF HCR means that your coverage will have to absorb or make room for government subsidised members, you will see a drop in the quality of your HC and the type of tests available to you.

The key to the problem that everyone brings up is AFFORDABILITY. I do whine and complain about it because no one else does. People continue to sign over large checks because they have to-they have no choice.

It's either go broke paying a monthly premium now or pass on it and go broke later if you don't have the coverage.

A shame.

[jackie]

I heard nightmare stories about Canadian and English healthcare in particular too. I really think the US can pull it off, if it's done the right way.
I'm sorry about the treatment your friend got.

I am Canadian, I never once had a problem with health care there.

I have vacationed in England and ended up in E.R., I was taken care of and sent on my way without paying a dime.

I live in Spain, they do make you wait around a lot, but at the end of the day I am not having to decide whether I can feed my children or pay for their medical care. Thank god.

[Edwina's Secretary]

France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica

[Edwina's Secretary]

I strictly stated that this was regarding people that CHOOSE to only work part-time and CHOOSE to rely on the government for the rest of whatever they owe, want or are responsible for. We ALL know these people. Also the people that complain they only make a certain amount of money, but don't TRY to get another p/t job or educate/train themselves to better their situation - WITH government help is FINE with me!!! I agree that we ALL need help now and then, but don't take $$ from people who've earned it the hard way to give to people that EXPECT IT.

I hope that's clear.

Sorry Kelly. I am not with you on this one. You are prepared to judge the worthiness of others' claims. I am not....nor will I not judge your worthiness to receive assistance from the government.

I don't expect other people to live the way I do, to want the things I want, to make the choices I made to get where I am.

Somewhere I read "Judge not lest you be judged." It seems to me to be a good rule to live by.

[lizbud]

France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica

This is amazing to me. I really didn't know there were that many countries.

[Nomilynn]

Since I am Canadian I won't be voting, but I feel the need to mention something about the Canadian health care system.

I am a diabetic, and have been for a long time now. I pay for basic health premiums (MSP), based on my income, that allows me to see a doctor at any time or go to a hospital at any time without having to concern myself with a hefty bill later on. It adds up to a piddly $54 a month. In my opinion, that is not a very large cost for piece of mind.

I was just laid off from my job, so I have now been unemployed for 2 weeks. I am looking for work every day, but I at least know that because I pay this premium, I will be able to continue to see my doctors, get blood tests, and go to the hospital if needed, even though I have no income.

When I get a job, I will hopefully be able to sign up for an extended medical program through the employer that will cover any medications that aren't covered by my MSP (such as antibiotics, etc). However, even if I can't get an extended plan, I will still be covered by MSP once I have paid my deductable, which I believe is $500. Since I pay that in one month for medication, I would be fine after January of next year. I just have to keep paying my $54 per month.

I had surgery last year that was covered, I will be seeing a specialist in a month or so due to a knee injury that will be covered, and when that needs surgery, I won't have to pay for that either. I would be in a very serious condition if I didn't have this MSP to help. This system can and does work - I don't know about other countries or even other provinces but I know that without this program, I would not be able to afford the medication needed to keep me alive.

[Glacier]

This system can and does work - I don't know about other countries or even other provinces but I know that without this program, I would not be able to afford the medication needed to keep me alive.

We don't pay health care premiums in the Yukon. We did when we lived in Alberta. Each province sets that up differently. I can say that the system works when it's truly needed. My husband suffered a serious head and neck injury last fall, potentially life threatening. We did not wait in the ER. We went straight in, had a doctor in with him immediately, a CT scan in under 30 minutes, pain control almost immediately, a hospital stay.....no bill when we left.

Because of where we live we have limited access to specialists locally. A few come up here throughout the year for clinics and surgeries. However, costs are covered to fly to Vancouver or Calgary to see specialist. The wait list for non-urgent referrals, about 3 months. For urgent referrals, serious injuries ect, a medi-vac plane is on stand-by 24/7, 365 days a year.

I have a 15 year old nephew currently battling cancer. The time from initial suspicions to diagnosis to starting treatment...72 hours. Financial cost to his family, nothing. No risk that they will loose their savings, their home, ect while they try to save their son. I can't imagine having to worry about the hospital bills when my child or my spouse is fighting for their life.

I have a great benefit plan at work that covers 80% of all prescriptions. If a Yukon resident develops a chronic disease, like diabetes, MS ect, all costs for drugs, adaptive equipment, doctors ect are covered under the Chronic Disease Program.

I won't drive to Alaska for the afternoon(an easy trip from my house) without buying medical coverage. Just not worth the risk.

The portion of my taxes that goes towards our medical system is the one part I don't mind paying at all!

[Catlady711]

Ron Paul for President!


If that fails.....

Pat Pauson for President!


If that fails....

Gallagher for President!!!

[RICHARD]

This is amazing to me. I really didn't know there were that many countries.

There are more than 191 (about that number) of countries in the world.

The amusing thing about the 'rankings' is that most of these countries are far richer in per capita, per person than the U.S., they have a smaller populations and have a stronger HC system set up by the government.
THey have had years to perfect it.



lol, San Marino? Andorra? UAE? Saudi Arabia?

IN those countries they probably do not even consult a physician in that country? How many people fly to have surgeries or treatments in the U.S.? People with money or means will travel the earth for a cure.

IF you have oil or FU money, at what price health?

We fly kids with ortho problems, transplant and brain patients here-or fly our doctors out to them-because we are pioneers in the medical field.

Half (?)the vaccines and pioneer procedures are perfected here, most often on ill patients from other countries.


Stats/ranking/polls are great fun. And in the end they mean nothing more that being able to count from 1 to 100.


Show your work.

[Catty1]

Glacier - Alberta is finally dumping its health care premiums as of January 2009.

It's difficult to discuss "Canadian" health care when each province and territory has its own laws governing its administration. Although - there is a Canada Health Act that none of the provincial jurisdictions had better contravene.

There is MUCH talk about adding private health care to our system. Some clinics are running now. This has led to an outcry that the 'rich' will get first-place treatment, and the rest of us will have to rely on the public system. That's not necessarily bad - but we are running woefully short of doctors and nurses all across the country.

The best system in the world won't necessarily cut waiting times...

[Edwina's Secretary]

Yes....analysis from a former hospital worker is far more valid than that of the World Health Organization.

Pleeeze....

[blue]

Since the WHO is part of the UN I would take the word of a

former hospital worker

over them.

[RICHARD]

Since the WHO is part of the UN

I heard a talk show program tout the wonders and generosity of the Docs without Borders and other programs that send physicians to other countries to set up clinics to treat the indiges there.

I heard of docs being more than happy to make the trip so it would show up as a deduction on an income tax filing.

THere also is a program where docs fly patients back and forth to treatments, also a nice deduction in the end.

---------

I just want to wish the UN (UHN) a happy birthday and may they have many more years of mediocrity and impotence in the future.

I look forward to sharing the same pleasures as they do in my later years,