Tommy Douglas, Not Dead Enough

Obviously the question should be "Other Canadians have access to private medical services within their home province, should Saskatchewan residents be forced to travel hundreds of miles to access these services and subsidize other provinces in the process?" This ideological prohibition is a perfect example of the tyranny of a noisy minority.

Public health care is a good thing. However, there is indeed room for some private care. When it can relieve pressure on the public system, then it is good. A wealthy person (not me ☺) should be able to get an MRI when he/she wants.

Of course there are private services in all regions. Oodles of lab work is done privately and billed to the system. Been that way for years.

Alberta gets rapped for private care (not sure why) and I think leftists in BC have complained. One of the country's premier back surgery clinics is in Vancouver. Here: http://www.cambiesurgery.com/

It is a sports clinic, but anyone with coin can go. A friend of mine is getting his spinal stenosis fixed there this week.

Good luck with MRIs in SK.

Separate private clinics take the strain of waiting times and third world service of government hospitals.

The biggest issue the Liberal Left has with Private Clinics is that they insist on looking at employee resumes to keep their market advantages over each other.

There should be private MRIs everywhere.

I've always liked the idea of public/private hours for private clinics as a way to defeat any potential outcry of unfairness by the extremely socialist minded.

9-5 the clinic operates as a public service and has to meet the provinces minimum for patients/hour (so they don't short staff the public hours). During these hours they only process patients using the provinces insurance plan and using a standard waiting list.

5:01 - 8:59(next day) they operate as an entirely private clinic and can charge whatever the market allows and see whoever they want. They can charge Mr. and Mrs. Moneybags $10,000 for a MRI for their goldfish or charge the provincial rate for additional waiting list patients.

That system processes more patients, reduces overall wait times while at the same time giving private industry motivation to provide needed services.

The big lie leftist governments propagate is "free" public health care. In Ontario, the last time I looked my dentist was called "Doctor" as is my optometrist and neither are covered by OHIP. Why not MRI's if it helps speed up treatment?

During Smitherman's reign a Ontario's minister of health, a medical clinic in Ohio created a mobile MRI van with the intention of coming to Ontario and offering MRI's for less than $400. Smitherman of course banned them from entering Ontario. So much for private health care of any kind in this Province. Socialists are led exclusively by dogma, not reason.

Yes, there should be private MRI clinics, and others as well as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the stench of "fear, loathing and envy" still lingers on in Sask. stemming from years and years of socialist stupidity. On the bright side, this stench is becoming less and less noticeable. I have had the frustrating experience of discussing private MRI clinics with die-hard fans of Tommy Douglas, Woodrow Lloyd and the rest of the useless tools who governed the province under the NDP banner. These cheerleaders for socialist medical care insist that anyone with the financial wherewithal to make use of a private clinic is somehow unfairly jumping ahead of everyone else in the queue. I have patiently explained that using a private clinic is simply moving to a different queue, albeit a much shorter one and therefore everyone waiting in the public line moves up a notch. A win-win situation. Of course this argument falls on deaf (or stupid) ears since the thought that someone might actually be benefitting by having more money is completely against the beliefs of a true socialist. This type of thinking is akin to the jealousy caused by a neighbour buying a new car or building a cabin at the lake. Jealousy, selfishness and stupidity all rolled into one ugly package.

http://ckom.com/story/saskatoon-doctor-against-private-mris/427753

Far be it for any news outlet to identify Dr. Meili as a former NDP leadership candidate... or associate him with the NDP in any way shape or form. Just another doctor who leads another national organization that nobody has ever heard of speaking out against the idea that choice and paying for services could somehow improve their system.

On one shoulder after an injury, I used the system. 3.5 yrs for two MRI's. I injured the other shoulder, paid for an MRI here in the lower mainland, and 4 days went by. It was worth it to me to GET IT HANDLED. $700. Now I can move on and rehab on my own.

I am going to have some minor laser surgery done this week at a private clinic. no government money. I am also going to have a number of pre-cancerous AKs removed later at the same clinic. the cost is very acceptable and I did not need a referral. we need more such options.

Another poll here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/private-mri-firm-has-made-pitch-to-province-sask-health-minister-1.2803758

Poll needs work, down at the bottom of the article:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/private-mri-firm-has-made-pitch-to-province-sask-health-minister-1.2803758#

Dress up as a private MRI machine this Halloween.
Scare the socialists!