Canadian Premiere To Have Heart Surgery In U.s.

[FirefightnRick]

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2510700

Mr. Williams' decision to leave Canada for the surgery has raised eyebrows over his apparent shunning of Canada's health-care system.

Rick

[untbowler]

but, but , but Bush ruined the US health care system, people die by the thousands every day because the US care is so horrible. I mean Canada has a fantastic health care system??? I thought Michael Moore said Cuba also has a better system, so why did the great premier go their for his surgery?

Anyone, anyone??

Truth is we have the best health care, but it gets demonized by the career politicians who always use their privilage to get the best care while screwing the citizens they swore to protect and serve.

[eeally]

but, but , but Bush ruined the US health care system, people die by the thousands every day because the US care is so horrible. I mean Canada has a fantastic health care system??? I thought Michael Moore said Cuba also has a better system, so why did the great premier go their for his surgery?

Anyone, anyone??

Truth is we have the best health care, but it gets demonized by the career politicians who always use their privilage to get the best care while screwing the citizens they swore to protect and serve.

Amen!

[SilverEagle]

"He has gone to a renowned expert in the procedure that he needs to have done," said Ms. Dunderdale, who will become acting premier while Mr. Williams is away for three to 12 weeks.

"In consultation with his own doctors, he's decided to go that route."

He is mearly making the decision to go get treated by the best and most skilled Dr. to treat his particular condition. The way I read it, he would have gone to India if the best person/Dr/expert HAPPENED TO BE THERE.

There is a big difference in the skill of a particular Dr. and the health care SYSTEM he or she works in.

The issue is our HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. Which causes many Americans to go to such places as India to get their proceedures/operations....BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT IN THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.....WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SKILL OF OUR DR'S.

geezzz

Edited February 4, 2010 by SilverEagle

[UNTFan23]

Tort reform is an excellent place to start on making health care a little more affordable. A half million for lawsuit liability insurance that many doctors pay for is just outrageous. Since our government is run by lawyers, do you think tort reform will happen?

[SilverEagle]

Tort reform is an excellent place to start on making health care a little more affordable. A half million for lawsuit liability insurance that many doctors pay for is just outrageous. Since our government is run by lawyers, do you think tort reform will happen?

Tort reform is certianly one important piece of health care reform.

[Green P1]

Two things:

This & This

[KRAM1]

Fact is...the guy had to leave Canada. Too bad. Too bad folks leave the US as well. Some are reported to have wished they had not left for other countries. But, Silver has a valid point in thinking the guy was just going to who he thought was THE BEST. Nice that he has that choice.

There may be a bit more to the story as well. Good luck to him!

[yyz28]

I'm glad he had the option to do what he felt was best for his health. I hope he

Tort reform IS an important part of the solution for what ails our health care system, yet it isn't a part of the Reform Package being considered and promoted by President Obama and the Congress. It is a pretty major oversight, in my opinion.

Good find, Rick.

[eulessismore]

Fact is...the guy had to leave Canada. Too bad. Too bad folks leave the US as well. Some are reported to have wished they had not left for other countries. But, Silver has a valid point in thinking the guy was just going to who he thought was THE BEST. Nice that he has that choice.

There may be a bit more to the story as well. Good luck to him!

As Paul Harvey would tell us, there's always "the rest of the story". Anyone or their family who has gone through surgery to treat cardiovascular disease might have plenty to say that would never fit neatly into any political analysis. My brother in law was referred to one of the best known in his specialty, who was from Canada, but was practicing in Texas. He did the great job that was expected on the surgery, but whoever should have been looking at the blood work and comparing it to the symptoms he was having during an unexpectly long recovery missed a problem with elevated potassium levels that could have been fatal if not eventually, weeks later, figured out by his regular cardiologist. Hey, I can understand the importance of doctors not being subjected to frivolous litigation, but mostly I understand that medical providers, patients, and their families all need to be alert and responsible in seeing that things are done right during these surgeries and the followup.

[UNT90]

"He has gone to a renowned expert in the procedure that he needs to have done," said Ms. Dunderdale, who will become acting premier while Mr. Williams is away for three to 12 weeks.

"In consultation with his own doctors, he's decided to go that route."

He is mearly making the decision to go get treated by the best and most skilled Dr. to treat his particular condition. The way I read it, he would have gone to India if the best person/Dr/expert HAPPENED TO BE THERE.

There is a big difference in the skill of a particular Dr. and the health care SYSTEM he or she works in.

The issue is our HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. Which causes many Americans to go to such places as India to get their proceedures/operations....BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT IN THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.....WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SKILL OF OUR DR'S.

geezzz

The point is, the best wasn't in India... or China... or Canada. The best was here. The best in just about every specialized medical field is here.

Why is that? I wonder.

[Censored by Laurie]

Why is that? I wonder.

If you're the rich, white head of country you can afford any treatment you want?

[KRAM1]

If you're the rich, white head of country you can afford any treatment you want?

True...so can most educated and hard working citizens of any ethnic/racial background of the greatest nation on earth...the U S of A!

[Censored by Laurie]

True...so can most educated and hard working citizens of any ethnic/racial background of the greatest nation on earth...the U S of A!

So screw the rest of them?

[FirefightnRick]

Which causes many Americans to go to such places as India to get their proceedures/operations....BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT IN THE AMERICAN SYSTEM....

Really?

Rick

[Shuke-D]

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2510700

Rick

I understand the point you are trying to make, but this anecdotal evidence of one privileged individual actually contradicts that point and ends up being evidence in favor of the current progressive arguments for health care reform. UNTfan23 and yyz28 did a much better job of making the point and countering those arguments. The story of the Canadian Premiere really just says to me that the US is the BCS of healthcare. It's not a good example of the arguments to preserve (or more accurately, to rationally, not radically, reform) the current state of American health care system.

[UNT90]

If you're the rich, white head of country you can afford any treatment you want?

The story of the Canadian Premiere really just says to me that the US is the BCS of healthcare.

So class warfare is the way to go? I have bad health care, so you have to have bad health care, too? Nevermind that I chose not to take advantage of the opportunity this country offers to better myself, my situation, and my family (for whatever reason).

When it comes to Health care, I'd rather the US be the UT than the UNT any day of the week.

**first multi-quote ever. Like the user-friendly new website.

Edited February 5, 2010 by UNT90

[Shuke-D]

So class warfare is the way to go? I have bad health care, so you have to have bad health care, too? Nevermind that I chose not to take advantage of the opportunity this country offers to better myself, my situation, and my family (for whatever reason).

Actually, I was saying that that is exactly how the discussion is going with examples like this one, which is the real problem for me. It plays into the hands of the radical element on the progressive side, just like the talk of death-panels did. It obscures the nuts and bolts discussion of how could such a thing be made to work or how would it affect the health-care coverage for those who, as you accurately put it, already have adequate coverage due to a combination of work ethic, self-sacrifice (and other factors outside of personal responsibility: not everyone who has health-care is 100% responsible for it; nor is it true that everyone who does not is 100% responsible for their lack). The radical elements of both sides have culpability in the fact that the national discussion thus far on the topic has been 100% un-illuminating, un-helpful, and unproductive. My point was more about the methodology of the current state of the debate, not about the content intended (which I did try to make clear).

When it comes to Health care, I'd rather the US be the UT than the UNT any day of the week.

I can agree to that if you can agree that SMU deserves the Death(panel) Penalty

**first multi-quote ever. Like the user-friendly new website.

Agreed. I'm not good at figuring out my own html. This is a big improvement.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Shuke-D

[Green Gas]

You guys need to realize from the start, in Canada for surgery you get put on a list. You don't get to pick your surgeon. They assign the patients by their proximity to the local surgical center, or regional medical center if a specialty is needed according to where you live. If you have to wait nine months for your number to be called you have to wait for the most part.

A friend of mine at EDS specialized in the IT side of company mergers between US and Canadian companies, he had been part of almost 50 before he left last year. But the thing he said that was always consistent between all the mergers was the Canadian execs and professionals demanded to be on the US side health insurance. He said that was just about automatic and he said he could not remember one where this was not part of the deal. Not being able to select your surgeon and being put on a list for nine months to a year would bother most people here in the states. Funny how people think Canadian heath care is any good at all. The only ones that might like it are the poor, because they can go to a General practitioner relatively easily if they live in the right areas of Canada, and for the poor having surgery is better then nothing.

This is not to get into the assembly line surgery process, and the number of surgeries declined due to age and other issues. The problems with the Nurses and medical assistants, the Unions and the low pay make for some crazy issues and worse care. So the rule in Canada is if a person can afford it, cross the border to the USA and see the Doctors they want, and pay for the quality care they want.

In Canada a person doesnt get to see the specialist they may want to see, they see who is available closest to their address and assigned to them by the government. In Canada you can't pay to see the Doctor you want, or to set up a surgery as simple as oral surgery for a root canal, or impacted wisdom teeth can take months to a year. I can see the spin on this, well I really lost some weight last year I could not chew my food. They actually have a black market Medical community growing which is illegal and has punished several doctors with jail time because they treated people outside the National Heath system.

Just Fun Stuff - But those that think the Canadian Premiere came to the US to best Surgeon he could are right, but there is much more to it then just that..

Edited February 5, 2010 by Green Gas

[FirefightnRick]

It's not a good example of the arguments to preserve (or more accurately, to rationally, not radically, reform) the current state of American health care system.

I think it is simply one example. Especially when this administration has done everything in it's power to convince the American public that the system is broken, when most know, it is not. It needs reform. But it's not the absolute disaster that these hired drones below would have you believe.

Rick

Edited February 5, 2010 by FirefightnRick

[Green P1]

So screw the rest of them?

Exactly.

[eulessismore]

I think it is simply one example. Especially when this administration has done everything in it's power to convince the American public that the system is broken, when most know, it is not. It needs reform. But it's not the absolute disaster that these hired drones below would have you believe.

Rick

What reforms would you recommend?

Here's mine: Any insurer winning the contract to insure federal employees, including congress, should be required to provide insurance coverage on the same terms to a pool where that those who are otherwise uninsured can get coverage, similar to state programs providing auto or homeowners insurance to those who cannot get it on the open market.

Edited February 5, 2010 by eulessismore

[Censored by Laurie]

Exactly.

I mean.

[untbowler]

What reforms would you recommend?

Here's mine: Any insurer winning the contract to insure federal employees, including congress, should be required to provide insurance coverage on the same terms to a pool where that those who are otherwise uninsured can get coverage, similar to state programs providing auto or homeowners insurance to those who cannot get it on the open market.

How about tort reform to lower health costs, get the gov't out of the doctors office.

The same politicians and lobbyists who want to pass National Healthcare opt into the program like they want all the citizens to do, not immediately give themselves an out.

[eulessismore]

How about tort reform to lower health costs, get the gov't out of the doctors office.

The same politicians and lobbyists who want to pass National Healthcare opt into the program like they want all the citizens to do, not immediately give themselves an out.

I think that's what my proposal would do. Of course, the "no opt out" thing always seems difficult to achieve. And, if it turned out not to be anything at all like what the legislators would like, maybe it would result in term limitations.