Canada sees boom in private health care

[brandon184]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Real Bingo

You can probably get an appointment for August in Canada...for 2011.

It's always hilarious to me to see retards like you read an article on FOX News and suddenly think they are fucking experts on Canadian healthcare.

There are private components to Canadian healthcare. There always have been. In point of fact, when you consider the entire spectrum of health-related fields in Canada, many of them are anchored in the private sector. Even when it comes to some things currently adminstered publicly, some people feel should that those services should be offered in conjunction with the private sector. I, for instance, feel that the province I live in should not be buying and running MRI's, but rather that the private sector should be purchasing them and running them for reimbursement by public healthcare, just like radiologists have been successfully doing here with X-Ray services.

But you know what? We have intelligent debate (most of the time) on these issues and the services are refined over time. We don't sit back like a bunch of fucking dramatic loons and scream absurdities about how we're all doomed for communism whenever there is as much of a whisper about universal healthcare.

But, one mandate in Canadian healthcare which goes beyond the public/private sector debate is for the ability of every Canadian citizen to receive quality healthcare in an expedient fashion, regardless of socioeconomic standing. I guess we just care about our citizens up here and their right to healthcare system access. Do we have our complaints with our system? Absolutely. But the vast majority of Canadians wouldn't ever trade it for what's south of the border.

[Gomer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toadman

I'm curious as to why you asked that question, Gomer.

I asked because it is relevant to the situation we have here in the US.

It's great that here in America, those with comprehensive health insurance can seek what ever treatment they desire. If mad1 has a serious neurological problem, I'm guessing his neurologist would have scheduled the MRI for him.

At the time I posted what I did all I knew of what mad1's situation was that he was bragging about how he could call and schedule an MRI on the drop of a hat. He was contrasting this to Canada where someone who strained a ligament had to wait a while for that MRI. I'm not sure that comparing what I assume is some sort of neurological emergency to a bum hamstring is a fair comparison of the situation.

My guess is, that given what I know of mad1, he doesn't have $3k to throw around to drop on an MRI. His insurance is paying for it. All of the people holding policies are paying for it. He never said who was paying for it.

Without insurance would he be seeing a neurologist? Scheduling MRI's at the drop of a hat?

All of the premium care and expensive technological advances in medicine are only available to those with insurance. As those costs go higher, premiums are going up and coverage is going down. As that happens, people are getting cut from policies. As people get cut from their policies, there are fewer to support those with policies and their costs go up even more. It's a Ponzi scheme, and as long as you're at the top, you're all right. Your perspective will change once you get bumped down a few tiers.


Our premiums at the small business where I work were going up 15-20% a year. So we were taken from a comprehensive policy and put on a high deductible plan ($2,500single $5,000 family) in other words catastrophic coverage. When that went up 20% we were cut from group insurance, given a token raise, and told to get our own coverage.

I spend $2k a year for coverage now where I need to keep $2k on hand for my deductible. Because of the # of people that have been dumped from group coverage to individual coverage, my insurer is pressuring the state to let them raise my premium 60% so I will soon be over $3K. That's for a young single adult. Thank god I don't have a family.I've got an injury from exercise. I'd love to see a doctor for treatment. From what I understand of the injury via the internet, an MRI would assist greatly in a proper diagnosis. But I have to weigh that against the $2k that will cost me. Meanwhile, I self-treat it and try to get help from my sister the PT. For a chronic skin condition I ration the medicine... and when I run out, I bum a script off a friend I know who is a PA. The $90 for the salve comes out of my pocket. Don't get me started on the dentist. Eye care, pretty insignificant since I stretch my 2 week disposables out to about 2 months and stock up before that prescription runs out (stretching my exams out a few years), comes out of my pocket as well.

Right now I am paying $2,000 a year (soon to be $3,000) for nothing but peace of mind that I won't go bankrupt if I have a serious medical problem. I guess the upside to this is that I'm covered in the event that something I neglect turns serious. On the bright side, that $2K helps to cover people with better policies so they don't have to wait a few months to get an MRI on that hip they injured exercising. Insurance is socialized medicine for those who can afford the premium.

So yeah... I'd trade having to spend that money every month on nothing for the ability to get an MRI on my hip in 6 months (I've been coping with the injury that long anyway).

And I'd tax the hell out of corn syrup, red meat, trans fats, high sodium foods, etc. to pay for some of it. Without a qualm. Kill two birds with one stone.

[The Real Bingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon184

It's always hilarious to me to see retards like you read an article on FOX News and suddenly think they are fucking experts on Canadian healthcare.

I take offense to that. I don't read.

[Disley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon184

It's always hilarious to me to see retards like you read an article on FOX News and suddenly think they are fucking experts on Canadian healthcare.

But, one mandate in Canadian healthcare which goes beyond the public/private sector debate is for the ability of every Canadian citizen to receive quality healthcare in an expedient fashion, regardless of socioeconomic standing. I guess we just care about our citizens up here and their right to healthcare system access. Do we have our complaints with our system? Absolutely. But the vast majority of Canadians wouldn't ever trade it for what's south of the border.

We're the same.
We'd never swap Australia's UHC to return to the private system.
If it's so much better for all Americans, you keep it, you deserve it.

Quote:

Executives of three of the nation's largest health insurers told federal lawmakers in Washington on Tuesday that they would continue canceling medical coverage for some sick policyholders, despite withering criticism from Republican and Democratic members of Congress who decried the practice as unfair and abusive.

[mad1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gomer

I asked because it is relevant to the situation we have here in the US.

It's great that here in America, those with comprehensive health insurance can seek what ever treatment they desire. If mad1 has a serious neurological problem, I'm guessing his neurologist would have scheduled the MRI for him.

At the time I posted what I did all I knew of what mad1's situation was that he was bragging about how he could call and schedule an MRI on the drop of a hat. He was contrasting this to Canada where someone who strained a ligament had to wait a while for that MRI. I'm not sure that comparing what I assume is some sort of neurological emergency to a bum hamstring is a fair comparison of the situation.

My guess is, that given what I know of mad1, he doesn't have $3k to throw around to drop on an MRI. His insurance is paying for it. All of the people holding policies are paying for it. He never said who was paying for it.

Without insurance would he be seeing a neurologist? Scheduling MRI's at the drop of a hat?

All of the premium care and expensive technological advances in medicine are only available to those with insurance. As those costs go higher, premiums are going up and coverage is going down. As that happens, people are getting cut from policies. As people get cut from their policies, there are fewer to support those with policies and their costs go up even more. It's a Ponzi scheme, and as long as you're at the top, you're all right. Your perspective will change once you get bumped down a few tiers.


Our premiums at the small business where I work were going up 15-20% a year. So we were taken from a comprehensive policy and put on a high deductible plan ($2,500single $5,000 family) in other words catastrophic coverage. When that went up 20% we were cut from group insurance, given a token raise, and told to get our own coverage.

I spend $2k a year for coverage now where I need to keep $2k on hand for my deductible. Because of the # of people that have been dumped from group coverage to individual coverage, my insurer is pressuring the state to let them raise my premium 60% so I will soon be over $3K. That's for a young single adult. Thank god I don't have a family.I've got an injury from exercise. I'd love to see a doctor for treatment. From what I understand of the injury via the internet, an MRI would assist greatly in a proper diagnosis. But I have to weigh that against the $2k that will cost me. Meanwhile, I self-treat it and try to get help from my sister the PT. For a chronic skin condition I ration the medicine... and when I run out, I bum a script off a friend I know who is a PA. The $90 for the salve comes out of my pocket. Don't get me started on the dentist. Eye care, pretty insignificant since I stretch my 2 week disposables out to about 2 months and stock up before that prescription runs out (stretching my exams out a few years), comes out of my pocket as well.

Right now I am paying $2,000 a year (soon to be $3,000) for nothing but peace of mind that I won't go bankrupt if I have a serious medical problem. I guess the upside to this is that I'm covered in the event that something I neglect turns serious. On the bright side, that $2K helps to cover people with better policies so they don't have to wait a few months to get an MRI on that hip they injured exercising. Insurance is socialized medicine for those who can afford the premium.

So yeah... I'd trade having to spend that money every month on nothing for the ability to get an MRI on my hip in 6 months (I've been coping with the injury that long anyway).

And I'd tax the hell out of corn syrup, red meat, trans fats, high sodium foods, etc. to pay for some of it. Without a qualm. Kill two birds with one stone.

You made several assumptions and all are way off base. You have no clue of my financial or medical situations yet you place me in a category to meet your needs.

People here in the US do not have to have comprehensive health insurance to get health care. All you have to do is walk in the emergency room to get care, they are not allowed by law to turn you away. The problem with this policy is that some use the emergency room as a primary care physician for simple issues or to work the system to get prescribed drugs.

Waiting six months to get a MRI for your hip, I find that difficult to believe. If you go into the emergency room they can do one that night or the next day. There no reason for the MRI to not be completed within the week of a doctor signing the order.

For you hip problem find a hospital( teaching hospital) that does clinical trials and enroll. Not only will it not cost you anything most pay for travel and food. You will get all tests needed to diagnose the problem and the researchers will get valuable data. I did this several years ago to determine the pain coming from my hip.

[MTAtech]

What's telling is how so many are fooled by the insurance company and right-wing propaganda. Insurance companies don't want a public option to compete alongside with their system because it's going to hit them in the bottom line. Likewise, the right-wing knee-jerks "we're turning socialist" every time the government tries to address market failures.

The choices should be crystal to all since the Europeans and Canadians are pretty much happy with their system and Americans believe substantial improvement is need in theirs. Nevertheless, the campaign of fear-mongering continues, with those ideologically opposed to a government plan suggesting long waits in government systems.

Of course, the facts are that in either a public or private system the doctors schedule the non-emergencies in the future so they can handle emergencies. A friend of mine was having worrisome heart symptoms and saw the doctor the same day (the doctor first said to go the ER) but several months later the friend just wanted a visit with the same specialist and couldn't get an appointment less than two months out.

[mad1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTAtech

What's telling is how so many are fooled by the insurance company and right-wing propaganda. Insurance companies don't want a public option to compete alongside with their system because it's going to hit them in the bottom line. Likewise, the right-wing knee-jerks "we're turning socialist" every time the government tries to address market failures.

The choices should be crystal to all since the Europeans and Canadians are pretty much happy with their system and Americans believe substantial improvement is need in theirs. Nevertheless, the campaign of fear-mongering continues, with those ideologically opposed to a government plan suggesting long waits in government systems.

Of course, the facts are that in either a public or private system the doctors schedule the non-emergencies in the future so they can handle emergencies. A friend of mine was having worrisome heart symptoms and saw the doctor the same day (the doctor first said to go the ER) but several months later the friend just wanted a visit with the same specialist and couldn't get an appointment less than two months out.

Why is everything you disagree with the result of the right wing? Do you accept all things the left wing does?

Who will pay for this public option, taxpayers. Will people be able to opt out of the plan if they choose? Will this plan continue to a forced acceptance policy.


Any heart pain takes precedence, that is policy for treatment. As in many situations there are rules to follow for what takes priority, there is no difference in the medical field. If you call your doctor with heart pains his first response will be to go to the emergency room or call 911. I had a scheduled surgery delayed hours once due to the doctor was called to perform emergency surgery on a person injured in a car accident. If you are going to a doctor for a follow up visit, waiting is not unusual. If there are issues a more recent appointment will be made available( order of priority ).

[Creatures]

i dont know much about eh US health care system but this here: France Best, US Worst in Preventable Death Ranking | CommonDreams.org

Quote:

If the U.S. health care system performed as well as those of those top three countries, there would be 101,000 fewer deaths in the United States per year, according to researchers writing in the journal Health Affairs.

is enough for me to know that there is something wrong

Creatures

[Epidemic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Creatures

i dont know much about eh US health care system but this here: France Best, US Worst in Preventable Death Ranking | CommonDreams.org


is enough for me to know that there is something wrong

Creatures

comparing countries again??? I am not sure you can do that. for the comparison to be valid we need to put things on an equal footing. so are these deaths across the board or in specific demographics.

Is the general health comparable between nations. (is there equal amounts of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, pollution, smoking between nations under comparison)

Are we including Deaths of babies in drug community. is there an equal amount of dead end addicts in both countries having babies?

i am not sure you can just do a straight up comparison.

[Creatures]

so we shouldn't even try to compare countries? because there is always a difference

so you are trying to tell me that an obese, smoke filled and polluted country is allowed to have more preventable deaths?

but hey, i'm fine with settleing that something is wrong over there maybe not the health care system although i'm certain that it is a main part of this

Creatures