Opposition to political parties?

[YoungMormonRoyalist]

Sorry. I hope I am not hurting your patriotic sensibilities. I also have Canadian friends here in CA and they echo the press in regards to the shortage of physicians and the delays in receiving care. I would not call that "fine" but again, I am not Canadian and you may be used to it so it may work for you.

Hmmm....no delays here.

And may I point out that several medical associations, pracitces, and validations that the number of doctors per person is going down world wide. It's not just a Canadian thing.

[Elphaba]

I live in Utah, and have experienced such incompetence in the heatlh care community, that if I told you the whole story, you wouldn't believe me. I wouldn't have believed me.

One involved what is called a "tilt table test." For three months I waited for this test, only to get a call on my way out the door that the table was broken.

It turned out that wasn't true--the doctor was not going to be there. It took me another two months to get the test.

During this horrible time when I was so ill I could barely move, I often ended up doing the doctor's work for him, just so it would get done.

In November 2001, I even went so far as to travel to Canada to see a doctor. I had no problem getting in to seem him in a timely fashion. He was able to help me with a small part of my illness, but there was no cure.

My point is, I know many other people who have experienced the same when it comes to doctors here in Utah, particularly if you have something that can't be diagnosed in 15 minutes.

Elphaba

[Elgama]

The issue with health care in USA vs Canada all comes down to the idea of: if you can afford good insurance, you can get better and prompt service in the USA; while Canada offers health services to everyone, but you may have to be on a waiting list for an operation for a few months.

=

Perhaps America's best hope lies somewhere in the middle: providing a co-pay system for everyone, based upon their ability to pay. But have it as a minimal service only. Those who desire better service, or more options could use an additional private insurance on top of it.

Canada is not the only model of providing healthcare for everyone (however I know American's that have been to Canada for operations because they are better or cheaper - I know with the NHS there are problems (its the oldest of its kind so its clunky), but you can top up with private healthcare, I grew up with private healthcare through my Dad's job, and I have to say in comparison to hospitals I have attended in the US and my husband's family experience because the private healthcare in the UK is supported by the NHS for emergency procedures, etc it is cheaper and a ton better than the US - here if I go into a standard private hospital I am seen straightaway, get a long leisurely appointment, and I get a private room, that is comfortabel, spotless, friendly nurses, good food, great TV etc In the UK like I daresay in Canada, and the US a lot depends on where you live in terms of waiting lists etc and hospital standards, my local hospital is clean and comfortable waiting lists aren't too horrendous and the maternity care I receive is absolutely fantastic (my SIL with good health insurance gets draconian care imo), yes I have to share my room with 3 other people but so did my Father in Law at UCLA (and my feet stuck to the floor it was so filthy, but I know hospitals in big cities can be like that).

I appreciate being able to go into my Drs without having to worry about the cost, being able to phone and getting a Dr to come out, and I don't know how many times someone has been in the chatroom from the US has been ill and unable to physically get to hospital because of the ambulance cost and the European's etc in the room have gone what you need to pay for an ambulance? The only time I needed flashing blue light ps I didn't feel ill if I had,to have paid for it, I'd have used the bus - I only now understand it would have killed Ellie and possibly myself. The worst thing for me was coming back from my Father in Laws funeral to find 15 messages on my Mother in Laws answerphone demanding who was going to pay for the ambulance that took him to hospital - it took my Mother in Law a year of wrangling to get that sorted and apparently its normal for it to take that long - seems heartless to me.

-Charley