Comments on: The Canadian Health Care Battleground: One Soldier’s Story http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/ I got sole Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:37:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Cosmic Birthday « XUP http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-11099 Cosmic Birthday « XUP Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:07:20 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-11099 [...] 15, 2009 by XUP Today is Zoom’s birthday. She’s had a pretty challenging year, so I thought I’d dedicate today’s blog post to [...] [...] 15, 2009 by XUP Today is Zoom’s birthday. She’s had a pretty challenging year, so I thought I’d dedicate today’s blog post to [...]

]]> By: leah http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-9005 leah Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:26:26 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-9005 this kind of thing drives me crazy. i'm so glad that you write about this topic b/c of the talk of changing the health care in the US. i hope that she can find the help she needs and i believe in that line, "the squeaky wheel get the grease" b/c it's true. i've had to pull it out and use it a few times. this kind of thing drives me crazy. i’m so glad that you write about this topic b/c of the talk of changing the health care in the US. i hope that she can find the help she needs and i believe in that line, “the squeaky wheel get the grease” b/c it’s true. i’ve had to pull it out and use it a few times.

]]> By: Missy http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8992 Missy Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:40:36 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8992 Zoom! I wish I could heal you like that guy in that one movie with Tom Hanks! I am so sorry to hear about your hurdles and delayed care. This perspective in important for myself and other Americans to understand. Right now the span of access to care and cost of care is insane. I work for a government entity and I have amazing health insurance. My husband went from the ER to 2 days in the hospital with dozens of tests and we paid $0. The insurance company paid $14,000. My husband' parents came to the hospital to pay for whatever costs our insurance would not cover because most people do not have full coverage like I do. So many people go without coverage at all, without adequate coverage and without proper care. Baby boomers are resisting retirement due to the cost of private health care. Something has got to give and I personally have no clue what the best route to take is now. I just know that my fellow humans deserve care. The talk of public health care in the US is helping to keep me employed because I work in health care workforce development. Even if we all suddenly had coverage for care, there are not nearly enough practitioners to see everyone. Zoom! I wish I could heal you like that guy in that one movie with Tom Hanks! I am so sorry to hear about your hurdles and delayed care.

This perspective in important for myself and other Americans to understand. Right now the span of access to care and cost of care is insane. I work for a government entity and I have amazing health insurance. My husband went from the ER to 2 days in the hospital with dozens of tests and we paid $0. The insurance company paid $14,000. My husband’ parents came to the hospital to pay for whatever costs our insurance would not cover because most people do not have full coverage like I do.

So many people go without coverage at all, without adequate coverage and without proper care. Baby boomers are resisting retirement due to the cost of private health care.

Something has got to give and I personally have no clue what the best route to take is now. I just know that my fellow humans deserve care.

The talk of public health care in the US is helping to keep me employed because I work in health care workforce development. Even if we all suddenly had coverage for care, there are not nearly enough practitioners to see everyone.

]]> By: XUP http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8965 XUP Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:37:17 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8965 Friar - AAAArrrrgghhhhhh (re: your link). Immoral indeed. Julia - "Supply and demand" -- seems pretty basic, doesn't it? That's what good health care systems are based on, as well as most successful businesses. Friar – AAAArrrrgghhhhhh (re: your link). Immoral indeed.

Julia – “Supply and demand” — seems pretty basic, doesn’t it? That’s what good health care systems are based on, as well as most successful businesses.

]]> By: Julia http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8963 Julia Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:45:19 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8963 I don't think you can get government assistance unless you have tapped all your own resources, hence Zoom's reference to having to sell her house first. I know I've said this before but the model for health care is wrong. It is based on insurance and I think it would be better if it were based on something like supply and demand. I wish someone who studied these things would pick up that ball and run with it. What are insurance companies in business for? Answer: to make money for their shareholders! NOT to help you. They are also based on a gambling premise - they gamble that they will not have to pay out. And if you look like you will die early (i.e. not pay enough premiums), they charge you more premiums, or they won't sell you a policy at all. Insurance is NOT the right model!! I don’t think you can get government assistance unless you have tapped all your own resources, hence Zoom’s reference to having to sell her house first.

I know I’ve said this before but the model for health care is wrong. It is based on insurance and I think it would be better if it were based on something like supply and demand. I wish someone who studied these things would pick up that ball and run with it.

What are insurance companies in business for? Answer: to make money for their shareholders! NOT to help you. They are also based on a gambling premise – they gamble that they will not have to pay out. And if you look like you will die early (i.e. not pay enough premiums), they charge you more premiums, or they won’t sell you a policy at all. Insurance is NOT the right model!!

]]> By: knitnut.net » XUP, ZRX, and the Garbage Bag Princess http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8962 knitnut.net » XUP, ZRX, and the Garbage Bag Princess Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:33:11 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8962 [...] was a lovely way to spend a convalescent Friday afternoon. Thank you, XUP. You’re a good [...] [...] was a lovely way to spend a convalescent Friday afternoon. Thank you, XUP. You’re a good [...]

]]> By: Friar http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8961 Friar Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:11:54 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8961 I"m so sorry to hear about Zoom's horrible situtation. Sadly, there are too many stories like hers. (Like that woman in Ottawa a few weeks ago, who needs treatment at the Mayo Clinic to save her life, but OHIP wouldn't pay for it). We dont' have enough money for enough doctors in this country, or enough operating rooms for them to work in...but we have enough money to give six-figure BONSUS for idiots like THIS: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/04/ehealth-ontario-cancer-care-bonus-kramer.html It's immoral. I”m so sorry to hear about Zoom’s horrible situtation.

Sadly, there are too many stories like hers. (Like that woman in Ottawa a few weeks ago, who needs treatment at the Mayo Clinic to save her life, but OHIP wouldn’t pay for it).

We dont’ have enough money for enough doctors in this country, or enough operating rooms for them to work in…but we have enough money to give six-figure BONSUS for idiots like THIS:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/04/ehealth-ontario-cancer-care-bonus-kramer.html

It’s immoral.

]]> By: XUP http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8960 XUP Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:54:13 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8960 Cedar - That's funny because I was originally going to call this post something like Canada's War on Health. A war on illness would be a most excellent idea. We can ferret out its causes, pour millions of dollars and manhours into wiping out illness everywhere, create all sorts of crazy new laws and regulations and tie them into the war on illness!Yay. Lola - I was pretty ticked off by the end of that post. Charlene - Pretty much everyone I know who has or is dealing with a health issue has a disturbing story to tell - which makes it all even more disturbing. Kathryn - Thanks, I will pass this along to Zoom. Now if only there were a handy program to get her the surgery she needs instead of years of drugs... Cedar – That’s funny because I was originally going to call this post something like Canada’s War on Health. A war on illness would be a most excellent idea. We can ferret out its causes, pour millions of dollars and manhours into wiping out illness everywhere, create all sorts of crazy new laws and regulations and tie them into the war on illness!Yay.

Lola – I was pretty ticked off by the end of that post.

Charlene – Pretty much everyone I know who has or is dealing with a health issue has a disturbing story to tell – which makes it all even more disturbing.

Kathryn – Thanks, I will pass this along to Zoom. Now if only there were a handy program to get her the surgery she needs instead of years of drugs…

]]> By: Kathryn http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8959 Kathryn Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:27:42 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8959 Ontario offers an 'additional' drug plan called The Trillium Drug Plan and it is not meant to replace private insurance or other drug benefits covered by the province. You can apply to the program if you have no private insurance or are partially covered by your private insurer The Trillium Drug Plan provides benefits for certain prescription drugs when drugs for a household are higher than approximately 4% of the total household net income. This is certainly worth pursing and the following link will provide additional information and the application. (Note link was created as 'tiny') : http://tinyurl.com/nokq4t Ontario offers an ‘additional’ drug plan called The Trillium Drug Plan and it is not meant to replace private insurance or other drug benefits covered by the province. You can apply to the program if you have no private insurance or are partially covered by your private insurer The Trillium Drug Plan provides benefits for certain prescription drugs when drugs for a household are higher than approximately 4% of the total household net income.

This is certainly worth pursing and the following link will provide additional information and the application. (Note link was created as ‘tiny’) :

http://tinyurl.com/nokq4t

]]> By: Charlene http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/the-canadian-health-care-battleground-one-soldiers-story/#comment-8958 Charlene Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:24:24 +0000 http://exurbanpedestrian.wordpress.com/?p=3225#comment-8958 That's a really disturbing story. I wish I had the answer. That’s a really disturbing story. I wish I had the answer.

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