tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599685745824348785.post9055050325304673283..comments2023-08-05T03:59:56.493-07:00Comments on The Personal Resilience and Warriorship Blog!: U.S. Health Care Debate: This Irate Canadian Speaks Out!Dr. Symeon Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02069026788397068589noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599685745824348785.post-82617197666784307792009-11-05T15:03:14.822-08:002009-11-05T15:03:14.822-08:00Dear Dr. Symeon,
I came across your warrior post r...Dear Dr. Symeon,<br />I came across your warrior post regarding Canadian Medicare. Spoken like a true everyday Canadian! I, too, have seen the derogatory comment about our healthcare system. <br /><br />From my own experience, I needed a hip replacement - I did have to wait a while to get the operation. Normal wait time is not more than six months. Four months and one week from the day I filled out the necessary paper work, I was at my local hospital.<br /><br />My surgeon, without a doubt is one of the most brilliant in the universe! I spent four days in the hospital, followed by four weeks in a rehabilitation center where I received the utmost care, including twice a day physiotherapy, five days a week. <br />That was followed by another three months of twice weekly physiotherapy at my local hospital.<br />The total out of pocket cost to me was $5 - the charge to activate my phone while I was at the rehab center.<br /><br />I did remember to say Thank God I live in Canada and not in the US - I might never have been able to have had that procedure there. Yet, because I am a Canadian, all that pain, once treated, is but a memory now.<br /><br />That is one small sample of Canadian medicare in action.<br /><br />As you know, even a homeless person who falls sick though he or she wants to live on the streets, will get medicare if he or she needs it and is found in need, or comes forward. Besides, nobody here needs to be homeless. There are shelters and other places for people like that but, as you know, some prefer to be loners.<br /><br />Even an American - or any other nationalty for that matter - will receive medical attention here in an emergency. They probably will have to pay for it, but at far less cost than in the US.<br /><br />I could go on - but, as a Canadian, you know what I say is so.<br /><br />I have a son who lives in the US. His cost for medical insurance is scary!<br /><br />I'm glad you wrote about the Canadian Medical system. Thank God for it. <br /><br />One of your readers...<br />Cate M.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599685745824348785.post-6433331122048164242009-11-04T10:44:10.261-08:002009-11-04T10:44:10.261-08:00As a Canadian citizen who lived in Canada for 30 y...As a Canadian citizen who lived in Canada for 30 years & who has lived in the US for the last 13 years, I would take the current US healthcare over Canada's any day of the week. I am very informed on the matter. My father worked for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies for 27 years in Canada and my mother worked for a Doctor (General Practitioner) for 25 years. Healthcare in Canada is far from free. When I left Canada they were the third highest taxed country in the world and my personal tax bracket was at 55%. In the US I get to choose what kind of coverage I want and from who. And, because our taxes (property, income and sales) are so much lower, my wife does not have to work - she can stay home and raise the kids. Our standard of living is better on one income in the US than on two in Canada. <br />Regarding wait times, my father currently has to wait for up to six months for a specialist for a life threatening illness. We are working on getting him fast-tracked. In addition, the amount of prescription drugs and procedures no longer being covered continues to escalate. The older people in particular are the ones really being squeezed financially. While in Canada for two weeks helping my parents last month their Doctor said about the healthcare system, "it is broken and the Doctors know it." Canada while my heritage is a good country to be from. However, with Obama's disastrous spending, appointments and policies I may soon have to move again! On Obama's plan our taxes here will approach the Canadian levels. Obama has it all wrong - so much for his kind of hope and change. I didn't think anyone could be worse than Bush, sadly was I ever wrong!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com