Just wondering what CDN dopers think about the issue. That is a two tier health care. We all now technically it’s illegal but without a doubt exists in this country. The latest one is regarding Baby Depot in Whitby Ont. Where women and infants can get 24 hr round the clock specialized care for a fee. If they choose to pay for it
And here’s a little more detail about it from the National Post
Personally I’m still waiting to hear from a gastroenterologist for a procedure, it’s been 3 months so far and haven’t heard squat. I don’t think access to a waiting list is access to health care.
Well, the Peace (of Shit) Bridge is scheduled to service a single city block in Calgary, so proportionally, yours is probably a better deal.
I very cautiously endorse two-tiered healthcare. If people want to pay for services, that takes them out of the waiting line for the general system. I would approach this very cautiously, though, because of the slippery-slope thing, where the pay-for-services system grows and the social system shrinks.
What would such a system cost? (No snark, just curious.) Do other similar nations–for example, the UK, Australia, France, and Germany–have such a thing? What does it cost them?
After undergoing some expensive (and uninsured) dental procedures a few months ago, and possibly needing some new glasses in the near future (for which I am similarly uninsured), I might be interested in such a plan.
I haven’t a clue as to what it would cost. I like our one-tier system, which for example when compared against our southern neighbours costs us less per capita in both government spending and in personal spending but leaves us with both longer lives and better health during those lives (World Health Organization as I’ve cited a few times before on the Boards), so I would like to see it expanded to cover that which it does not presently cover.
Since I am one of those who is both in a high tax bracket and who pays out of his pocket for drug, dental and what medical is not covered, I’d rather that my money goes to helping people rather than on administrative costs of private insuance companies.
I was covered by one of the major insurance companies as part of a group plan at my previous firm. The plan covered fillings and endodontics.
They denied the claim for the glue that the dentist used to attach the filling to my tooth.
They denied the claim for the endodontics (root canal) performed by an endodontist who charged the same as a basic dentist, because the endodontist was a dentist who was an endodontist.
About that time, another lawyer in town had a stroke that left him requiring instutionalization because he was unable to think straight, unable to communicate verbally or in writing, and unable to sit up, walk, feed himself, or control his bowels. What he still could do was lay in his bed and choke on his drool. His insurer denied his disability claim on the grounds that although he could no longer be a lawyer, he could still hold down some other job. Needless to say, other member of the bar took on the insurer and won.
I have no use for the way private insurance companies often deny claims on the assumption that for every customer who fights and wins against the denial, there will be many customers who couldn’t be bothered to fight, resulting in more profit for the insurer.
Yes, some insurerers are worse than others, but in general, the big fish are swallowing up the little fish, giving the consumer less choice, and the big fish tend to play the claim denial game.
Perhaps what we, as Canadians, ought to be doing, is to stop comparing ourselves against Americans (in terms of health care), and start comparing ourselves against other modern First World nations that have a single-payer health care system. From what I’ve seen in the media, we tend to pat ourselves on the back because we feel that we’re so much better off than Americans, but maybe we should forget the Yanks, because they don’t play our game. I’ve yet to see how we stack up (and feel about our health care) against that afforded the British, the Aussies, and so on.
These are a couple of horror stories. Neither should have been, based on the facts presented, contested with the insurer. The insurer should have paid the claims, no questions asked.
I know far too much about the insurance industry in Canada, for various reasons. Certainly, I know enough (and then some) to be very dangerous. Muffin, if you want, I would be happy to consult with you privately about these matters. You can let me know via PM.
No worries. The partners of the firm I was with at the time were so pissed off that they counted toward my billings the time I spent harassing the shit out of the insurance company’s legal department, so I didn’t lose any earnings for the time it took to get the claim denials rescinded.
I have a friend on the other side of the border who was employed in an insurance company’s medical claims department. Her job was to deny claims. Not review claims. Just deny claims. As in claims were made and denied without any review. She quit over this.
Let’s hope that does not happen. I’ve not had any problems (so far) with private supplementary insurers when I am covered; although that doesn’t mean that our insurers may have people employed to do as the American insurers do. That is, to deny claims.
Regardless, my offer stands. Should you need information, I’m here via PM.
They have two systems in Australia and Europe with no problem. If people don’t want to insure themselves for it they don’t have to and they can stick with the current health care system and get on a waiting list. My 85 year old grandmother hobbled around on a bad knee for close to a year before she saw a specialist because she was in the “to old” category and got punted down the waiting list.
Having two systems would actually alleviate the other. Besides it’s already here, in Québec for example you can avoid the long waiting list for an MRI and pay for it and get in done in a couple of weeks.
There’s also hypocritical Canadian Politicians who have gone to the US for expedient health care. Belinda Stronach, Dany Williams. Then there’s the que jumpers remember the outcry during the H1N1 vaccination hockey players and their families jumped the que for them.
Jean Chretien as soon as he discovered had a problem with his heart was having quadruple heart bypass within two days.
Then there’s Jack Layton who recieved a hernia operation in a private facility.
If it’s ok for the elite it should be ok for me if I choose to pay for it. If people don’t want to that’s fine stick to the our old health care system but I don’t think people and hypocritical politicians should take away my choice especially when it comes to one of the most important things to a human being, our health and well being.
Canada is the only modern first world nation left where choice is still illegal. Not to modern in my opinion.
All I’m saying is that I don’t think people who don’t live on an island currently have much cause to complain about bridges.
As for two-tier health care…it could work, but I think it’s also much more prone to abuse so we’d have to be careful about how it’s implemented. I also think there must be a way to step back, restructure and rebuild a one-tier system and have it work, though I’m not sure where to begin. Unfortunately, I think it might require some dreaded cooperation between provinces, and we all know that’s not going to happen! It just seems like it ought to be do-able, and it’s kind of stupid that it isn’t.
I know that for every anecdote of horror stories in getting healthcare, there’s at least the same amount of good ones. I’ve had very few problems accessing health care for myself or my husband in both Ontario and Québec.
Well, his Ministers are clueless (one that spent $50M in his riding and the other changes financial plans every week), overall Canadian economy is contracting, and Canada is off the Top 10 most competitive countries in World.
What else does he have to hang on to but onto the ghosts of an embellished story of Canadian (meaning Toronto) home-grown terrorism logistically entrapped?
This doesn’t even work in US anymore - at least they talk about budget and cuts and stuff. However, I give him credit for mastering the art of misdirection. This “news” (in fact, planted like a virus into media space) will be recycled for at least next few months.
Well, first off, Ibanez, I hope your time on the wait list is over soon.
My own take on the issue - I want our health care system to provide the same high quality health care within a reasonable time for everyone, regardless of their financial status or geographic location. I’m not ideologically opposed to a two-tier system, just very distrustful and wary of private sector involvement. The private sector exists to make money, either through providing goods and services at a higher profit or increasing share-holder value.
Here in Ontario one of our recent privatizations, the 407 highway, has been an unmitigated disaster, one which I don’t want to see repeated in any form.
Agreed. I understand that based on a number of complaints, there have been a few governmental inquiries into the operations, rates, etc. of the highway. I don’t know what has come of them, or if any changes have occurred. Do you know what happened; and if so, what’s your take on those?
Oh, the 407. Such a huge expense, but it saved (some of ) my sanity - I probably took it to work every day for about 6 months, though I’d drive home on the regular highways. From the starting point in Burlington to Mississauga Road North - saved me a good 20 minute drive in the stupidity of a GTA winter commute and made me loathe my job just a teeny bit less. I still quit and moved back to Québec, but the 407 allowed me to not just drive off a bloody cliff in frustration. God, was I ever miserable!
Tony Clement spent money in his riding for the G8 summit. All of the funds were accounted for. There were no missing funds.
Jim Flaherty is the envy of the industrialized world for his control of Canadian banks and finances.
Canada’s economy is so closely tied to the US economy that it matters little what we wish to do; any expansion or contraction is inevitable due to our major trading partner’s current economic situation.
“Islamicism” (i.e. radical Islamic terrorism) is in fact Canada’s greatest topical security concern; what the hell do you think it is, invasion by the U.S.A?
