LA Times - Corporate Media Strawman - Attacks Canada's Health Care System Before Hearing On PO

[TomCADem]

The article does not mention that private insurance already puts Americans on wait lists, and that comparing Canadian taxes with U.S. taxes is an improper comparison because Canadians do not pay for private insurance premiums. Finally, the U.S. is not even considering a single payer system, but a public option, thus attack on Canada's health care system is largely irrelevant. Where is the liberal media when you need it? I hope Media Matters tears this article apart.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-healthcare-canada27-2009sep27,0,5111855.story?track=rss

In Canada, a move toward a private healthcare option

When the pain in Christina Woodkey's legs became so severe that she could no long hike or cross-country ski, she went to her local health clinic. The Calgary, Canada, resident was told she'd need to see a hip specialist. Because the problem was not life-threatening, however, she'd have to wait about a year.

So wait she did.

In January, the hip doctor told her that a narrowing of the spine was compressing her nerves and causing the pain. She needed a back specialist. The appointment was set for Sept. 30. "When I was given that date, I asked when could I expect to have surgery," said Woodkey, 72. "They said it would be a year and a half after I had seen this doctor."

So this month, she drove across the border into Montana and got the $50,000 surgery done in two days.

"I don't have insurance. We're not allowed to have private health insurance in Canada," Woodkey said. "It's not going to be easy to come up with the money. But I'm happy to say the pain is almost all gone."

Whereas U.S. healthcare is predominantly a private system paid for by private insurers, things in Canada tend toward the other end of the spectrum: A universal, government-funded health system is only beginning to flirt with private-sector medicine.

Hoping to capitalize on patients who might otherwise go to the U.S. for speedier care, a network of technically illegal private clinics and surgical centers has sprung up in British Columbia, echoing a trend in Quebec. In October, the courts will be asked to decide whether the budding system should be sanctioned.

* * *

Canada spends about $172 billion a year on healthcare, which is one reason the nation's taxes are higher than those in the U.S. (Canadians pay about 33% of the gross domestic product in taxes, compared with 28% in the U.S.) British Columbia is the only province that still charges residents an extra health premium of $54 a month, subsidized for those who can't afford it.

The first foot in the door for private medicine came in 2005, when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the laws in Quebec that banned private insurance. The court found that having people die while on wait lists violated the province's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The ruling does not apply outside the province, because only a minority on the court found that the laws also violated Canada's basic human rights charter.

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[depakid]

1. Stopped reading the LA Times after one too many dishonest stories like this

Aside from reporting on fires- it's lost it's credibility as a news source.

[Oregone]

2. What is a wait list?

A wait list is how doctors and hospitals track and schedule people who need specialized medical care, such as heart surgery, MRIs, and hip and knee joint replacements.

There is no single wait list for all British Columbians scheduled for surgery. People may be placed on a provincial list (e.g. Transplant Services), a regional list (e.g. Open Heart Surgery), a hospital list (e.g. for a CT Scan), or an individual doctor's list (e.g. for Hip Joint Replacement Surgery), depending on the kind of surgical or medical service required.

...

What influences the wait time?

Wait times vary for procedures and hospitals. In addition to the circumstances of the individual patient, wait times can also depend on factors such as:

* Which specialists your doctor refers you to;
* The capacity of hospitals or regions to do the procedure;
* How fast your community and region are growing; and,
* How busy specialists are in your community.

http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/waitlist/faq.html#whatlist

Why do I mention this? Because WAIT TIMES ARE NOT DETERMINED BY THE PUBLIC INSURANCE!!! All it does is pay for everyone (not ration), and it doesn't concern itself with scheduling matters. Private insurance would not solve the problem for people (ONLY clinics that ONLY take private insurance or payment would!).

The ONLY influence public insurance has on wait times is by putting more people in the queue. Less doctors are there to serve them unfortunately because they migrate towards lucrative jobs south of the border.

This is a red herring article. No other way about it. Its pure shit.

[orpupilofnature57]

3. MSM is now a constant commercial ,with no allegiance to the truth or information

[Lucy Goosey]

4. The wait times thing is such a crap comparison -

since 47 million Americans aren't even allowed on any wait list to begin with.

Also, I'm a Canadian earning $65K, and I take home $1860 every 2 weeks. That's $48,360 per annum, meaning that I pay about 26% tax. And that includes healthcare - not health insurance, health care. Richer Canadians pay more, poorer Canadians pay less.

Because my employer doesn't have to sink a whole pile of money into providing employees with basic (for-profit) health insurance, they offer me a supplemental plan that covers dental, prescription glasses or contact lenses, orthotics, travel health insurance, upgrade to private room if I'm admitted to hospital, and a variety of other medical extras. My co-pay? $7 per month.

I suspect a lot of Americans would be happy with that arrangement.

The Canadian system is not perfect, but it is being improved (especially wait times - I'll try to dig up some numbers.) Very few Canadians would want to scrap the system.

[Oregone]

5. "Canada spends about $172 billion a year on health care...reason the nation's taxes are higher..."

I don't know. I haven't noticed that at all. I pay the same. Maybe its because Im young and have a family. I don't additionally have to buy health care AFTER taxes. We also get a year of paid maternity here, education matching funds on savings, universal childcare benefit, universal tax benefit, etc. Right now, I get $1100 deposited monthly into my bank account in Canada from their revenue agency in liquid funds *monthly* (itll be far less, about $350, when maternity runs out in a year). I NEVER had that happen in the US. Ever.

Maybe its that the upper class pays more or something. Because I sure as hell don't in the middle.

Myth: Taxes in Canada are extremely high, mostly because of national health care.

In actuality, taxes are nearly equal on both sides of the border. Overall, Canada's taxes are slightly higher than those in the U.S. However, Canadians are afforded many benefits for their tax dollars, even beyond health care (e.g., tax credits, family allowance, cheaper higher education), so the end result is a wash. At the end of the day, the average after-tax income of Canadian workers is equal to about 82 percent of their gross pay. In the U.S., that average is 81.9 percent.

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_12523427

Seems like its using wait times and taxes to scare people.

[Vinca]

6. There are always some people who get screwed by a system,

but the ones in Canada you can count on one hand. In this country there are millions in a worse spot than Christina Woodkey. My wait time for a hip replacement is currently "forever." Canada has taxes only slightly higher than ours, they are enjoying a surplus and their citizens are living longer, healthier lives. No medical bankruptcies either.

[stuball111]

7. HAve a look at this, it's the best one I have seen yet.. although long, it's worth seeing..

It's about a so-called private "broker" and two Canadian Doctors, and An American single payer advocate...Canadian Supreme court is stacked with conservatives...

http://www.tvo.org/TVO/WebObjects/TVO.woa?video?TAWSP_Dbt_20090914_779613_0

[Lucy Goosey]

8. I second this - it's a must watch.

It's nearly an hour long, but it's fun to watch the privatization advocate squirm.

[stuball111]

10. Yep.. he's a snake...

Charges people to come to the states for treatment, no guarantees, all this crap about Canadas' system is hooey...I'm from there.

[Nikki Stone1]

9. +1

:kick: