Peter Menzies- Tens of thousands are dying on waiting lists following decades of media reluctance to debate healthcare
Better thousands of us die prematurely, apparently, than risk a grownup conversation that could challenge our national mythology and lead us down the path to “European-style” healthcare.
The main problem with the Health Scare system?
Unions.
Bureaucracy and administration.
Every single layer, from the top down is very well compensated with golden benefits. Staffing levels are beyond necessary needs.
By design.
It’s the Canadian way, everyone is looked after first, before the actual client/patient.
The priorities are all backwards. Patients are a nuisance to the unions.
Yes, the government wants us dead, the pre-born, and the old.
But not drug addicts of course, “if it saves just ONE life.”
Just Not Yours.
Over 60 and no longer working/contributing to the tax base? Yes, yes, yes, they want you DEAD!
Increasingly, this country resembles a Soviet system.
That reminds me of a story a few years ago where a man from Quebec (as pure laine as can be) was refused service when he didn’t have his health card. He went home to get it and died from a ruptured appendix on the way back to the hospital. The hospital found they had followed procedures, so they did no wrong and everything is fine. In other fields (such as aviation), when following the procedure leads to death, you review the procedure. Not so in gubmint health care it seems.
I had a suspected stress fracture and was told by my family doctor and physiotherapist to go to the ER and get is x-rayed three weeks ago. The triage nurse at first tried to refuse me, saying I should go see my family doctor or go to a walk in clinic. I explained that my family doctor had sent me here. The walk in clinic was already full and not taking more patients. As I waited I saw them take in a kid with diaper rash, a person with a back ache and someone needing a bandage changed while I waited. After three and half hours of increasing pain due to the horrible seats and my other medical conditions and my poor foot, I told the nurse i was in too much pain to sit any longer. I was going home. He cheerfully told me I should indeed leave because it would be many more hours before I could see a doctor. I went home, looked up how to treat stress fractures in a foot and put on a boot and rested the foot as much as I could. After three weeks it was pretty much better. My scheduled appointment with my family doctor is tomorrow.
I am 82. I wonder if that was part of the reason I was treated that way.
How many Canadians are aware of ongoing discussions in the MAiD promoting circuit about how great it would be and how much money could be saved by instituting involuntary euthanasia for when a doctor decides your quality of life is such you would be better off dead. I hear in the UK the proposed new rules say if you are determined to be in that state you will no longer get any medical care.
“European-style” healthcare
Yeah, we conservative Americans have always called it by its proper name … Socialized medicine. Socialist medicine. Medicine that’s dependent on your neighbors willingness to pay higher and higher taxes. So you ALL end up getting taxed for pathetic care given by Government Employee UNIONS.
Don’t change the language here in 2084
Monopoly Third Party Payer is the correct way to describe the canadian health insurance system. You as the patient are not the nominal customer of the health care system, the government is, you don’t directly pay for your care, so there is no incentive to get the proper care, and the bureaucrats see you as a cost, so they recommend MAID where ever possible.
You also don’t need a referral from a doctor to get Maid, you can just self select, and then get approval from 2 MAID doctors, who are incentivized to approve every case.
European healthcare systems are, generally speaking, mixed public/private funding & delivery models.
None outlaws private options like Canada does.
Don’t insult European healthcare by comparing it to the Canadian version!
Absolutely correct. I’ve never had a compaint about the health care system where I live and I’ve never heard anybody else complain about it.
“Don’t insult European healthcare by comparing it to the Canadian version!”
Absolutely. The die-hard defenders of our failed Canadian healthcare system, when criticized, will always responds with angry accusations of “You just want American-style healthcare!”
No, we want European-style healthcare. Because IT WORKS.
Uh, sorry to disagree … but the NHS in Britain is irredeemably broken. Unless you are separating the Isles from Europe.
I still spend winters in Florida, and in our Snowbird community healthcare is a common topic.
Those from northern states have what seams to be more than adequate care in their home state….and they also have more than adequate healhcare in their winter home states. Whether othopedic, cosmetic or more complicated issues of internal medicine there seems to be few barriers to service. I spoke just yesterday to a couple from Michigan who have opted to continue her cancer therapy her in Florida with the consent of her ‘northern’ doctor who made all the arrangements for the ‘southern’ treatment, adding sunshine is a healing agent. From pickle ball injuries to facial spot removals they all get treatment. When I compare my history of 1 and 2 year wait times just to see an orthopedic surgeon for evaluation my neighbors question why I put up with it. I tell them it’s the Canadian way.
The difference between the Canadian and US system for me is simple: When you go into a US facility sporting your insurance card, you are bringing money into that facility, where-as in Canada when you go into a government run facility, you are taking money away from the monies previously granted, that’s why they limit testing and treatment.
There is no perfect health care sytem but Canada’s system is severly broken, if politicians had to endure what average folk have to….there would be changes.
“I still spend winters in Florida, and in our Snowbird community healthcare is a common topic.”
To hear the TDS sufferers tell it, Canadian are all *boycotting* the USA now. Supposedly.