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Theo520
Guest
Most people don’t seek any medical care, so naturally your statement is correct.
usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-08-03/canadians-increasingly-come-to-us-for-health-care
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usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-08-03/canadians-increasingly-come-to-us-for-health-care
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OraLabora
Guest
Most do, eventually, and of those who do, few resort to the US. About 1% of patients have resorted to the US. In Quebec, my jurisdiction, the number is trending downwards.Most people don’t seek any medical care, so naturally your statement is correct.
usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-08-03/canadians-increasingly-come-to-us-for-health-care
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Theo520
Guest
Won’t say they always do it well, but it is their job to ensure the services provided are appropriate. Significant fraud occurs in medicare and medicaid because there is less oversight.No. The requirements are driven by wanting to avoid payment. Private insurance requires that the insurer maximizes the gap between payments and premiums.
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OraLabora
Guest
The context here of course is that this imposes a huge paperwork burden on doctors. To be fair though, they do pay the doctors for the time to fill a form, which of course requires study of the medical records.Won’t say they always do it well, but it is their job to ensure the services provided are appropriate. Significant fraud occurs in medicare and medicaid because there is less oversight.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
It’s illegal to bring prescription drugs purchased in a foreign country into the U.S. unless you’re the manufacturer.The was a lot of traffic going towards Canada to buy prescription drugs, so they did that a lot better than the US. They did so good that the US had to shut it down. So much for consumer sovereignty.
With online purchases, it’s not so clear. To my understanding, nobody has ever been prosecuted for doing that. There are, however, a number of fake websites for Canadian drugs.
At one time, part of what I did was obtaining low prices for an insurer. At the time, Canadian purchases were very popular. But in researching Canadian drugs available online, even from reputable pharmacies, I found there were formula differences even with brand-name drugs. Some American drugs are just not available at all in their American formulation. Most were not manufactured in the U.S. or Canada. Most were manufactured in places like Bangladesh or Vietnam.
Might all be just fine. But unless I had no alternative at all, I would not “buy foreign” when it comes to prescription drugs.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
“Shore up” means the government spending more on it. That’s not a cure.It look like congress is willing to work together to improve ACA.
Sens. Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray are planning bipartisan legislation to shore up Obamacare markets by September.
And do we even know whose premiums are going to be “shored up”? Unless they change the subsidy levels, it will be just like now, only worse. The government will pay shortfalls in premiums paid for those individuals who get insurance for free and with no deductibles, or those who are heavily, but not fully subsidized. For the rest of us, who also pay to “shore up” the system through premium increases, and do now, it just means higher premiums.
Obamacare is not a healthcare system or an insurance program. It’s an income redistribution program. Income is redistributed in two ways; through taxes or borrowing for some of it, and through higher premiums for those who are not subsidized.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
I have said this before, though perhaps not in this thread, so I’ll say it again.At this point, the Republicans would be better off repealing ObamaCare even if it’s replaced with nothing. They would at least have their base and it doesn’t matter what they do—the media will still attack them and the Democrats will still run against them.
Those who are the most adversely affected by Obamacare presently would be helped by simple repeal. With the mandates gone, people could buy insurance “a la carte”. If I don’t want drug rehab coverage I wouldn’t have to pay for it. If I don’t want to pay for abortifacients for my wife, I wouldn’t have to pay for them like I do now. Under Obamacare, I have to have those coverages and have to pay for them. And with no offsetting subsidy.
It won’t happen of course, but then I would like to see a plebescite asking the American people to vote on a “subsidy” program for those who would experience negative effects from straight repeal of obamacare, disclosing the tax increase necessary to pay for it.
The “welfare” program might not pass, but at least it would be an honest approach.
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stinkcat_14
Guest
Of course and there are two points of view regarding this. One point of view considers consumers not intelligent enough to make their own decisions and therefore needs the heavy hand of government to regulate his activities. The other view sees consumers as having the intelligence and the incentives to make good decisions for himself, so therefore we can let the consumer decide. The first view is very totalitarian and oppressive.It’s illegal to bring prescription drugs purchased in a foreign country into the U.S. unless you’re the manufacturer.
With online purchases, it’s not so clear. To my understanding, nobody has ever been prosecuted for doing that. There are, however, a number of fake websites for Canadian drugs.
At one time, part of what I did was obtaining low prices for an insurer. At the time, Canadian purchases were very popular. But in researching Canadian drugs available online, even from reputable pharmacies, I found there were formula differences even with brand-name drugs. Some American drugs are just not available at all in their American formulation. Most were not manufactured in the U.S. or Canada. Most were manufactured in places like Bangladesh or Vietnam.
Which is where the concept of consumer sovereignty comes into play. There is no benefit to the consumer when the government restricts his choices. Nobody is forced to buy drugs in Canada, but it should be an option for those who wish to purchase them.Might all be just fine. But unless I had no alternative at all, I would not “buy foreign” when it comes to prescription drugs.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
I think you’re asking a lot of consumers, though. I’m not the dullest knife in the drawer, but I had to really study to learn that seemingly identical drugs sold in Canada are not chemically identical to those made in the US. It was less difficult to learn where the drugs are actually made. People assume American brand name drugs and their generics are made in America and are cheaper in Canada because of bulk buying. Actually, almost none of them are made in the U.S. Virtually all are manufactured in third world countries.Of course and there are two points of view regarding this. One point of view considers consumers not intelligent enough to make their own decisions and therefore needs the heavy hand of government to regulate his activities. The other view sees consumers as having the intelligence and the incentives to make good decisions for himself, so therefore we can let the consumer decide. The first view is very totalitarian and oppressive.
Which is where the concept of consumer sovereignty comes into play. There is no benefit to the consumer when the government restricts his choices. Nobody is forced to buy drugs in Canada, but it should be an option for those who wish to purchase them.
As I said, maybe that’s okay. But maybe it isn’t.
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ProVobis
Guest
I threw an idea at my brother and he has still to respond.I think you’re asking a lot of consumers, though. I’m not the dullest knife in the drawer, but I had to really study to learn that seemingly identical drugs sold in Canada are not chemically identical to those made in the US. It was less difficult to learn where the drugs are actually made. People assume American brand name drugs and their generics are made in America and are cheaper in Canada because of bulk buying. Actually, almost none of them are made in the U.S. Virtually all are manufactured in third world countries.
As I said, maybe that’s okay. But maybe it isn’t.
How about we fund research for Alzheimers, cancer, etc and license the drugs and procedures to the providers? Or sell the patents to the manufacturers? That would be the business approach in my opinion. Remember the Salk vaccine? It’s not like we can’t get some talented people working for the NIH.
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lmachine
Guest
That’s about average. Typical patient panel size for an American primary care doctor is 2100-2300 patients.Wow! That’s a lot of patients for one doctor to be responsible for.
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lmachine
Guest
If American healthcare was so great Americans wouldn’t be twice as likely as Canadians to seek medical care abroad.And if it’s so great up there, why do they come to America for treatment?
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