Subject:
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Re: A question for my Canadian pals
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 6 Oct 2004 19:27:21 GMT
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Viewed:
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1078 times
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In lugnet.loc.ca, Dave Schuler wrote:
>
> He alleges that the Canadian healthcare system, which he, in his enlightenment,
> calls "Communist," is so inefficient that a patient who requires an MRI has to
> wait four months before a machine is available. Is this true?
I'd say our system is more "socalist" than "communist."
Oddly enough, I had an MRI last night (I hurt my arm playing tennis, but an
insane specialist wants to make sure I didn't have a stroke. What!?!?). I had
one last week, too and I have another one in two weeks. There was about a week
and a half wait between the doctor saying I needed to do this and getting the
first one done. So the four month wait wasn't true for me. I live in the second
most populated city in the provence, so it's not like the demand is low because
of low population.
Generally, if you need something done immediately, if it's life threatening,
you'll be treated. If you can wait, with no effects to your health, you may have
to wait a few months. But the system won't let you die. Everytime I say this to
an American, they always "know somebody who knew somebody" who had somebody die
for whatever reason because they didn't get treatment quick enough. I had this
arguement last with somebody at BrickFest, oddly enough. When I see American
politians talk about why they wouldn't adopt a more Canadian health system for
the country, they always drag out the fact somepatient have to wait months and
months for treatment they can get the next day in the U.S.
Meanwhile, I believe things like the infant mortality rate is on the rise in the
U.S., and how many MILLIONS of people have no insurance and probably avoid going
to the doctor? I have a friend in Chicago (a real friend not a friend of a
freind who heard about this) who had a heart attack a couple years ago and told
me once he wished he died because his family would be in better financial shape
if he did. That was about the saddest thing I ever heard.
I'm keeping a running tally of what all my MRIs and tests to prove I didn't have
a stroke cost, and I'm up to $2400 (that the government is paying for me). The
technicians always point out to me that that number would probably be double in
the U.S. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't really want ot be out that much!
Anywayze, say Hi to the knucklehead for me.
-Greg Hyland
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | A question for my Canadian pals
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| This will FUT ot.debate, but I wanted to start the question here. I'm in a discussion with a person whom I shall term, charitably, a knucklehead. Many of his views are ridiculous, and I can demonstrate their folly with citations and argument fairly (...) (20 years ago, 6-Oct-04, to lugnet.loc.ca)
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