Canadian NDP leader diagnosed with new cancer

[Farbin Kaiber]

Sounds like if cale were in the UK, he would be bashing us talking about gun rights, and asking why we'd need anything more than a .22 anyway.

[z31maniac]

Essential services do have access to other forms of healthcare and are priority, so yes...benefits of his position. Do you not think any of your politicians would not also have the oppurtunity to travel abroad if a procedure was not available in their home country? Of course they would.

You're missing the point.

It's our system that has made those services avaiable.

[fsf1o1]

Ill be praying for a healing for him. Seems like a great guy

[mrsleeve]

Thank you Mannic :D


Yes Cale: With out our "System" those procedures would not be available to anyone, and yet are available to ANYONE here in the US.

I will still ask again, would ANYONE from Canada be allowed to go to the US for a "Less Invasive procedure", when a perfectly good and well proven all though more invasive one (read as CHEAPER) is available in your own country, even if they have to travel to a different city or Provence to get it????? I am sure it would be far cheaper for your system of care to pay a Newfi to go to Toronto get state run, surgery than paying a guy in Florida retail to do it.

Look I dont have an issue with anyone coming here for any kind of treatment, in fact I endorse it. What I have issue's with is those that hail their Socialized heath care systems, are the "envy of the world", and offer the best care available anywhere. Yet those of political importance, dont put them selves in the same boat as the rest of you and come here when its their ass on the table, yet still make the rest of you pay for it, and are not extended the same benefit. Perks of the job, ok I can see that, but you know when you are a servant of the people whats good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander. Besides if it was left to socialized heath care we all would still be stuck in about 1966 (thats optimistic too) as far and advancements in medicine are concerned.

Do you really fail to see it????

[cale]

Not at all, however my argument is that it isn't your form in which health care is administered or the form in which ours is that gives you the advantage in this situation. A first world nation with 10x the population is going to have better funding and more individuals developing new methods. I think credit should be giving to the fact that your country possesses many more institutions focusing on health care, therefore more advancements are being made.

Essential services being granted special benefits is nothing new, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that your politicians and military members as well are priority for health care. As an Air Force member myself, I know that if a procedure is available elsewhere it will be made available to me.

[Roysneon]

Lots of people travel around their country and the world for medical treatment. Americans do it, Canadians do it, Europe, Asia, South America...

Yes, our Health Care system is less than perfect, much less in fact. So is the US system. So are all health care systems to some degree. If the perfect way of helping people be healthy was so easily found, don't you think everyone would adopt it?

[Todd Black 88]

Sleeve, do you have any knowledge at all that you did not read on the net?

Every canadian is allowed to go to the states if a procedure is available there that is not available here. If it is required, and our system cannot provide it, it is payed for by our tax base.
It doesn't matter who you are.

Now if an equivalent procedure is available here, but you choose to have a different procedure done, its at your cost........depending on your extra health insurance. My coverage will cover me on most things.

Our universal health care system covers everyone to the extent of our capability. But.... If it is needed and we cannot provide it, it will be payed for by the tax base to have done elsewhere where its available.
We have both private and public health care. If you have the money you can skip the waiting lines for heavily backed up things such as mri's, pet scans etc, by going to a privately run clinic. Just like the US in that respect i guess.

The public system just makes sure those who cannot provide for themselves are not forgotten and left behind.

[Todd Black 88]

I don't vote NDP, but Layton has been the best thing to happen in politics in canada imo, for a long time.

Get well Jack

[nando]

I'm a fan of the Canadian system - only because their government paid for my 1st son to be born 100% and they're also paying my wife for 2 full years of maternity leave. And there's no way her meager wages and tax contributions could have paid for any of that.. the funny thing is the same birth here only cost me around $2k.

the level of service between the canadian hospital and the american one was drastic. There were far more nurses available, they actually provided me with a real bed, a pillow, and a blanket (*gasp*). My wife didn't have to wait through 3 hours of labor to get her pain medicine. We didn't get charged to watch basic cable. and on and on and on..

My mother in law has been working in the health industry up there for something like 30 years. You know what she says? the system is overburdened and underfunded. It's broken. If the Canadian system had to pay for the same level of service you can get here, it would cost far, far more.

The main benefit I can see for the Canadian system is if you're poor, you can get some level of service without breaking you. But if you're that poor it's not like they can really take anything from you. Just go to an American ER waiting room to see what I mean.

The solution is probably somewhere in the middle. Being poor shouldn't be a death sentence, but you can't expect to get the highest level of service for free, either.

[Todd Black 88]

Well said.

Nobody gets left behind is what its really about.

[joshh]

Well said.

Nobody gets left behind is what its really about.

Except for the people who die waiting for treatment....

[mrsleeve]

Todd:

Well you see that is handy dandy info, and is appreciated. The question is still left some what unanswered though. Do you all get to go somewhere else because there is "NEW" state of the art procedure taking place of a older one that is just as well proven that is available in your country??? Is everyone allowed such desecration?? This is my point. I can understand if there is NO treatment at all for xxxxxx condition, but when there is a proven reliable one and its available do you still get the choice???

I never said our system was perfect its far from it, we have our issues as well, but really I dont see health care as a basic human right, I see it as a privilege and a service. Emergency care is something that everyone should be afforded (an it is here in the USA), it still should be paid for regardless. After all I am not heartless or compassionless, everyone should have a reasonable expectation to not bleed out on the sidewalk. But not everyone can have access to the latest and greatest cutting edge tech with out the ability to pay for it, every system in the world including ours is a good example of this.


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[Todd Black 88]

To your first question, the answer is no...... And yes
We are allowed to access it yes......but we have to pay for it. It is not our right to go and have the tax payer fund it. But in extreme cases it is covered. For example if a preceding health issue may cause possible complications to the standard procedure, then an alternate more expensive, less invasive,.......different, procedure will be funded be the tax payer. Even if it takes place on other shores.
Everyone is allowed that discetion yes....if you can pay for it, or your extra insurance carrier will cover it.
As for the politician who had the work done in the US, i'm sure he has a pretty good health insurance plan outside of the standard coverage every canadian gets.:D

I guess what most don't understand is that their are different levels of health care here. Everyone gets the basics, but their is more available for a cost just like other countries.

Todd:

Well you see that is handy dandy info, and is appreciated. The question is still left some what unanswered though. Do you all get to go somewhere else because there is "NEW" state of the art procedure taking place of a older one that is just as well proven that is available in your country??? Is everyone allowed such desecration?? This is my point. I can understand if there is NO treatment at all for xxxxxx condition, but when there is a proven reliable one and its available do you still get the choice???

I never said our system was perfect its far from it, we have our issues as well, but really I dont see health care as a basic human right, I see it as a privilege and a service. Emergency care is something that everyone should be afforded (an it is here in the USA), it still should be paid for regardless. After all I am not heartless or compassionless, everyone should have a reasonable expectation to not bleed out on the sidewalk. But not everyone can have access to the latest and greatest cutting edge tech with out the ability to pay for it, every system in the world including ours is a good example of this.


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[Roysneon]

Exactly. When I broke my knee, I had to pay for physio, but the ride to the hospital, care I received there and follow ups with doctors was free. If there was some kind of surgery that would fix my knee permanently and instantly but was only available in Denmark, I'd be on my own.

Health insurance does exist for things like dental, and anything really that goes beyond keeping you alive and well.

[Ryan Stewart]

i doubt he wants to lose his house and all his assets paying for it.

I'd bet he will, spending 600k usually is preferable to death.