Health Outcomes in Canada v US

[JFK_USA]

John Stossel's special there was informative but all it said is that we should just control our own medical care.

I am all for those 40 dollar physicals and get one almost every year. But what if you go to the emergency room or have a illness that you will have your whole life? The price for emergency care is so high its ridiculous. The Health Savings Account is a good idea for that and should look into it.

Government is better than the Health Insurance companies but far from ideal if it can't get the price down.

 

[Chris]

John Stossel's special there was informative but all it said is that we should just control our own medical care.

I am all for those 40 dollar physicals and get one almost every year. But what if you go to the emergency room or have a illness that you will have your whole life? The price for emergency care is so high its ridiculous. The Health Savings Account is a good idea for that and should look into it.

Government is better than the Health Insurance companies but far from ideal if it can't get the price down.

Every other industrialized nation in the world has national health insurance, and they pay HALF per capita what we pay for healthcare. Government can keep the costs down, if it is done right.

 

[Political Junky]

It's amazing that so many cons defend the high profits of private insurance companies, against their own best interests.

 

[Chris]

It's amazing that so many cons defend the high profits of private insurance companies, against their own best interests.

Their position is, "Thank you, sir, may I have another!"

 

[ba1614]

John Stossel's special there was informative but all it said is that we should just control our own medical care.

I am all for those 40 dollar physicals and get one almost every year. But what if you go to the emergency room or have a illness that you will have your whole life? The price for emergency care is so high its ridiculous. The Health Savings Account is a good idea for that and should look into it.

Government is better than the Health Insurance companies but far from ideal if it can't get the price down.

Every other industrialized nation in the world has national health insurance, and they pay HALF per capita what we pay for healthcare. Government can keep the costs down, if it is done right.

I think that's the first sentence you've wrote that I pretty much agree with. My question is, how are you(obama admin) going to do it? Specifics please.

 

[auditor0007]

From what I have seen, the only way to bring down costs is to remove the third party payer from being the responsible party for the majority of our healthcare needs. Health insurance covers everything from doctors visits to basic prescription drugs to life threatening catastrophic care. It makes sense to have insurance for catastrophic care, but how does it make sense having insurance cover our routine visits to the doctor?

When we purchase auto insurance, we do so to pay for damages and/or injuries from an accident. Accidents can be very expensive, especially if your car is totaled. However, would it make sense to have an auto insurance plan that covered normal routine maintenance also? Would you pay your auto insurance company to cover the brake job, new tires, tune-ups, oil changes, valve jobs, new muffler, or any other repair? Would you pay your auto insurance company so that they would pay for your gasoline too? How much do you think your auto insurance would cost then? How much do you think the local repair shop would charge your auto insurance company for that $18.95 oil change? Do you think it would still be $18.95? Hell, it would probably be $118.95.

A one payer system might reduce some costs, but in the long run, it's not going to reduce costs much. The only way to really reduce costs is to make people pay out of pocket for the basics. Major medical is not something most can afford or even work out payment plans for. If you have a heart attack, or even something minor like kidney stones, it's going to cost you $20,000 or more. So for that, everyone should be able to purchase major medical, either through their employer or individually. And nobody should be denied.

I like the idea of a national healthcare system where everyone is guaranteed healthcare. I think as a society, we have an obligation to insure that everyone has the same opportunity to a healthful life, and having a pre-existing condition should not prevent someone from receiving the care they need. However, that system will not help reduce costs, the same way leaving insurance companies in control will not reduce costs.

 

[ba1614]

Some healthcare experiences I've had....

My mother had a stroke that rendered her completely unconscious. She was in a for profit hospital. After about ten days her coverage was about to run out, so they dumped her to a non profit hospital an hour away. I went to the administrator to ask about it. She gave me some bullshit excuse, but it was obviously all about the money. Then my father, who was 80 at the time, had to drive an hour each way to visit her. She died within a week.

Years later my father called me and said he wasn't feeling well. I said, Dad, how many drugs are you taking? He said, six. I said, Dad, stop taking the drugs and see if you feel any better. He did and recovered nicely. That was five years ago.

This year my father, who is now 89, calls me and tells me he wasn't feeling well, so he went to the doctor. Over the course of time, the doctor ordered 3 CAT scans for him and couldn't figure out what was wrong. The doctor wanted to order a fourth CAT scan, but my father said, no. My father figures the cost of the scans was $20,000. Now my father feels fine.

That's awfully expensive cat scans, 3 for $20g?

 

[Maple]

The canadian system works just fine as long as you don't get sick with cancer or need a new hip or knee. I have yet to see any Americans go to Canada or for that matter any other place in the world for health care, but I have seen numerous people from all over the world come here. Please explain that scenario. Why is that??????????????????

 

[Political Junky]

The canadian system works just fine as long as you don't get sick with cancer or need a new hip or knee. I have yet to see any Americans go to Canada or for that matter any other place in the world for health care, but I have seen numerous people from all over the world come here. Please explain that scenario. Why is that??????????????????

Really, it's quite common. It even has a name, medical tourism.

Medical Travel & Tourism | Medtral
Medical tourism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[auditor0007]

Some healthcare experiences I've had....

My mother had a stroke that rendered her completely unconscious. She was in a for profit hospital. After about ten days her coverage was about to run out, so they dumped her to a non profit hospital an hour away. I went to the administrator to ask about it. She gave me some bullshit excuse, but it was obviously all about the money. Then my father, who was 80 at the time, had to drive an hour each way to visit her. She died within a week.

Years later my father called me and said he wasn't feeling well. I said, Dad, how many drugs are you taking? He said, six. I said, Dad, stop taking the drugs and see if you feel any better. He did and recovered nicely. That was five years ago.

This year my father, who is now 89, calls me and tells me he wasn't feeling well, so he went to the doctor. Over the course of time, the doctor ordered 3 CAT scans for him and couldn't figure out what was wrong. The doctor wanted to order a fourth CAT scan, but my father said, no. My father figures the cost of the scans was $20,000. Now my father feels fine.

That's awfully expensive cat scans, 3 for $20g?

I've had CAT SCANS done in the hospital. I believe the hospital billed around $2500. Still quite expensive for a one hour procedure. As for overprescribing drugs, I will agree with Chris. Too many people are prescribed one drug on top of another, and most of them don't help. In fact, taking so many causes more problems than it solves in many cases. I'm not advocating that everyone avoid taking prescription drugs completely, but people really need to think about what they are putting in their bodies and why, and if the drugs are actually doing what they are meant to do.

 

[ba1614]

Some healthcare experiences I've had....

My mother had a stroke that rendered her completely unconscious. She was in a for profit hospital. After about ten days her coverage was about to run out, so they dumped her to a non profit hospital an hour away. I went to the administrator to ask about it. She gave me some bullshit excuse, but it was obviously all about the money. Then my father, who was 80 at the time, had to drive an hour each way to visit her. She died within a week.

Years later my father called me and said he wasn't feeling well. I said, Dad, how many drugs are you taking? He said, six. I said, Dad, stop taking the drugs and see if you feel any better. He did and recovered nicely. That was five years ago.

This year my father, who is now 89, calls me and tells me he wasn't feeling well, so he went to the doctor. Over the course of time, the doctor ordered 3 CAT scans for him and couldn't figure out what was wrong. The doctor wanted to order a fourth CAT scan, but my father said, no. My father figures the cost of the scans was $20,000. Now my father feels fine.

That's awfully expensive cat scans, 3 for $20g?

I've had CAT SCANS done in the hospital. I believe the hospital billed around $2500. Still quite expensive for a one hour procedure. As for overprescribing drugs, I will agree with Chris. Too many people are prescribed one drug on top of another, and most of them don't help. In fact, taking so many causes more problems than it solves in many cases. I'm not advocating that everyone avoid taking prescription drugs completely, but people really need to think about what they are putting in their bodies and why, and if the drugs are actually doing what they are meant to do.

I pretty much agree with that.I've just never heard of almost $7g cat scans, that's all.

 

[Chris]

John Stossel's special there was informative but all it said is that we should just control our own medical care.

I am all for those 40 dollar physicals and get one almost every year. But what if you go to the emergency room or have a illness that you will have your whole life? The price for emergency care is so high its ridiculous. The Health Savings Account is a good idea for that and should look into it.

Government is better than the Health Insurance companies but far from ideal if it can't get the price down.

Every other industrialized nation in the world has national health insurance, and they pay HALF per capita what we pay for healthcare. Government can keep the costs down, if it is done right.

I think that's the first sentence you've wrote that I pretty much agree with. My question is, how are you(obama admin) going to do it? Specifics please.

I have answered this question many times.

I like the French healthcare system the best.

Limit doctor liability, make medical schools free, and don't pay doctors outrageous salaries.

 

[Andrew2382]

cause why do doctors deserve high salaries

 

[Chris]

The canadian system works just fine as long as you don't get sick with cancer or need a new hip or knee. I have yet to see any Americans go to Canada or for that matter any other place in the world for health care, but I have seen numerous people from all over the world come here. Please explain that scenario. Why is that??????????????????

Because you have to be a Canadian citizen, dummy.

 

[Political Junky]

The canadian system works just fine as long as you don't get sick with cancer or need a new hip or knee. I have yet to see any Americans go to Canada or for that matter any other place in the world for health care, but I have seen numerous people from all over the world come here. Please explain that scenario. Why is that??????????????????

Because you have to be a Canadian citizen, dummy.

Americans go to foreign countries by the thousands for medical procedures of all kinds.

medical tourism - Google Search

 

[GWV5903]

Every other industrialized nation in the world has national health insurance, and they pay HALF per capita what we pay for healthcare. Government can keep the costs down, if it is done right.

I think that's the first sentence you've wrote that I pretty much agree with. My question is, how are you(obama admin) going to do it? Specifics please.

I have answered this question many times.

I like the French healthcare system the best.

Limit doctor liability, make medical schools free, and don't pay doctors outrageous salaries.

We are talking about America, if you prefer the French system over the current American system, you can always move there, until then learn to cope with our system.....

Tort Reform is the first step, not the only step......

The second step is to stop discrimination from Pre Existing conditions, this is the only place you consider government involvement, the only place, your a fool if you believe the Federal Government will improve our current system, A FOOL!!!!

 

[Care4all]

For even more information, to go along with TORO's post

YouTube - John Stossel - Sick in America - Part 1 (of 6)

YouTube - John Stossel - Sick in America - (2 of 6)

YouTube - John Stossel - Sick in America - Part 3 (of 6)

YouTube - John Stossel - Sick in America - Part 4 (of 6)

YouTube - John Stossel - Sick in America - Part 5 (of 6)

YouTube - John Stossel - Sick in America - Part 6 (of 6)

Stossel is a libertarian hack.
A libertarian is a republican who wants to smoke dope and get laid.

Well you identified him then skipped the isolate step and went straight to marginalizing him.

That wont work




My friend Brandon from Canada and I were talking on a car forum earlier (i work with cars and its my other passion) and he brought up our health care debate.

He said to me "Yeah well i broke my neck 2 years ago and it only cost me $1000.00 to get it fixed at the hospital....in america what would it have cost $100,000 or $200,000 or what?"

I told him if I had broke my neck it would have cost me the $100 ER co-pay and then the insurance would have paid the rest for me.

He was like WHAT!?!!?!?!

first step, your insurance company will deny the claim...then you'll spend the time to get all the hospital bills and refile... it and they will deny it again, then you file a complaint and they will say they'll pay it... but don't cover this and that, nor that and this, which was done to you, then they will say we have a 50k cap per incident and you owe the other $150k....trust me, i've been through it! CIGNA- BUYER BEWARE!

 

[NYcarbineer]

What's with the anti-reformers always comparing us to Canada, or the UK, with all the other nations in the world to compare to?

 

[Andrew2382]

yeah too bad America is still the #1 destination for Medical Tourism...

 

[Diuretic]

yeah too bad America is still the #1 destination for Medical Tourism...

For wealthy foreigners you mean?

To which I say, "so what?"