I received the following in an e-mail today, and I'm just wondering if it's true?? I'm not necessarily for or against Hillary Clinton--I'm just curious if the info about Canadian health care is true- if so, how awful!
Subject: Health Care
Hey Guys; I saw on the news up here in
First of all:
1) The health care plan in
2) I would not classify what we have as health care plan, it is more like a health diagnosis system. You can get into to see a doctor quick enough so he can tell you "yes indeed you are sick or you need an operation" but now the challenge becomes getting treated or operated on. We have waiting lists out the ying yang some as much as 2 years down the road.
3) Rather than fix what is wrong with you the usual tactic in
4) Many Canadians do not have a family Doctor.
5) Don't require emergency treatment as you may wait for hours in the emergency room waiting for treatment.
6) Shirley's dad cut his hand on a power saw a few weeks back and it required that his hand be put in a splint - to our surprise we had to pay 5. for a splint because it is not covered under health care plus we have to pay for each visit for him to check it out each week.
7) Shirley's cousin was diagnosed with a heart blockage. Put on a waiting list. Died before he could get treatment.
8) Government allots so many operations per year. When that is done no more operations, unless you go to your local newspaper and plead your case and embarrass the government then money suddenly appears.
9) The Government takes great pride in telling us how much more they are increasing the funding for health care but waiting lists never get shorter. Government just keeps throwing money at the problem but it never goes away. But they are good at finding new ways to tax us, but they don't call it a tax anymore it is now a user fee.
10) My mother needs an operation for a blockage in her leg but because she is a smoker they will not do it. Despite her and my father paying into the health care system all these years. My Mom is 80 years of age. Now there is talk that maybe we should not treat fat and obese people either because they are a drain o n the health care system. Let me see now, what we want in
11) Forget getting a second opinion, what you see is what you get.
12) I can spend what money I have left after taxes on booze, cigarettes, junk food and anything else that could kill me but I am not allowed by law to spend my money on getting an operation I need because that would be jumping the queue. I must wait my turn except if I am a hockey player or athlete then I can get looked at right away. Go figure Where else in the world can you spend money to kill yourself but not allowed to spend money to get healthy.
13) Oh did I mention that immigrants are covered automatically at tax payer expense having never contributed a dollar to the system and pay no premiums.
14) Oh yeah we now give free needles to drug users to try and keep them healthy. Wouldn't want a sickly druggie breaking into your house and stealing your things. But people with diabetes who pay into the health care system have to pay for their needles because it is not covered but the health care system.
I send this out not looking for sympathy but as the election looms in the states you will be hearing more and more about universal health care down there and the advocates will be pointing to
Step wisely and don't make the same mistakes we have.
Thats crazy
I have no complaints with the Canadian system. I get the help I need when I need it. And I don't have to pay thousands a month.
Extra health coverage that you would pay for is really cheap (under 0.00 for a family monthly) gets us 100% of our money back on prescriptions, dental, eye care, glasses, message, acuptuncture, pysio, chiropractor, etc. All doctor appt's hospital, surgeries, etc are covered already. Its the prescription and preventative care that you get insurance for.
When I needed an MRI I waited 3 weeks - not 3 years!
The taxes in Canada are a lot for some people. You pay more the more you make. If you make ,000.00 per year you might get taxed 20%, if you make 0,000.00 per year you move to the highest tax bracket and pay 55%. But you never have to worry. I think it is a good trade.
I have never waited more than 2 weeks to see a specialist and when really important I have gotten in for 1-3 days later. The reason for long wait times, in my experience, is because the most important life/death situations are taken first which I would expect to happen
I find it kind of funny the "bad free heathcare" that the US is always talking about. To me I find it ridiculous. It's all hugely exaggerated.
Thats some of my experiences anyways. I suspect it may vary by province or city; my relatives in Minnesota say that Mayo clinic serves many Canadians who are down here getting evaluation and treatment for serious conditions - cancer, cardiovascular disease - because they simply could not wait months on end for "free" tests/treatments in Canada.
I've never had long waits to see a doctor. Neither have any relatives of mine or anyone I know.
I've never had drugs thrown at me rather than to find out what a problem is. Neither have my relatives or friends.
Everyone I know has a family doctor. I have heard (On the news)that some people haven't been able to find one, but I know of none in that situation.
Last time I was at Emerg. I was seen in a timely manner.
Had a few splints made for me over the years. Never paid for the app't. but had to pay for the splints which were no more than about .00-.00. Any time I had to go back, there was no charge.
This past Wednesday my daughter had an app't with her gynecologist. Found out she needed surgery. They booked it that day for the 26th of this month. Of course there is no cost for the app't. and no cost for the sugery. She also will not have to pay for her pre op app't at the hospital and the app't she'll need with her family doctor.
I think the debate right now is whether we will be having "private" healthcare as well for people who want in quicker and are willing to pay. I think that would be even better. For people who can afford it, they can pay. It would lessen the demand on the current system. My only worry with that would be that the "free" care quality might go down....who knows.
I'm sure its a different story in the smaller towns as well. All my doctors and specialists have seen all my family members with autoimmune issues. My GP, Rheumie, GI, and Cardiologist know my full family history since they also see my mom, grandfather and aunts, so I may have a better outlook/experiences with our system then most.
See- I'm wondering if that e-mail was even "real" or not?? It was from someone that sends me alot of junk, so I wasn't sure.
I'm happy to hear that you all get wonderful care!!! It seems to me that it's a great system!! My credit rating is being ruined by all the medical bills I haven't been able to pay! But when it comes down to either paying my house ;ayment and utilities to keep the lights and heat on...or the medical bills, the medical bills come last. I had set up monthly payments with as much as I can though---but still, to not have that hanging over my head would be great...
Thanks for your responses. [QUOTE=SarahP]
I think the debate right now is whether we will be having "private" healthcare as well for people who want in quicker and are willing to pay. I think that would be even better. For people who can afford it, they can pay. It would lessen the demand on the current system. My only worry with that would be that the "free" care quality might go down....who knows.
I'm sure its a different story in the smaller towns as well. All my doctors and specialists have seen all my family members with autoimmune issues. My GP, Rheumie, GI, and Cardiologist know my full family history since they also see my mom, grandfather and aunts, so I may have a better outlook/experiences with our system then most.
[/QUOTE]http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/canada.asp
Karen
So true JasmineRain :)
I think if we had both who could complain?
PS Great link Hillhoney [QUOTE=SarahP]So true JasmineRain :)
I think if we had both who could complain?
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