[Oe List ...] Health care is a moral issue, not a financial one.

[Sandra Rafos]

Well, well, well, I am sorely disappointed to hear that my health care  
system is on the verge of collapse.  Someone should inform the  
Canadian citizenry rather than trying to mislead the people of the  
US.  As a dual citizen I am deeply appreciative of the Health Care  
system in Canada.

1.  Everyone is covered, even landed immigrants, i.e non-citizens.

2.  Service is provided through your primary physician.  The choice of  
a physician is entirely yours.

3.  The primary physician provides treatment and determines the  
seriousness of your illness or injury.

4.  Critical and life threatening cases are referred to hospitals and  
specialists and treated immediately.

5.  Referrals to specialists for non-life threatening cases wait for  
treatment or services.

6.  Annual exams are free as well as a host of preventative tests;  
mammograms, ekgs, colonoscopy, blood and urine analysis, chest x-rays,  
bone density scans, etc.

7.  Hospitals and doctors are private.

8.  Fees for procedures are established by the Health Care system, and  
doctors and hospitals are reimbursed through it.

9.  All procedures and semi-private hospital room is paid by the  
Health Care system.

10.  The price of drugs is established by the government.

11.  Over 65 there is no charge for drugs.  Younger than 65, there may  
be modest co-pay.

12.  Many people carry supplemental health care for dental,  
eyeglasses, massage, chiropractor, private room, travel out-of- 
country, etc.

13.  People CANNOT sue their doctor.  Malpractice cases are handled  
through a board of doctors and health officials.  The out come of  
judgements can be fines, suspension of a license for a period of time,  
or loss of a license permanently.

14.  Ergo, there is no hefty malpractice insurance that has to be  
carried by doctors, which goes a long way to reducing medical costs.

I have had knee surgery, eye surgery, surgery for pre-cancer  
conditions, treatment for shingles, flu shots, medications and have  
never paid for anything.

This is not just for me or my family but for everyone.  I sleep well  
at night knowing that my friends and neighbors (known or unknown to  
me) are covered.

My personal view is that healthcare is a RIGHT for everyone, just like  
a child has a right to an education, or people have a right to clean  
water, electricity, fuel for home, highways, police and fire  
protection, etc.  All of the above are provided for or regulated by  
the government.  This is a moral issue, not a financial one, and I  
hope Obama has the courage to take it to the mat.

I am also clear that if you want a universal system, then it has to be  
paid for.  Taxes in Canada are high, and the burden falls heaviest on  
the wealthiest.  It is a fair system, and the cost of care per citizen  
is about 1/2 that of the US and life expectancy is higher than that of  
the US.  I have never heard of a family in Canada having to go  
bankrupt, because they couldn't pay their medical bills.

With respect,

Bob Rafos




On 2-Sep-09, at 8:02 PM, Susan Fertig wrote:

> I heard it repeated several times on different media late last week  
> -- I'll try to find out which Canadian minister it was who was  
> quoted.  Did none of you in ICA Canada hear this?
>
> Susan
>
>
> From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net]  
> On Behalf Of LAURELCG at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 11:22 AM
> To: oe at wedgeblade.net
> Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] A Matter of Human Rights
>
> In a message dated 9/1/2009 9:31:24 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, susan at gmdtech.com 
>  writes:
> Canada has already proclaimed that its health system is  
> unsustainable and has warned the U.S. against using it as a model.
> I wasn't aware of this, Susan. Do you have a source?
> Thanks,
> Jann
>
> _______________________________________________
> OE mailing list
> OE at wedgeblade.net
> http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/oe_wedgeblade.net

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