Universal health insurance

[vern_humphrey]

We’re talking about a relatively small number of consumers receiving government assistance.

You’re right – there are more people in Canada who want health care than get it.

Which is why so many come to the US and pay out of their pockets for health care that they have already paid for through taxes.

 

[LCMS_No_More]

To be fair, you do work for the state of California, which is as close to a socialist state as we have in the US. Have you considered that California’s legislation over private insurers and healthcare practitioners has inflated your healthcare costs and made it impossible to negotiate lower rates?

Once again, government involvement in healthcare, at any level, drives up costs- and that is why costs in the US have gotten so out of control.

In any event, you should still consider yourself fortunate to live in a country where you can quit your job and find a job with better insurance-although you’d probably have to move to a different state. Still, if you lived in a country that had a single payer/uhc program, you would just be stuck with the government insurance and have no alternatives when you found it to be insufficient to your needs.

Actually…no. I would be unable to get insurance as I have diabetes. I’d be SOL.

 

[Oscarthecat]

Actually…no. I would be unable to get insurance as I have diabetes. I’d be SOL.

Wow, and somebody accused me of using scare tactics a few posts ago-

Do you sincerely believe diabetics can’t get health insurance in the u.s.? Really? You might want to doublecheck you facts because you are clearly misinformed.

I hired someone two years ago who was diabetic, and the company’s BCBS covered her with no problems whatsoever. I also have numerous family members with diabetes, and all are fully covered by insurance.

 

[LCMS_No_More]

Wow, and somebody accused me of using scare tactics a few posts ago-

Do you sincerely believe diabetics can’t get health insurance in the u.s.? Really? You might want to doublecheck you facts because you are clearly misinformed.

I hired someone two years ago who was diabetic, and the company’s BCBS covered her with no problems whatsoever. I also have numerous family members with diabetes, and all are fully covered by insurance.

Whatever. I’d be more interested in why you begrudge public employees having health insurance at all (which you seem to be doing).

Or do you begrudge the public employees EXISTING at all? (This means “do you oppose the concept of public employment?”)

 

[onetimeposter]

You’re right – there are more people in Canada who want health care than get it.

Which is why so many come to the US and pay out of their pockets for health care that they have already paid for through taxes.

This is a myth. Please no one listen to this nonsense.

 

[vern_humphrey]

This is a myth. Please no one listen to this nonsense.

It’s true – I’ve seen health clinics near the border, catering to Canadians, and manned by Canadian doctors, who came to the US for better money.

 

[cynic]

You’re right – there are more people in Canada who want health care than get it.

Which is why so many come to the US and pay out of their pockets for health care that they have already paid for through taxes.

You’re taking a comment out of context, again. If was replying to the assertion that government subsidies for insurance would push up prices.

 

[cynic]

On the face of it a government run *insurance *scheme wouldn’t seem to be a bad idea at all. It wouldn’t be run with profit as its ultimate goal but could still make a profit, thus be no burden to the taxpayer, premiums would be low and other insurers would have to compete with it.

 

[adrift]

This is a myth. Please no one listen to this nonsense.

Myth? Please give facts not just your statement.

Health Care in Cananda

ne of the major complaints about the Canadian health care system is waiting times, whether for a specialist, major elective surgery, such as hip replacement, or specialized treatments, such as radiation for breast cancer. Studies by the Commonwealth Fund found that 57% of Canadians reported waiting 4 weeks or more to see a specialist; 24% of Canadians waited 4 hours or more in the emergency room.[20]…
Canada’s shortage of medical practitioners causes problems.[28] With 2.2 doctors per thousand population, Canada is well below the OECD average of 3.0, although its 10 nurses per thousand was slightly above the OECD average of 8.6.[29] Suggested solutions include increasing the number of training spaces for doctors in Canada, as well as streamlining the licensing process for foreign doctors already in the country.[30]

Doctors in Canada make an average of $202,000 a year (2006, before expenses).[31] Alberta has the highest average salary of around $230,000, while Quebec has the lowest average annual salary at $165,000, creating interprovincial competition for doctors and contributing to local shortages.[31]

Some residents of Canada travel to the United States in frustration with the limitations of their own health care system, as illustrated by the following examples:

 

[onetimeposter]

It’s really easy to trash universal health care in Canada…odd that we live longer, we have a better infant mortality rate and the World Health Organization rates our health care system better than America’s.

“The US system spends the most in the world per capita, and was ranked 37th in the world by the World Health Organization in 2000, while Canada’s health system was ranked 30th.”

By the way, all of this information, the information that actual represents statistical information about people’s lives and real barometers of success…it came from the same article you referenced, I guess you forgot to mention all of this stuff in your post.

Your health care system is certainly better at one thing though…and that’s spending lots and lots of money!!

Canada infant mortality rate - 5.3
USA infant mortality rate - 6.3

Canada life expectancy - 80.2
USA life expectancy - 77.8

Canada Physicians per 1000 - 2.2
USA Physicians per 1000 - 2.4

Canada Nurses per 1000 - 10
USA nurses per 1000 - 7.9

Canada Healthcare cost % of GDP - 9.8%
USA healthcare cost % of GDP - 15.3%

 

[adrift]

You’re right – there are more people in Canada who want health care than get it.

Which is why so many come to the US and pay out of their pockets for health care that they have already paid for through taxes.

You stated this was a myth. I asked you to provide something other than your statement. I quoted what proved the statement. Your quotes from the article do not address this point.

By the way, all of this information, the information that actual represents statistical information about people’s lives and real barometers of success…it came from the same article you referenced, I guess you forgot to mention all of this stuff in your post.

And you forgot to mention this in the post

The WHO ranking has been criticized by some for its choice of ranking criteria and statistical methods, and the WHO is currently revising its methodology and withholding new rankings until the issues are addressed.[48][49]

 

[onetimeposter]

You stated this was a myth. I asked you to provide something other than your statement. I quoted what proved the statement. Your quotes from the article do not address this point.

And you forgot to mention this in the post

People live longer in Canada that in the USA.

We have a better infant mortality rate.

We spend less money.

You have 0.2 more doctors per 1000 people…wow!!!

You spend more money, for what?

Believe what you want…I’m just glad that I and every single other Canadian has a health card to access quality health care…and we have cheaper prescription drugs.

Vern thinks were not playing fair about the cheap drugs…but I’m really happy that our drug costs are way lower, so low that Americans, ( as you are well aware) buy drugs via the internet from Canadian Pharmacies.

• Medicinal Marijuana is legal in Canada!

 

[adrift]

People live longer in Canada that in the USA.

We have a better infant mortality rate.

We spend less money.

You have 0.2 more doctors per 1000 people…wow!!!

You spend more money, for what?

Believe what you want…I’m just glad that I and every single other Canadian has a health card to access quality health care…and we have cheaper prescription drugs.

Vern thinks were not playing fair about the cheap drugs…but I’m really happy that our drug costs are way lower, so low that Americans, ( as you are well aware) buy drugs via the internet from Canadian Pharmacies.

• Medicinal Marijuana is legal in Canada!

This has nothing to do with your statement that what Vern said was a myth.

Would you please show why it is a myth.

One of the major complaints about the Canadian health care system is waiting times, whether for a specialist, major elective surgery, such as hip replacement, or specialized treatments, such as radiation for breast cancer. Studies by the Commonwealth Fund found that 57% of Canadians reported waiting 4 weeks or more to see a specialist; 24% of Canadians waited 4 hours or more in the emergency room.[20]

How long does it take for you to see a Dr? I can get into see my Dr the same day I call.
When I have gone to an emergency room, I am seen in twenty minutes.

 

[onetimeposter]

This has nothing to do with your statement that what Vern said was a myth.

Would you please show why it is a myth.

Because Wikipedia mentioned about 7 people who went to the states for health care…there are 32 million Canadians and we live longer than Americans.

How long does it take for you to see a Dr? I can get into see my Dr the same day I call.

**My family Doctor - honestly, if it’s serious, same day. If it’s minor, about a week. I don’t know how it works in the States, but we have a lot of Family Doctors that don’t take on regular patients, rather they operate as a ‘walk in clinic.’

So, in cases where my family Doctor can’t squeeze me in, I just go to a walk in clinic.**

When I have gone to an emergency room, I am seen in twenty minutes.

Obviously, every city is different and of course, if the emergency department is busy, it would affect wait times…

What you need to understand is that yes, absolutely, hip and knee replacements do take a long time…no question, they do.

When people have an illness that requires life saving medical intervention, they go right to the top of the list.
**
Life threatening emergencies…instantly.**
**
Minor emergencies, 3 to 6 hours.**
**
It’s a system of triage. The price I gladly pay for quality medical care for every single citizen in this country.**

 

[Oscarthecat]

Whatever. I’d be more interested in why you begrudge public employees having health insurance at all (which you seem to be doing).

Or do you begrudge the public employees EXISTING at all? (This means “do you oppose the concept of public employment?”)

As to your first statement: You’ve completely lost me on this one. I don’t want anyone to go without healthcare, I just don’t want the government to be involved.

As to your second: that has nothing to do with this topic, but since you asked…I believe that the government is too big. There are many government employees filling positions that are better suited to the private sector.

 

[adrift]

Not everything requires a visit to an emergency room. How long does it take to get an appointment?
In England, there was a man who gave up and paid for his own operation. He had been trying to get an appointment for over three years.

You said that that Canadians do not come to the U.S for treatment instead of using Canada’s health program. Do you still say this is a myth?

 

[onetimeposter]

Not everything requires a visit to an emergency room. How long does it take to get an appointment?
In England, there was a man who gave up and paid for his own operation. He had been trying to get an appointment for over three years.

You said that that Canadians do not come to the U.S for treatment instead of using Canada’s health program. Do you still say this is a myth?

Some Americans come to Canada to access our health services…it’s a fact.

Some Canadians go to America to access your health services…it’s a fact.

But, we still live longer, have a better infant mortality rate, cheaper prescriptions, we have more nurses, you have 0.2 more doctors per thousand people, the World Health Organization ranks us 30th best in the world, the USA at 37th, spend less money and every single citizen has health coverage.

Wouldn’t want it any other way!

 

[onetimeposter]

Not everything requires a visit to an emergency room. How long does it take to get an appointment?

I can only speak for myself. My family Doctor, for something kind of serious ( not requiring emergency room) same day.

For something minor, about a week.

We have walk in clinics all over the place, where you walk in, they swipe your health card and you see a Family Doctor in about 45 minutes.

I rarely use walk in clinics, as I have my own Family Doctor.

 

[cynic]

But, we still live longer, have a better infant mortality rate, cheaper prescriptions, we have more nurses, you have 0.2 more doctors per thousand people, the World Health Organization ranks us 30th best in the world, the USA at 37th, spend less money and every single citizen has health coverage.

You’re going to get some people here very angry with that statement.:dancing:

 

[onetimeposter]

You’re going to get some people here very angry with that statement.:dancing:

The truth hurts.