A National Shame?

gerryh

Time Out
Nov 21, 2004
25,756
295
83
Joffen: How can you say the American system is better when it's the HMO's making the decisions on whether or not you can have a procedure rather than doctors? I find that incomprehensable! And yes, we have problems in our system - bigs ones too! But you know what? Unlike my girlfriend who lives down there, if I needed a Hysterectomy even if I had to wait for a time, I'd get it. Down there, she just suffers because she can't afford it and doesn't have the insurance she needs to cover the cost.. How is that right?

If your friend needed a hysterectomy down here... who says she wouldn't get it?

Seems pretty clear to me, try rereading, unless you're purposley being obtuse.

I just read it twice and it does sound hypothetical.

Again... elective means non-emergency.

An HMO isn't paying for a breast job but they are paying for a hysterectomy. Elective Surgery CAN be medically required.


Reread the highlited, that's not hypothetical.
 

EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
44,168
95
48
USA
It still can be hypothetical.

To clarify it she could come back on and say "My friend needs a hysterectomy and they won't give it to her."

Hysterectomies are covered by insurance... whereas breast implants are not. Do you understand that "elective" does not always mean not covered?

Edit: Most hysterctomies are covered.
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
6,770
137
63
Yep. that would fall under the poor getting what they need, in TP's post.

While you or I wait up to 6 months.

In the States, it took me less then 24 hours, to get an MRI and the surgery I needed.

And I'm no hockey player.

What did it cost you? I mean if you want to pay for it you can go right over to Buffalo and get it done right away. I did because I wouldn't wait. But that was my choice.

Canadian health care has problems but I wouldn't say they are as big as the problems the American model has.

We need to stop people from going to the emerge with a cough because they are new parents and it's a baby. A cold doesn't need to be seen by a doctor. Politicians don't need to increase wait times for surgery to keep taxes down.
Unions don't need to screw every last cent out of the government because that is the way it's done.

While we don't need to become red communists we do need to start working for the country instead of sucking what we can out of it.
 

EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
44,168
95
48
USA
Ah, the old 'most'.

I'm glad that EagleSmack has a copy of her health insurance plan to refer to.

Well it is the truth is it not.

BTW... As we were discussing this I did some research because I am not schooled in hysterectomies. This is one of those key issues whereas in Canada it is a hysterectomy "on demand" and at times the insurance companies in the US will initially will deny a hysterectomy. Nevertheless if you do some research yourself you will find that those who need them, get them.

I'm glad that EagleSmack has a copy of her health insurance plan to refer to.

And you have a copy?
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
17,466
138
63
Location, Location
Well it is the truth is it not.

BTW... As we were discussing this I did some research because I am not schooled in hysterectomies. This is one of those key issues whereas in Canada it is a hysterectomy "on demand" and at times the insurance companies will initially will deny a hysterectomy. Nevertheless if you do some research yourself you will find that those who need them, get them.



And you have a copy?

Do I have a copy? No, but then again, I'm not saying what it does or does not cover.

Incidentally, this comment, 'if you do some research yourself you will find that those who need them, get them', also applies to medical treatment in Canada. And the more urgent your problem, the quicker it gets looked after.

The real difference between the US system and the Canadian system is that our plan covers everyone who is a resident, and is paid for by sales or other tax. The US system used to be voluntary, with premiums paid for by the end user and/or employer. It's not that big of a difference.
 

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
33,676
1,665
113
Northern Ontario,
I wonder what the wait time in the U.S. would be for some surgery that I'm planning to have in late may, early June if I can time it right, since i've been told that the wait time is about three months.
It's called "Entropion" and done by a plastic surgeon that specialises in eye surgery. When the surgery is performed for cosmetic purposes it's about $5,000.
I usually go to Tottenham in late may early June so timing is everything, and I get a travel grant in the process:lol:
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
27,780
285
83
bliss
Well it is the truth is it not.

BTW... As we were discussing this I did some research because I am not schooled in hysterectomies. This is one of those key issues whereas in Canada it is a hysterectomy "on demand"...

It's not hysterectomy on demand... doctors won't remove healthy organs. Until there was an ultrasound to prove physical defect I wasn't referred for surgery.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
43,839
207
63
Ontario
What did it cost you?
Nothing, over the cost of my health care package through Blue Shield. My self purchased health care package, covers me globally.

I mean if you want to pay for it you can go right over to Buffalo and get it done right away. I did because I wouldn't wait. But that was my choice.
And you should have the choice to stay in Canada and be afforded the same expedient care.

Canadian health care has problems but I wouldn't say they are as big as the problems the American model has.
I keep hearing that the US has major issues, I just haven't experienced them, nor has anyone I know.

We need to stop people from going to the emerge with a cough because they are new parents and it's a baby. A cold doesn't need to be seen by a doctor.
I agree. But thatnx to Gov't imposed caps on Doctors salaries, we have a shortage of General Practitioners. Which cause many people to use the ER as a walk in clinic.

Politicians don't need to increase wait times for surgery to keep taxes down.
Agreed.

Unions don't need to screw every last cent out of the government because that is the way it's done.
Agreed.

While we don't need to become red communists we do need to start working for the country instead of sucking what we can out of it.
Preach on brother, although you be preachin' to the choir here.
 

ironsides

Executive Branch Member
Feb 13, 2009
8,583
60
48
United States
A flailing U.S. economy has helped push down prices for medical procedures, allowing middle class Canadians who previously couldn’t afford it to head south for heart operations, hip replacements and other procedures.
Open-heart surgery once cost upwards of $100,000 in the United States, but a triple bypass can now be had for as little as $16,000 U.S. And there are bargains on hip and knee replacements too: the going rate of $53,000 can be negotiated to less than $19,000.
While no one tracks how many Canadians travel to the United States for medical care, the issue has prompted university studies in both countries. And medical brokers – of which there are about two dozen across the country – say the numbers of people travelling for care are up.

Canadians buy U.S. health care as weak economy pushes down prices - The Globe and Mail
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
109,678
11,560
113
Low Earth Orbit
A flailing U.S. economy has helped push down prices for medical procedures, allowing middle class Canadians who previously couldn’t afford it to head south for heart operations, hip replacements and other procedures.
Open-heart surgery once cost upwards of $100,000 in the United States, but a triple bypass can now be had for as little as $16,000 U.S. And there are bargains on hip and knee replacements too: the going rate of $53,000 can be negotiated to less than $19,000.
While no one tracks how many Canadians travel to the United States for medical care, the issue has prompted university studies in both countries. And medical brokers – of which there are about two dozen across the country – say the numbers of people travelling for care are up.

Canadians buy U.S. health care as weak economy pushes down prices - The Globe and Mail
I believe Israel is the most popular destination for surgical vactions.

I'll get back to you with stats.

Top 10 Medical and Surgical Vacations - Africa / Middle East

These destinations are the ultimate in medical vacations – consider getting a cosmetic procedure and then going on a wildlife safari afterwards in South Africa. Or heading to Dubai for healthcare in one of the most luxury vacation places there is.
  1. Surgeon and Safari, South Africa Order dental, ophthalmic, orthopedic, infertility treatment, hair transplants and cosmetic procedures in South Africa as packages that include accommodation, flights and even adventurous safari packages. Or you could recuperate in a luxury hotel in Cape Town or Johannesburg. This is a very popular option for a quick nip/tuck before seeing the animals and some clever people have nicknamed it the beauty and beast option!
  2. Egypt If you're planning any surgical operations here you'll probably want to do the sightseeing first as the cultural sites here are often crowded and the weather hot. Or you could elect to go to any of the comfortable, quiet and luxurious stays at Egypt's Red Sea resorts. Medical and health treatments and color or chromatherapy are common here and the low cost makes it feasible to rent a luxury villa in the year round warm climate.
  3. Dubai The Dubai Healthcare City will open in 2010 and be the largest international medical center between Europe and Southeast Asia. It is slated to include a branch of the Harvard Medical School and will turn this luxury vacation paradise into a prestigious foreign clinic as well. Stay tuned.
  4. Israel Israel's modern facilities and leading physicians have become popular particularly with close European nations such as Bulgaria and Cyprus where certain procedures aren't available. American travelers are also common visitors. Israeli medical facilities cater to both Jewish patients and people from some nearby countries and specialize in both male and female infertility, in-vitro fertilization and high-risk pregnancies.
  5. Malta Malta is attracting an increasing number of medical visitors thanks to a strong medical heritage, high quality healthcare modeled on the British system and an English speaking population. Malta is part of the European Union and British Commonwealth and a number of private hospitals within Malta have developing medical tourism, especially for UK residents.
  6. Turkey Come to Turkey for IVF treatment, plastic surgery or even therapeutic spas. Costs here are significantly lower than Europe or the United States and if you just want a relaxing vacation you could engage in geothermal resources. Kusadasi is the place to go for the limestone pools of Pamukkale. There gorgeous thermal spring waters line a cliffside terrace above the town. They have been used for therapeutic purposes since Roman times and were extensively used for bathing until recently. But the human sweat, body oil, soap and shampoo damaged the natural pools and they are now closed. You can wade through the main track to get through to the top but as many nearby hotels have thermal pools fed by the springs, strip off in those for some relaxation.
  7. Dead Sea, Israel This is a do-it-yourself vacation. Check yourself into a resort or hotel on the Dead Sea and enjoy the remarkable health-giving properties of the waters. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth (more than 400m below sea level) and its waters are ten times saltier than the ocean. There are mud and thermo-mineral springs and the climate and filtered sunlight make it a natural spa second to none. Come to rejuvenate, recover and relax or to seek cures for skin disease, arthritis, rheumatism and respiratory problems.
  8. Moroccan Hammam Pack your bath lotions and strip off for the ultimate in scrubbing and pummeling. You'll never have felt cleaner by the time you get out of these public baths. It's a real social occasion too with families and groups meeting to chat and talk.
  9. Jordan The Kingdom of Jordan has plans to become the health vacation destination of the Middle East. Growth has already doubled for elderly visitors, particularly from the Sudan, Iraq, Libya and the Gulf States who come here for heart and neurological surgeries, kidney replacements, orthopedic and orthodontic operations and medical follow-ups.
  10. Bath houses, Tunisia Like Morocco, hammams or bathhouses are an important part of the culture. They are segregated and you pay your three dinars for a complete scrub down performed by a large Tunisian man or woman who will thwart any efforts at modesty. The dead skin is then washed off by soap and buckets of water.
Must be an older site as I heard their foreign minister on the Radio One saying they hit #1

Many people go else where for surgery because they find it more relaxing and heal faster. It's not all that much about "wait lists".
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
119
63
Canada's health care suffers because of the size of the country
and the relatively small population. What we mostly lose are the
specialists. There is a term,"universal health care" which means
that everyone is covered. Over the past forty five years or so we
have raised two children with all the accompanying medical
problems, measles, mumps, chicken pox, as well as the cuts,
scrapes, the odd broken bone that most normal families see.

Along with the above, I have had open heart surgery and I can't
think of a thing to complain about. The system has treated me and
our family very well.

One thing that I think could be improved is the number of people
who visit the doctor with the sniffles or a hang nail and make the
wait longer for those with real problems.
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
109,678
11,560
113
Low Earth Orbit
One thing that I think could be improved is the number of people
who visit the doctor with the sniffles or a hang nail and make the
wait longer for those with real problems.
You'll get incredible service in a region with low poverty. The more impoverished the people of the health district are the harder it is for staff to handle all the ills of malnutrition, susbstance abuse and hygiene.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
Ten years ago, Dad came up on the losing end of a battle with a chainsaw. Since that day, he has been doing all he can to keep that leg. For the first while, they kind of put him off because they fixed all that was wrong on the x-ray. Darned things never see soft tissue injuries - but they wouldn't go any farther than they deem as necessary. It was when they finally opened the knee, they saw it was a severed tendon they missed. By then, the knee was already too far gone. The knee was replaced - and replacement was defective - causing a fall down stairs and hospitalization. It was replaced again - and it infected ... and kept making him sicker. Mom and Dad have both aged a half century in the last decade. Yesterday, they decided the leg had to come off. He must have seen Angels for it to happen. I hope this gives back some quality of life because it has been hard on all of us watching a man who was always on the go go to a frail old guy (at 76) who feared to cross a room.
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
119
63
You'll get incredible service in a region with low poverty. The more impoverished the people of the health district are the harder it is for staff to handle all the ills of malnutrition, susbstance abuse and hygiene.

For sure. People living on the edge of poverty in remote small towns, or in big city slums, will have problems but I wouldn't call it a
"National Shame". I can't see any way to fix it . Every young doctor fresh out of internship wants to live and work in a nice area just like anyone else.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
547
113
Vernon, B.C.
Ten years ago, Dad came up on the losing end of a battle with a chainsaw. Since that day, he has been doing all he can to keep that leg. For the first while, they kind of put him off because they fixed all that was wrong on the x-ray. Darned things never see soft tissue injuries - but they wouldn't go any farther than they deem as necessary. It was when they finally opened the knee, they saw it was a severed tendon they missed. By then, the knee was already too far gone. The knee was replaced - and replacement was defective - causing a fall down stairs and hospitalization. It was replaced again - and it infected ... and kept making him sicker. Mom and Dad have both aged a half century in the last decade. Yesterday, they decided the leg had to come off. He must have seen Angels for it to happen. I hope this gives back some quality of life because it has been hard on all of us watching a man who was always on the go go to a frail old guy (at 76) who feared to cross a room.

I wish him well, it might just make all the difference in the world- a lot has to do with how he takes it.
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
109,678
11,560
113
Low Earth Orbit
For sure. People living on the edge of poverty in remote small towns, or in big city slums, will have problems but I wouldn't call it a
"National Shame". I can't see any way to fix it . Every young doctor fresh out of internship wants to live and work in a nice area just like anyone else.
I can't complain. I have some fancy shmancy titanium shoved up my spine and sometime this month I hope to get some nerves removed from frost bittten toes after a bone scan on Monday. I saw my GP Mid december, specialist first week of Jan and got the all day bone scan booked within a month. The province just opened up two more ORs so it may even be quicker than the end of the month.

For something non-life threatening that is a very quick turn around.
 

Trotz

Electoral Member
May 20, 2010
893
1
18
Alberta
This thread is losing interest,
we need more NDP voters on this forum - someone who will quirp in and say something like: "Once Harper is done, we'll all be getting a .22 Caliber in the Death Panels"