I get sick

[Gail]

Premier?

Was it the Prime Minister of Canada or a premier of one of the provinces?

[Woody]

Can anyone tell me why the Premier(?) of Canada came to Miami to get his heart surgery?

I think he was cutting the line. You know ... just like we did in grade school. We didn't want to wait in the long line so we cut it.

[Dottie]

I don't really know, I jsut heard a bit about it on the news, and didn't get a lot of specifics.

[Guest]

Can anyone tell me why the Premier(?) of Canada came to Miami to get his heart surgery?

Well, imagine that. Surely there must be a reason.

[Neil D]

Premier?

Was it the Prime Minister of Canada or a premier of one of the provinces?

Is this what you are looking for?-

'Danny Millions' Williams heads south for heart surgery

Wealthy Newfoundland premier sparks a backlash over decision to get treatment in United States

Published On Wed Feb 03 2010

OTTAWA–Danny Williams' decision to head south for heart surgery has sparked a furious debate on both sides of the border.

The premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, a former lawyer and millionaire businessman, left Monday for an unspecified cardiac surgical procedure at an undisclosed U.S. hospital. The move raised questions about whether he could have the operation in Canada.

Conservative Senator Wilbert Keon, a retired heart surgeon and professor emeritus at University of Ottawa, said Newfoundland does not have the special pumps and post-op technical support to allow all advanced complicated procedures to be performed there.

Nevertheless, Keon added, "I can't imagine anything that couldn't be done in Canada that is done in America."

He said "virtually all" complicated heart surgery can be done at Ottawa's Heart Institute and in Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton.

The reaction was loud and scornful south of the border, where health-care reform has conservatives fired up and ready to poke holes in the Canadian system.

"Canada: The Land of Health Care So Awesome That Its Politicians Undergo Surgery in the United States," The American Pundit wrote sarcastically.

"Canada keeps its costs down, in part, by neglecting the expensive business of advanced specialty care knowing that the U.S. is next door to help," wrote a commenter identified as Matt in a USpoliticsonline forum.

Williams' decision sparked questions on the airwaves and on the Internet all day.

Did the premier, known as Danny Millions, have, and spurn, the option of having the heart surgery in Canada? If the procedure could be done in Canada, would he have had to wait long for it? Did he fear a public perception of jumping a queue, or simply chose a ritzier health-care setting that he could afford and would grant him swift care and privacy?

Deputy Premier Kathy Dunderdale said Williams is "more than prepared" to answer all questions "once he recovers."

Williams had consulted "a number of medical experts" over several weeks, said Dunderdale.

"It was never offered to him as an option to have this procedure done in the province," she told reporters in St. John's. She would not specify whether the procedure was available elsewhere in Canada, nor how the U.S. hospital bill would be paid.

Williams' recovery is expected to take from three to 12 weeks.

Keon suggested there may be an "odd occasion where some novel operative procedure arises in America through research that has not been implemented at that point in time in Canada."

But he said Canadian heart care is "frequently ahead" of the U.S.

The Cardiac Care Network of Ontario classifies heart patients for care on three bases: "emergent – you're done right away," "urgent – you're done in a few days" or "elective – you may have to wait for a while, because you're not at any significant risk."

"I hate to speculate ... but the situation does arise where somebody who is wealthy wants to be done in luxurious surroundings and wants to be done right away," Keon said.

In Newfoundland, Liberal Opposition leader Yvonne Jones tried to walk a fine line, saying that while she wished Williams a speedy recovery, his decision to stay silent raised questions in a province struggling to restore confidence in its health system.

The Williams government last year apologized and called an inquiry into a series of breast cancer testing errors that meant many patients were not properly diagnosed.

"When you're in a position of public office like the premier is today, I think you at the very least owe it to the people (to give) an explanation as to why you're choosing to have the procedure done outside of your own province and outside your own country," she said.

[phkrause]

I agree that he owns them an explanation, but its obvious where he thinks the better doctors are. And he can afford it. When you have the money healthcare is obviously no problem. I think this is the point. The US has always been know for having the best doctors anywhere, I don't think this is in question. Its us in the US that have to pay up the wazoo to get the healthcare we deserve. What kind of coverage do you think our senators and representive's have?????????? Anyone what to guess? If you remember at some of these so called tea party gathering's someone asked Sen McCain, did anyone hear his answer and would like to tell us what they heard???????

pk

[karl]

"Canada: The Land of Health Care So Awesome That Its Politicians Undergo Surgery in the United States," The American Pundit wrote sarcastically.

Deputy Premier Kathy Dunderdale said Williams is "more than prepared" to answer all questions "once he recovers."

Williams had consulted "a number of medical experts" over several weeks, said Dunderdale.

"It was never offered to him as an option to have this procedure done in the province," she told reporters in St. John's.

Wonderful, isn't it? Socialized medicine. Are you hoping and praying?

This question would not even arise in the US today. BUT, if Obama and some of the people on CA get their way... we might be having this discussion soon.

[GreatLakesGramma]

From what I've read, a lot of it also has to do with where in Canada a person lives. Some places, it's much worse than others. The horror stories are not universal.

[Guest]

.....and am turned to a collection agency by the radiologists, who didn't send a bill...

True statement for all you republicans....

I'm assuming that you knew you went to the radiologist, right? You knew?

When the bill didn't come, did you you just assume that the service was free, or what? A Republican would have been looking for the bill. And when it didn't come, check into it. Because we hate dealing with collection agencies.

Or, as long as you haven't paid them anything yet. You maybe can protest that they didn't send a bill, but I don't think that will work.

What you could do, provided you haven't paid them anything yet, is just tell them flat out that you don't owe them anything. Tell them not to ever call your house again, and slam the phone down. Also, don't open anymore of their mail. And in about a year or two from now, they will settle for pennies on the dollar.

I hope this helps Neil.

[Woody]

he could also use the excuse ...

"my dog ate the mail"

[Woody]

those 'killer' dogs.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I know people who've gone to Canada to have Lasik surgery, because it cost a fraction of what it costs here. And then there are all those people who buy their prescriptions online from Canada because it's cheaper. That's stealing from the Canadian people, as far as I'm concerned, since the reason it costs less than here is because their government subsidizes it with their tax money.

[karl]

From what I've read, a lot of it also has to do with where in Canada a person lives. Some places, it's much worse than others. The horror stories are not universal.

Localized horror stories are used to sell us on more socialism. "That guy was mean to his employees." "I heard there are sweatshops in the garment district." "Some poor guy froze to death in his trailer in Oklahoma. It must have been because Blue Cross executives ate lunch at an expensive restaurant in Manhattan yesterday."

"Yeah, but the guy died last week."

"Doesn't matter. We need socialized medicine."

[GreatLakesGramma]

When the bill didn't come, did you you just assume that the service was free, or what? A Republican would have been looking for the bill. And when it didn't come, check into it. Because we hate dealing with collection agencies.

When I went to the emergency room with food poisoning last spring, I was impatient to get the bills, because I hate not knowing how much money I owe someone, and they can never tell you while you're there, or even when you leave. I did get the bill from the emergency physician service in a couple of weeks. After a month, I called the hospital to inquire about the emergency room bill.

I paid the bills as soon as I got them. Only later did I learn that the hospital would have given me a discount for paying in full if I had asked.

[GreatLakesGramma]

Originally Posted By: GreatLakesGramma

From what I've read, a lot of it also has to do with where in Canada a person lives. Some places, it's much worse than others. The horror stories are not universal.

Localized horror stories are used to sell us on more socialism. "That guy was mean to his employees." "I heard there are sweatshops in the garment district." "Some poor guy froze to death in his trailer in Oklahoma. It must have been because Blue Cross executives ate lunch at an expensive restaurant in Manhattan yesterday."

"Yeah, but the guy died last week."

"Doesn't matter. We need socialized medicine."

I am sure there are plenty of horror stories for all sides to make use of. teehe

[Gail]

Originally Posted By: GreatLakesGramma

From what I've read, a lot of it also has to do with where in Canada a person lives. Some places, it's much worse than others. The horror stories are not universal.

Localized horror stories are used to sell us on more socialism. "That guy was mean to his employees." "I heard there are sweatshops in the garment district." "Some poor guy froze to death in his trailer in Oklahoma. It must have been because Blue Cross executives ate lunch at an expensive restaurant in Manhattan yesterday."

"Yeah, but the guy died last week."

"Doesn't matter. We need socialized medicine."

I would consider Newfoundland one of the most depressed areas in Canada even at the best of times.

It's just a big rock, so there's not a lot of farming on it. There is not a lot of population and not a lot of economy. They used to fish there until the government put a moratorium on cod stocks. So it's basically welfare and unemployment.

And that besides the horrendous cold Atlantic weather.

[karl]

I know people who've gone to Canada to have Lasik surgery, because it cost a fraction of what it costs here. And then there are all those people who buy their prescriptions online from Canada because it's cheaper. That's stealing from the Canadian people, as far as I'm concerned, since the reason it costs less than here is because their government subsidizes it with their tax money.

i don't think they subsidize the drug companies, they subsidize the public in their purchase of drugs from the drug companies. I don't think you would be ripping off the Canadian people by purchasing drugs from Canada. The international sale of drugs from Canada is certainly not discouraged by the Canadian government. It is discouraged by Big Pharma in the US, because they are gouging the citizens of the USA far more than any other country (with the help of our benevolent, increasingly socialist government.)

[LifeHiscost]

And heaven help you if you don't have insurance....

Just think how happy you'll be when you get here____

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Isaiah 55:1 KJV

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”"Revelation 21:3 NKJV

JOY!!!

[LifeHiscost]

Originally Posted By: Dottie

Can anyone tell me why the Premier(?) of Canada came to Miami to get his heart surgery?

Well, imagine that. Surely there must be a reason.

From his mouth, he didn't want to cut in line in Canada, which he would have had to do in order to get his needed surgery right away in Canada. Part of the Canadian public felt he was being disloyal to the health care system in Canada for coming to the U.S.

We have similar waits in line for health care in the United States but they're usually a result of organs being unavailable for transplant from donors, unless the waits at the emergency could be considered as a problem.

Not even money can change that fact in America.

Cheers!!

[LifeHiscost]

The US has always been know for having the best doctors anywhere, I don't think this is in question.

If that's true, Pk, why is the U.S. way down on the list of mortality rates among the western industrialized nations? Could it be our profligate lifestyle, in general? Just wondering.

Blessings!

[Gerr]

Originally Posted By: pkrause

The US has always been know for having the best doctors anywhere, I don't think this is in question.

If that's true, Pk, why is the U.S. way down on the list of mortality rates among the western industrialized nations? Could it be our profligate lifestyle, in general? Just wondering.

Blessings!

As a doctor, I could advise my patients about stopping smoking, alcohol, drugs, change of diet, exercise, wt loss, proper prenatal care, etc., but I can't make them do it. What is amazing to me is how people can live as long as they are living in spite of the

suicidal lifestyle, and that's where medicine has made some contribution.

[Dottie]

I have heard that other countries do their calculations differently than the U.S. Some countries don't count babies who die before 30 days after birth, and other types of figuring.

[karl]

I have heard that other countries do their calculations differently than the U.S. Some countries don't count babies who die before 30 days after birth, and other types of figuring.

Exactly right, Dottie.

In any given year in the United States a significant percent of infants die before they are even a day old. Why? Because the United States also easily has the most intensive system of emergency intervention to keep low birth weight and premature infants alive in the world.

The United States is, for example, one of only a handful countries that keeps detailed statistics on early fetal mortality — the survival rate of infants who are born as early as the 20th week of gestation.

How does this skew the statistics? Because in the United States if an infant is born weighing only 400 grams and not breathing, a doctor will likely spend lot of time and money trying to revive that infant. If the infant does not survive — and the mortality rate for such infants is in excess of 50 percent — that sequence of events will be recorded as a live birth and then a death.

In many countries, however, (including many European countries) such severe medical intervention would not even be attempted and, moreover, regardless of whether or not it was, this would be recorded as a fetal death rather than a live birth. That unfortunate infant would never show up in infant mortality statistics.

---------

The World Health Organization is actively promoting global socialism and it downgrades a country's health score simply because the country doesn't have socialized medicine.

[LynnDel]

The skewing of statistics is a standard phenomenon in many arenas. When the same basis for comparison is not used, the results are inaccurate. Similar imbalance of statistics can be seen in comparison of student test scores with that of other nations, in accident and crime statistics, among others. Many universities and government entities in the USA submit statistical results in order to justify funding more similar research to justify more funding, etc. The 24 hour new services report these statistics as gospel, making the USA look like the Drama Queen of the world where every event is a major "crisis" and we report the small stuff in detail (Sex Addiction Is/Is Not a Real Disease) and get tired of big stuff like Haiti. It's a wonder anyone wants to move to a terrible place where people have to pay for their own healthcare (yes, prices here are way beyond what they should be), get shot in the streets, are more likely to die being born or be killed in an auto wreck than other countries of the world, but they do. Wonder why? :)

[karl]

It's a wonder anyone wants to move to a terrible place where people have to pay for their own healthcare (yes, prices here are way beyond what they should be), get shot in the streets, are more likely to die being born or be killed in an auto wreck than other countries of the world, but they do. Wonder why?

People are literally DYING to come here from socialist "paradises" like Mexico and Cuba.

This is why I encourage those who are lobbying for more socialism in this country to just move to Cuba or Mexico.

Why try to ruin freedom in this country when you can move and have what you want right now?

I don't know if they still will, but at one time they offered to put immigrants through medical school for free in Cuba.