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It's almost hypocritical. Our lack of universal healthcare causes so many otherwise mildly ill people to become much sicker. (U.S. health insurers, who make muc

It's almost hypocritical. Our lack of universal healthcare causes so many otherwise mildly ill people to become much sicker. (U.S. health insurers, who make much of their money by throwing red tape at people until they just give up on legit claims, are especially vicious toward those with mental illness, who are statistically more likely to give up easily.) Then the U.S. says, "no sick people! We've made too many of our own!"

jasonlotito 13y ago
Just to offer the anecdotal opposite: we left Canada precisely because the health care system harmed my son. Since living n the US, both of them have gotten help for far, far less than it would have cost in Canada to go the private route, and with a dramatically shorter wait time. This is without needing to use private insurance.
- auctiontheory 13y ago
  Are you saying that you're getting better healthcare than in Canada, at much lower cost, while being uninsured in the US? That's hard to believe. Healthcare is not free in the US, so someone is paying for the services your family is receiving. Perhaps you meant that you have high-quality employer-paid insurance. In that case, sure, once you're hooked up "within the system" it works. Don't lose your job!
  - jasonlotito 13y ago
    > Are you saying that you're getting better healthcare than in Canada, at much lower cost, while being uninsured in the US? No, that's not at all what I said. Not at all. > That's hard to believe. Oh, the problem is one where my facts are conflicting with your belief structure. I got it. What part specifically? The part where I actually got care despite not getting any care after over a year waiting? That the cost is so much substantially lower that it's essentially free? And what does my insurance have to do with it? Yes, I have insurance, but it doesn't cover the cost. The state does. My job has nothing to do with it. I meant exactly what I said. Even the part about harming my son.
    - MacsHeadroom 13y ago
      > Yes, I have insurance, but it doesn't cover the cost. The state does. My job has nothing to do with it. Which state would that be? Did you come from Alberta or something? Sorry if I come off as incredulous. But your story flies in the face of a lot more than just my own anecdotal experience.
- alanctgardner2 13y ago
  Having survived a childhood of OHIP, I find it hard to believe that your son received a significantly worse quality of care because you were in Canada. I don't doubt some doctors are better than others, but that happens everywhere.
  - michaelochurch 13y ago
    There's a misconception in the US that foreigners come to the US for healthcare and that somehow vindicates our shitty insurance/payment fuckuppery-industrial complex. In fact, (1) most of those foreigners come from the Third World, not W. Europe or Canada, and (2) to the extent that it is true, they come for specific doctors with global reputations, and would go to whatever countries those doctors lived in (and some are in the US, some are not).
  - jasonlotito 13y ago
    It's not because we were in Canada, but because of the structure of Canada's Healthcare system, and specifically Quebec's. > I find it hard to believe Don't let my facts get in the way of your beliefs. Edit: Better yet, let me treat you the same way. I doubt your story, liar. Fuck, you offer up a contradicting story, and people find it so hard to believe and immediately doubt you. Seriously, if you think Canada's health care system is perfect, you are delusional.
    - alanctgardner2 13y ago
      edit: I get that this is a personal issue for you, and you got piled on for giving an anecdote that didn't fit people's expectations. I wasn't following the whole thread, so I didn't see you already answered my questions below. That said, you were kind of a jerk considering you gave no detail (not the province, not the illness, not the complaint, nothing but "Canadian healthcare sucks"). Was language a contributing factor? With the exception of Montral Quebec tends to be like a completely different country, and they definitely prioritize French language services. I could see getting an English-speaking specialist would be tough, especially in a smaller place.
      - 13y ago
- richardlblair 13y ago
  While the quality of health care varies from province to province, and rural areas, the health care in Canada is very good. Is it perfect? No. Is it awesome? Yes. Usually wait times aren't that terrible, and the quality of care is very good. I've had 2 surgeries. One of which would have been very expensiveness in the US.
  - jasonlotito 13y ago
    Congrats on your surgeries. We waited for more than a year to get any care (which we never got). In the US? We had appointments set up before we moved here. > While the quality of health care varies from province to province Quebec can rot.
    - richardlblair 13y ago
      Quebec is the worst. People who live in Hull (across the river from Ottawa) come over, pay, and then expense it to their province.
- pstuart 13y ago
  Could you elucidate this experience?
  - jasonlotito 13y ago
    I've talked about it a million times it seems like. Short version: Quebec's health care system harms autistic children in Quebec. We were on waiting lists for years to get any care whatsoever. Going the private route meant north of $30k a year, none of it offset by the prices we already paid for care. This still required a 1+ year wait. First 2 weeks in Pennsylvania resulted in more care than we got in the more than year up in Quebec fighting for anything for my son. My wife, a Canadian who was afraid of the US health care system before, loves it now. State/county helps to cover the cost of care for our children.
    - michaelochurch 13y ago
      I suspected you were in Pennsylvania (but didn't want to say it, for I prefer not to speculate on others' health problems) based on your other posts. Yes, the state has an excellent MR/MH program (disclaimer: my father worked for the state government). U.S. health insurance is not something to be proud of in general, but Pennsylvania's support for children with special needs is excellent.

jasonlotito 13y ago

Just to offer the anecdotal opposite: we left Canada precisely because the health care system harmed my son. Since living n the US, both of them have gotten help for far, far less than it would have cost in Canada to go the private route, and with a dramatically shorter wait time. This is without needing to use private insurance.

auctiontheory 13y ago
Are you saying that you're getting better healthcare than in Canada, at much lower cost, while being uninsured in the US? That's hard to believe. Healthcare is not free in the US, so someone is paying for the services your family is receiving. Perhaps you meant that you have high-quality employer-paid insurance. In that case, sure, once you're hooked up "within the system" it works. Don't lose your job!
- jasonlotito 13y ago
  > Are you saying that you're getting better healthcare than in Canada, at much lower cost, while being uninsured in the US? No, that's not at all what I said. Not at all. > That's hard to believe. Oh, the problem is one where my facts are conflicting with your belief structure. I got it. What part specifically? The part where I actually got care despite not getting any care after over a year waiting? That the cost is so much substantially lower that it's essentially free? And what does my insurance have to do with it? Yes, I have insurance, but it doesn't cover the cost. The state does. My job has nothing to do with it. I meant exactly what I said. Even the part about harming my son.
  - MacsHeadroom 13y ago
    > Yes, I have insurance, but it doesn't cover the cost. The state does. My job has nothing to do with it. Which state would that be? Did you come from Alberta or something? Sorry if I come off as incredulous. But your story flies in the face of a lot more than just my own anecdotal experience.
alanctgardner2 13y ago
Having survived a childhood of OHIP, I find it hard to believe that your son received a significantly worse quality of care because you were in Canada. I don't doubt some doctors are better than others, but that happens everywhere.
- michaelochurch 13y ago
  There's a misconception in the US that foreigners come to the US for healthcare and that somehow vindicates our shitty insurance/payment fuckuppery-industrial complex. In fact, (1) most of those foreigners come from the Third World, not W. Europe or Canada, and (2) to the extent that it is true, they come for specific doctors with global reputations, and would go to whatever countries those doctors lived in (and some are in the US, some are not).
- jasonlotito 13y ago
  It's not because we were in Canada, but because of the structure of Canada's Healthcare system, and specifically Quebec's. > I find it hard to believe Don't let my facts get in the way of your beliefs. Edit: Better yet, let me treat you the same way. I doubt your story, liar. Fuck, you offer up a contradicting story, and people find it so hard to believe and immediately doubt you. Seriously, if you think Canada's health care system is perfect, you are delusional.
  - alanctgardner2 13y ago
    edit: I get that this is a personal issue for you, and you got piled on for giving an anecdote that didn't fit people's expectations. I wasn't following the whole thread, so I didn't see you already answered my questions below. That said, you were kind of a jerk considering you gave no detail (not the province, not the illness, not the complaint, nothing but "Canadian healthcare sucks"). Was language a contributing factor? With the exception of Montral Quebec tends to be like a completely different country, and they definitely prioritize French language services. I could see getting an English-speaking specialist would be tough, especially in a smaller place.
    - 13y ago
richardlblair 13y ago
While the quality of health care varies from province to province, and rural areas, the health care in Canada is very good. Is it perfect? No. Is it awesome? Yes. Usually wait times aren't that terrible, and the quality of care is very good. I've had 2 surgeries. One of which would have been very expensiveness in the US.
- jasonlotito 13y ago
  Congrats on your surgeries. We waited for more than a year to get any care (which we never got). In the US? We had appointments set up before we moved here. > While the quality of health care varies from province to province Quebec can rot.
  - richardlblair 13y ago
    Quebec is the worst. People who live in Hull (across the river from Ottawa) come over, pay, and then expense it to their province.
pstuart 13y ago
Could you elucidate this experience?
- jasonlotito 13y ago
  I've talked about it a million times it seems like. Short version: Quebec's health care system harms autistic children in Quebec. We were on waiting lists for years to get any care whatsoever. Going the private route meant north of $30k a year, none of it offset by the prices we already paid for care. This still required a 1+ year wait. First 2 weeks in Pennsylvania resulted in more care than we got in the more than year up in Quebec fighting for anything for my son. My wife, a Canadian who was afraid of the US health care system before, loves it now. State/county helps to cover the cost of care for our children.
  - michaelochurch 13y ago
    I suspected you were in Pennsylvania (but didn't want to say it, for I prefer not to speculate on others' health problems) based on your other posts. Yes, the state has an excellent MR/MH program (disclaimer: my father worked for the state government). U.S. health insurance is not something to be proud of in general, but Pennsylvania's support for children with special needs is excellent.