3 ms·

You must be pretty healthy or never actually had to pay for care in the US. You also probably shouldn't assume you're the only one in the room who moved to the

by mhurron 10y ago

You must be pretty healthy or never actually had to pay for care in the US. You also probably shouldn't assume you're the only one in the room who moved to the US from another country. I moved to the US from Canada, thankfully I am pretty healthy and don't need the healthcare system beyond my yearly checkups. The first place I lived had someone who lived down the street who will be paying off a $100k bill until they die because of a heart surgery they had to have. Wonderful system. On the other hand my father, who still lives in Canada, complained of shortness of breath one Thursday. Called his doctor and was told to go into the emergency room right then. He did, because he didn't have to worry about how much the visit would cost. They found a 90% blockage in his aorta. Was immediately admitted for surgery that occurred Friday. Was free to leave the next week. Total cost, $150. Ya, US health care system is fucking awesome.

jasonlotito 10y ago
> You must be pretty healthy or never actually had to pay for care in the US. Wrong. You probably shouldn't assume you know anything about me, or the situation I'm in. > You also probably shouldn't assume you're the only one in the room who moved to the US from another country. You probably shouldn't assume that it matters. > The first place I lived had someone who lived I was referring to problems with the system as a whole for entire groups of people, not just individual stories. My children being one of those where the Canadian system fails them horribly. But no, continue believing that Canadian Health Care is perfect for everyone and that there are no benefits the US system for normal citizens.
- mhurron 10y ago
  > I was referring to problems with the system as a whole for entire groups of people, not just individual stories. This person is not an isolated incident. Major medical care in the US is far more expensive than any other nation on the planet and for a large number of people in the US life saving care means financial ruin. > My children being one of those where the Canadian system fails them horribly. You can't be serious. Need your child to see their primary care physician in the US because it has a fever? That appointment is probably a week or more out, in Canada, they will see that child that day. And that visit will not cost money. Simply posting as an American on HN I can make a good guess you are paid far better than the majority of the nation. Do you not know people that are not? When a child gets sick, it is a question on whether or not to call the doctor or go to urgent care because that visit costs money. If it's not the visit that is too expensive, its a question of if whatever treatment can be afforded. The US system is entirely around how well you can afford to be. There are no benefits to the US healthcare system unless you are rich, a doctor or an insurance company.
  - jasonlotito 10y ago
    > You can't be serious. Need your child to see their primary care physician in the US because it has a fever? I'm not referring to a simple thing like a fever. I'm referring to more serious things, like autism. > That appointment is probably a week or more out, We got assistance from the US before we moved here. > in Canada, they will see that child that day. The wait time was years. Literally. > The US system is entirely around how well you can afford to be. The services that specifically benefit my children's autism has nothing to do with how much I can afford, or my level of insurance. In Canada, however, it would have cost me $30k+ a year to get assistance in the shortest amount of time, and that was still after a 1.5 year wait. You are making assumptions, all wrong, about the situation my family is in. If you want to pretend that Canada offered better care for them, be my guest. I just hope you never have to go through what we had to go through. It was horrible, and your blind assumption that Canadian health care is superior in all cases is because you choose to remain ignorant of it's problems. > There are no benefits to the US healthcare system unless you are rich, a doctor or an insurance company. Or, in my case, I love my child and don't want to see him abused by a corrupted system. Willful ignorance is a bad thing.
holdenk 10y ago
So I agree the US health care system is pretty crap - but as a trans person it was still better than my options in my home province (and by options I mean option). I think we can all agree that there are corner cases for each system where they outperform the other.
- jasonlotito 10y ago
  Apparently we can't agree that there are no benefits. =/ Every time I suggest issues with Canadian healthcare and how in some cases, the US healthcare system is better, people assume it's all a lie. And, well, frankly, that's why it won't get better. At least the US is having that discussion.

by mhurron 10y ago

jasonlotito 10y ago

> You must be pretty healthy or never actually had to pay for care in the US. Wrong. You probably shouldn't assume you know anything about me, or the situation I'm in. > You also probably shouldn't assume you're the only one in the room who moved to the US from another country. You probably shouldn't assume that it matters. > The first place I lived had someone who lived I was referring to problems with the system as a whole for entire groups of people, not just individual stories. My children being one of those where the Canadian system fails them horribly. But no, continue believing that Canadian Health Care is perfect for everyone and that there are no benefits the US system for normal citizens.

mhurron 10y ago
> I was referring to problems with the system as a whole for entire groups of people, not just individual stories. This person is not an isolated incident. Major medical care in the US is far more expensive than any other nation on the planet and for a large number of people in the US life saving care means financial ruin. > My children being one of those where the Canadian system fails them horribly. You can't be serious. Need your child to see their primary care physician in the US because it has a fever? That appointment is probably a week or more out, in Canada, they will see that child that day. And that visit will not cost money. Simply posting as an American on HN I can make a good guess you are paid far better than the majority of the nation. Do you not know people that are not? When a child gets sick, it is a question on whether or not to call the doctor or go to urgent care because that visit costs money. If it's not the visit that is too expensive, its a question of if whatever treatment can be afforded. The US system is entirely around how well you can afford to be. There are no benefits to the US healthcare system unless you are rich, a doctor or an insurance company.
- jasonlotito 10y ago
  > You can't be serious. Need your child to see their primary care physician in the US because it has a fever? I'm not referring to a simple thing like a fever. I'm referring to more serious things, like autism. > That appointment is probably a week or more out, We got assistance from the US before we moved here. > in Canada, they will see that child that day. The wait time was years. Literally. > The US system is entirely around how well you can afford to be. The services that specifically benefit my children's autism has nothing to do with how much I can afford, or my level of insurance. In Canada, however, it would have cost me $30k+ a year to get assistance in the shortest amount of time, and that was still after a 1.5 year wait. You are making assumptions, all wrong, about the situation my family is in. If you want to pretend that Canada offered better care for them, be my guest. I just hope you never have to go through what we had to go through. It was horrible, and your blind assumption that Canadian health care is superior in all cases is because you choose to remain ignorant of it's problems. > There are no benefits to the US healthcare system unless you are rich, a doctor or an insurance company. Or, in my case, I love my child and don't want to see him abused by a corrupted system. Willful ignorance is a bad thing.

holdenk 10y ago

So I agree the US health care system is pretty crap - but as a trans person it was still better than my options in my home province (and by options I mean option). I think we can all agree that there are corner cases for each system where they outperform the other.

jasonlotito 10y ago
Apparently we can't agree that there are no benefits. =/ Every time I suggest issues with Canadian healthcare and how in some cases, the US healthcare system is better, people assume it's all a lie. And, well, frankly, that's why it won't get better. At least the US is having that discussion.