Stop telling LIES about the Canadian health care system

[glarius]

I'm watching Larry King with Liz Cheney and James Carville discussing health care. Cheney brazenly said "we don't want the Canadian or British system where you don't get to choose your own doctor"! THIS IS A LIE! I have chosen my own doctor and even changed to a female doctor when one came in town. The government PAYS THE BILLS...The doctors , patients and hospitals make the medical decisions! Doesn't Carville know the truth? I'm so sick of hearing all these lies that the Democrats are not correcting. No wonder the American public seems to be losing faith in the way the President and the Democrats are handling the health care problem. All these lies are undermining the confidence of the American people in believing in Universal health care, I believe....There...I got that off my chest!

P.S...I just heard Cheney say some crazy thing about everybody dying of cancer up here because of neglect or some such thing. I missed what she said exactly, but that was the gist of it. That woman is poisonous!

Another P.S...Here is something from a posting I made on this subject on an earlier date:
"I can tell you that in my family, my husband had care from one of the top heart specialists in the world (he's in Toronto), and successful and timely cataract surgery....We do have to wait for elective surgery, but I've never heard of anyone dying for needed surgery...You already know about our drugs and the vast difference in prices here and in your country"...This is just to reinforce what I said earlier in this post.

[Siyahamba]

1. I had more choice in Canada than the US

In the US, I'm stuck with the doctors my PPO allows. In Canada, I could see anyone that was taking patients.

[John Q. Citizen]

2. Carvelle is the epitome of why the Dems lost the house in 1994, and the epitome of while they will

probably lose big in 2010.

Although sometimes he is funny.

[Horse with no Name]

3. Oh for the times that I HAD to switch docs

from longtime trustworthy practitioners to crappy, contracted practitioners because MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID SO.:mad:

[depakid]

4. The American corporate media will never stop telling lies

Two decades two deregulation has built it their culture and into the American culture- so there are no incentives for them to do otherwise. Moreover, two generations of Americans now accept outright dishonesty as perfectly acceptable behavior- and many like being lied, provided that it reinforces the worldview and ideological mindsets.

[Lindsey]

5. It's amazing what the perception is regarding health care in

Canada and the media is almost completely responsible. There are quite a few of these talking heads who will have to burn off a lot of Karma. It disgusting.

[depakid]

6. You really have to spend time in other western countries to realize just how appalling it is

Not just the non-stop propaganda and deceptive framing- or the false statements of fact- but glaring omissions in what gets covered.

Without an ounce of shame (much less integrity). Like what passes for a health care "system" in the states- people in other countries wouldn't tolerate it.

[Oregone]

7. I always go to the closest doctor.

If the office is full, I just go to a different one.

Yes, the whole thing is a lie. You can choose any person that you want

The only problem I have is finding a family practicioner. Walk-in clinics aren't the be all, end all.

Anyway, in Canada you have massive choice. Imagine traveling on the road hundreds of miles from home and your child gets a fever. You don't call your insurer and figure out where to go, then worry about the cost. You just pull into a medical clinic and see a doctor, pretty much, immediately (we've waited 5 to 45 minutes, with about 10+ minutes median wait time). We just experience this yesterday while traveling away from home. Its a pretty amazing ability to get medical attention pretty much anywhere, anytime, without fuss, hassle or worry.

[bkkyosemite]

9. Can I ask you a question. Are the away from home doctors able to pull up your record online? Is

someone's records available to all doctors? For instance if a person was unconsious but had a ongoing medical problem that needed to be known by a doctor not their own, is there a way for another doctor in Cananda to know that person's record or at least get it emailed to him or at a national database? Sorry for the run on sentence :-)

[Oregone]

13. I don't know, but I don't think so.

Sometimes it seems like they can pull up my address from my medical card. Sometimes not. But for records, I don't think so.

But if I get a family doctor, my records from my normal walk-ins will need to be physically transfered, so it probably isn't electronic at all.

I know that Canada was in the midst of developing an electronic record system, and it ended up being a big IT scam. A ton of money was paid out for little in return.

BTW, its all provincial, so if some provinces do it, others probably wouldn't have access.

I honestly don't know about it. Im just a poser Canuck, not a real one.

[The_Casual_Observer]

8. You figure that you get your choice of doctors at Kaiser or the emergency

room? Sure, things are just swell as long as your old man has 50 million in the bank, right cheney?

[Maru Kitteh]

10. I kept hoping Larry would cut her mic. Lunatic would NOT SHUT UP.

Gads she was awful. I hope she goes hunting with her dad.

[mzmolly]

11. Glarius, would you mind contacing Larry King?

We need the help of Canadians like you who can tell the truth.

Here is the contact info:

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.lkl.comment.html?12

Thanks so much for helping to get the truth out!

PS I don't think most Democrats in office know the truth. And, as long as 'they' can keep lying, they will.

[Posteritatis]

19. Considering CNN doesn't know what Canada's capital is, I wouldn't be optimistic re: being heard. nt

[Tindalos]

12. The Canadian system isn't perfect, but I'm not complaining

Canadian health care could probably benefit from a little tweaking in places, but no health care system is perfect. It's harder to get a personal doctor in some areas, depending on population and whatnot. I've been completely satisfied with the doctors at drop-in clinics and the level of service my family has received. For the most part, it's been completely without waiting or hassles. Not having to fight for insurance or worrying about how much it will cost does wonders for one's health.

[Oregone]

14. "Not having to fight for insurance or worrying about how much it will cost does wonders for ones..."

Thats the bottom line.

[slipslidingaway]

15. knr n/t

[Canuckistanian]

16. Yeah, we Canadians are furious at the lies and falsehoods

We're damn proud of our system and to listen to idiots like Cheney LIE is maddening.

I set people straight whenever I hear that bullshit.

[bkkyosemite]

17. The reason why I asked a question (and thank you for answering :-)) is because my medical file is

about 4 inches thick. I have more than one issue going on. It would be pretty hard for me to just stop by a clinic who does not know my records and then try to proceed to tell them the whole story. I think an electronic system with your medical info in it should be available with your permission for the doctor you are seeing to pull it up. OF COURSE ONLY if the insurance companies were out of the picture completely so they could not use the information to their benefit for denial of life insurance, etc.

[HOLOS]

18. k&R