Canadian Premier??

[Palerider]

Anyone know why this man is coming to the United States for heart surgery???? I think I have this story correct. Those that know more than I do can straighten me out.

[Canuck Mormon]

What is his name? Could it be a retired premier? I doubt, although wouldn't put it past them, that one would do that.

[Just_A_Guy]

It's not the PM of Canada; just the PM of the province of Newfoundland. See here.

Apparently he's a conservative, which I'm sure explains everything.

[Maureen]

Danny Williams is the Premier of Newfoundland. He is a self-made millionaire and specific details about his heart surgery are not mentioned. It could be a procedure not available in Newfoundland and for whatever reasons, he and his doctor(s) have chosen to have the surgery in the States. We'll have to wait to get more information.

[Palerider]

I was surprised to see this. I thought healthcare in Canada was pretty good. I wouldn't know myself not living there. Just going by what I have always heard.

[pam]

I have a question because I'm like Pale and I don't live in Canada. Is the healthcare system in Canada different in the different provinces?

[bytor2112]

We have friends in Victoria, BC and they tell me that health care is really good.....until you need a serious procedure and then there can be long waits. Many come to the U.S. to avoid the wait times.

[Canuck Mormon]

Yes, there are long waits for some procedures. My father had to wait over a year for a knee replacement. He hasn't bothered with the other one because it took so long, plus it's still not too bad.

Newfoundland isn't the most accesible place, so the procedure he is needing may not be available there. If he is paying for it, who cares. If the tapayers were on the hook, then that would be different.

As far I know, each province sets what they will and won't cover. For example, Alberta used to cover chiropractor visits under the health care system, but they recently "de-listed" it. Now a lot of people also have supplimental coverage that will usually cover things that the province won't (dental, eye exams, etc.)

[Elphaba]

It just occurred to me how often I have read how a Canadian paid to come to the US for our superior healthcare, but I have never mentioned that, prior to a few years ago, the only doctor who helped me at all with my illness was in Canada, Yes, I paid to go to Canada for its superior healthcare. True story.

You should have seen me at the British Columbia airport. I'd just come off a terrifying plane trip, the last hour in a matchbox-sized paper airplane that kept dropping hundreds of thousands of trillions of feet every five seconds, and that's not an exagerration!

So, when I went through customs and told them I was there to see a doctor, all of their red flags went up, and I had absolutely NO idea why. I really didn't. When the interrogator interrogated me, I literally started bawling.

I was there to see a doctor who was helping people with my illness, because my doctors in the US weren't helping me at all. In fact, if I wrote a book about my experiences at the hands of US doctors, you wouldn't believe me. Prior to my getting ill, I wouldn't have believed me.

So, I am an American who paid to go to Canada for its superior healthcare.

Elphaba

Edited February 2, 2010 by Elphaba

[Maureen]

I'd just come off a terrifying plane trip, the last hour in a matchbox-sized paper airplane that kept dropping hundreds of thousands of trillions of feet every five seconds, and that's not an exagerration!

Did you fly into the interior of BC or to the Island?

[Elphaba]

Did you fly into the interior of BC or to the Island?

I don't know, but it was in Victoria.

I flew there from Spokane using Alaska(n?) Airlines. Scared the bezeus out of me.

Elph

[Maureen]

I don't know, but it was in Victoria.

Okay, that makes sense, Victoria is on the Island.

[Palerider]

Danny Williams is the Premier of Newfoundland. He is a self-made millionaire and specific details about his heart surgery are not mentioned. It could be a procedure not available in Newfoundland and for whatever reasons, he and his doctor(s) have chosen to have the surgery in the States. We'll have to wait to get more information.

I know that you yourself do not know this answer....but here goes....This procedure is not available anywhere in Canada???

[Palerider]

Here is one article I found about it....

N.L. Premier Williams set to have heart surgery in U.S.

[Maureen]

I know that you yourself do not know this answer....but here goes....This procedure is not available anywhere in Canada???

For one thing we do not know what the procedure is/was and there's a good chance it was not available in NFLD. For whatever reason Mr. Williams and his doctors chose to go to the US, only he can tell us why.

M.

[Lbybug]

on the news tonight the big story is "why the premiere sought medical care below the border"....if i stay awake long enough to watch it, i'll keep you posted.

[Maureen]

Danny Williams could have stayed in Canada for top cardiac care, doctors say

M.

[Moksha]

You should have seen me at the British Columbia airport. I'd just come off a terrifying plane trip, the last hour in a matchbox-sized paper airplane that kept dropping hundreds of thousands of trillions of feet every five seconds, and that's not an exagerration!

Elphaba

Hope your Canadian treatment was not for vertigo.

[Moksha]

Danny Williams could have stayed in Canada for top cardiac care, doctors say

M.

I guess when money is not an issue, you might as well spend it in very large quantities. Couldn't have done that in Canada.

[Moksha]

Could this choice of surgery sites have been a ruse as a means of watching the Superbowl on American TV?

Watching American style football as an alternative to officiating at weekend Newfoundland dog sled races should be a welcome change of pace.

[joel99]

Let me jump in here because I have some background on this. First of all - Newfoundland & Labrador is a province in eastern Canada (both a large island and section on the mainland) with a population of about 550k spread over an area around the size of California. Or in other words the population of the Provo metro area. Given that, it's reasonable to think that they would not the same level of care as a much larger metro area such as Vancouver or Toronto (or Boston, etc.).

Its largest city has a similar population as say St. George, Utah with the next closest "major" city a significant distance away in Nova Scotia.

I personally know people who've lived there who required advanced heart surgery that was done out of province and paid for by their provincial health insurance. I've seen the same thing done while living in the US where people go to specialist centers for their specific ailment - Hopkins, Stanford, etc.

It hasn't been disclosed yet on exactly what he had but I would imagine given his epic quantity of money he decided to go to a big name facility in the US to have it done. Probably packaged up in an all-inclusive deal (meals, drinks, access to the poolside bar, etc. :)

It appears I know his doctor and I bet he was pissed. :)

j.

[Just_A_Guy]

It hasn't been disclosed yet on exactly what he had but I would imagine given his epic quantity of money he decided to go to a big name facility in the US to have it done. Probably packaged up in an all-inclusive deal (meals, drinks, access to the poolside bar, etc. :)

You mean, Canadian hospitals don't feed you?

(I kid, I kid . . . )

[YoungMormonRoyalist]

I have a question because I'm like Pale and I don't live in Canada. Is the healthcare system in Canada different in the different provinces?

Yes and no. Canada has universal healthcare, but it is administered differently from province to province, as the Canadian government is a federal one, like the United States. The general rule of thum is "Given privately, funded publicly."

We have friends in Victoria, BC and they tell me that health care is really good.....until you need a serious procedure and then there can be long waits. Many come to the U.S. to avoid the wait times.

It depends on what they mean by serious procedure. If it's a blocked artery they'll have you in right away. If it's arthritis then you'll have a doctor right away, and the specialist in a month or so.

[Canuck Mormon]

You mean, Canadian hospitals don't feed you?

(I kid, I kid . . . )

They do, but it's maple syrup and back bacon!!!

[Dravin]

They do, but it's maple syrup and back bacon!!!

Is that why Aero Bars are so good?