Republican BS on Canadian Health Care is Just That---BS!

[Ivan the So-So]

I live across the bridge (not the one you may be thinking) from Ontario. I have several friends on the other side of that bridge, I've traveled throughout Ontario and parts of Manitoba, and I'm hear to tell you that there are no death panels, no euthanasia, no rationing of care for elderly patients, and no government bureaucrats coming between Canadians and their doctors.

The one tiny kernel of truth in the "anti-socialist" argument is that wait times for specialists and certain procedures can be, and often are, a pain in the ass. But let me state this without equivocation:

If a patient in Canada is in a life-threatening condition, wait times DO NOT EXIST. Such cases ZOOM to the front of the line!

And I'm sure you've heard about Canadians coming here for health care. Yes, but virtually none of those cases are life-or-death. In fact, ninety-eight percent involve people who simply don't wish to wait for a non-urgent appointment or elective procedure.

As for prescription drugs, they are almost always less expensive---and usually by a considerable margin---than the very same medications here. And, on a personal note, as someone who suffers from OCD, I was very gratified that drugs like Anafranil were approved for use in Canada many years before the FDA got around to following suit. (Yes, I was an illegal drug smuggler!!!) Likewise, advances in medical technologies, more often than not, are greenlighted there before approval is granted here.

Thus, were it up to me, there would, in America, be no "co-ops," no "triggers," indeed, no public option, because my simple solution to our health care woes would be

GO CANADIAN, EH!

[Canuckistanian]

1. Preaching to the choir here

Americans who live close to the border know the truth.

[Czar One]

2. K&R

My uncle lives in British Columbia, and tells me the quality of care is excellent!

[stuball111]

3. I moved here from Canada and...

you are absolutely right. Thing is, the right can make up anything they want about Canada's system because they know that most people here are ignorant of the facts about what goes on in Canada. The thing about wait times is also false, yes, they do exist for non-essential care, but vary from province to province. I understand that Ontario is a bit more of a mess, simply because of the population there, but my Mom lives in Alberta, and oil rich province, and has had virtually no wait time for the many operations she has had in the past ten years, hip (x2) knee, arm (x3) and some 2 or 3 other minor surgeries.
The other thing that is on the anti-universal movement is that it is so simple, so effective, and so cost effective, that it is too good to be true! I once asked a guy down here,( an obvious conservative) if he would like to have free health care, no pre-existing conditions, no co-pays, no rise in premiums or cancellation of policy due to illness, and 100% coverage. He said yeah, but it doesn't exist. I told him it does in Canada, (it's not free, costs about 2 grand per year in taxes and premiums) and we should have it here.
he went into the tirade that it was socialism, and no #$^*))* way were we going to get that going in the USofA! So that's the mindset we are fighting against down here. Couple that with the insurance lobby $$$ and you have a daunting task.

[MisterP]

4. it's "privileged territory": you can say whatever you want about it

just like "Communism" means whatever you want it to be, or "12th-century" means "pure evil"
this sort of lazy shorthand doesn't fly with, say, college juniors (which is why Reagone and Deukmejian made UC tuitions skyrocket)

[stuball111]

6. Keep em dumb...

That's the conservative way...I found it incredible that a capitalist, ( the guy was a business man) wouldn't see this as a way to increase profits! He wouldn't have to pay for medical insurance for his employees (cost savings) or himself! And the money saved from fees and co-pays let alone high premiums would go right back in his pocket, yet he was blinded by one word... "socialism"!

[Ivan the So-So]

8. A nation of buzzwords.

Sad, really. Then we wonder why Europeans think we're all goobers.

[stuball111]

9. Not all...

but yeah, the freeper types do lead to a warped judgement of Americans. Growing up in Canada, I had all kinds of distorted ideas about this country, but the reality is, it's not much different. Different candy bars, and grocery items, but the media here seems to give more coverage on the nuts. There's lots of nuts up in Canada, they just don't fall from the tree so loud! :rofl:

[Ivan the So-So]

10. Yeah, but.....

...Canadian nuts generally are not armed to the teeth!

[stuball111]

11. LOL.. true...

that's a good point for sure...keeps em a LOT more quiet.

[Czar One]

5. You used the word "taxes" with a conservative?

You are definitely braver than I!

[stuball111]

7. Yeah, they hate that word too.

I'd like to see a years repeal on all taxation, just one year, and let them see the chaos that would happen! Sure, the average conservative might save about 10 or 20 grand per year, but they'd have to pay out 50 grand in the services they lost. Maintaining their own roads, mail, police, fire, and ambulance, medicare, military,etc.