I received two back to back emails from two Canadian
Women in Texas.
1.
I know you have received hundreds of emails regarding
this topic and you have said your last piece on it, but
there was one thing that was missed during this
discussion.
I am a Canadian who has only been in the States for 2
years. During my PostDoc I was at a big ten university
with an awesome PPO plan that was incredibly cheap. I
am now at a small company where I had to wait 4 months
for my health benefits to kick in. I could complain
about that for a while, however, I live in Houston,
Texas where it is estimated that over one million
residents have insufficient or no health care. I am
sure that they would be more than happy to complain
about their doctors - if only given the chance. This is
the simple reason why health care in Canada is better.
===================
david ingram replies:
I have received a lot of horror stories about bad
medicine on both sides of the border.
Universal Health Care is simply fairer than a system
where they turn a customer down because of pre-existing
conditions.
I favour our existing system and allowing anyone to pay
for an operation themselves if they need it and can
afford it.
On the other hand, I also see people who will pay
$2,000 to fine tune their Mercedes, not pay to see a
psychologist because it is not covered by the
Provincial health plan. They think their car is worth
more than their own head.
2. this is the second one
I am a Registered Nurse that was educated in Canada and
"flew" South in 1987 because Canada had a 'surplus' of
nurses.
Naturalized in 2002 (in fact it was the first
naturalization after 9/11/01). Anyhoo...
My mother had a stroke and I was quite flabbergasted
when I learned they gave her an aspirin and sent her
home. She called me the next day, slurring her words!
This is not health care-this is pure luck! She could
have died! They didn't even determine if it was a bleed
or clot. Luckily it was probably a clot, because if it
was a bleed, the aspirin would have probably killed
her! No MRI, No CAT scan. Now this is where the US
excels, I know, because I have nursed in Canada and US>
Another example of poor health care is my good friends
sister...she developed a tumor on her jaw, and there
wasn't any surgeon, neurologist that would do this
surgery-this was in Saskatchewan. She was put on a list
to go to Ontario, I believe it was Toronto, but of
course all the Ontario people would come before her, so
she waited and waited until the tumor started affecting
her swallowing, and of course the esophagus is right
beside the trachea, which affects breathing. To me this
is just too close for comfort.
The best story (worst actually) was a man that had a
wife diagnosed with cancer, and she was put on a
'list'. Well when they called the husband to tell him
her surgical date, which was 12 months later, the
husband informed them she died months ago. (Check this
article out-printed in the Moose Jaw Times Herald
within the past year).
Health care isn't a waiting game...it's a NOW
necessity. Especially when it comes to cancer.
Myself, I will gladly pay my 20% to get top notch
health care.
Rather than 0% of poor health care.
Here in Texas
=================================
david ingram replies:
But, I have heard of the same misdiagnosis in every
hospital in the US.
30% of the population of the US does not have the
option of waiting for the surgery.
In Canada, if anyone wants to pay for it, they can by
going to Japan, Mexico, the US, Britain, etc.
At least, in Canada everyone - rich or poor - can see a
doctor and everyone will get health coverage without
being disqualified for a pre-existing condition.
da
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