FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD
Posted on 1/12/2003, 5:39:19 PM by quidnunc
I am writing this from the front line of our non-two-tier health system — my local CLSC in Quebec. I’ve been here all morning. I’ve read The National Post, I’ve read La Presse, and Le Devoir, The Gazette, Le Journal. There’s nothing left except The Globe And Mail. So I figure I might as well start writing.
I came in on Tuesday evening for my 6pm appointment. “There are no doctors after 5pm,” said the receptionist.
Really? I examined my official CLSC slip that says “Vous avez rendez-vous avec Dr…” Well, let’s call him, say, Dr Juan Tier.
Anyway, my little form says “Vous avez rendez-vous avec Dr Tier, November 14th, 6pm.”
“Oh,” said the receptionist. “Dr Tier cancelled all his appointments this afternoon. We left you a message.”
“No, you didn’t,” I said. She looked up my file on the computer, and had good news. “Your appointment wasn’t cancelled,” she said.
Terrific! But she hadn’t finished. “It was at 9.30 this morning, monsieur.”
I invited the receptionist to examine my appointment form. It was definitely a “6,” not an upside down “9.” She called a number, and elicited further information. “No, your appointment was definitely at 9.30,” she said. “But, in any case, it was cancelled on October 26th. We left you a message.”
“No, you didn’t,” I started to say, but gave up. I could not see the doctor because a) there are no doctors after 5pm; b) my appointment had been cancelled; c) my appointment had been eight-and-a-half hours earlier; d) my appointment had been eight-and-a-half hours earlier but had been cancelled three weeks ago. We may not have a two-tier health system but we do have a four-tier explanation system. So when could I see the doctor?
December 12th. 6.50pm.
“But just a minute, didn’t you say there were no doctors here after…?” No matter. If I didn’t want to wait until December 12th, I could come in in the morning and hang around on the off-chance he could spare a couple of minutes to tell me I only had three months to live and unfortunately I’d wasted two of them trying to get an appointment to see him. This is the system all our political parties have pledged not to tamper with.
Ideologically, I’m an agnostic on health care. I often think the most sensible system is the one used by those unfortunates we Canadians are supposed to feel the sorriest for — the 40million Americans without health insurance. Most of those 40 million are young adults in their first jobs, and, given that health insurance is a racket bearing no actuarial relationship to the likelihood of your getting breast cancer, kidney failure, a stubbed toe, whatever, or to the cost of treatment thereof, those poor vulnerable uninsured are in fact making a very rational decision. True, if they get some rare, chronic disease, they have a problem. But not that big a problem. A couple I know both had a bad run of luck last year and ran up $40,000 of medical bills, but the hospital agreed to be reimbursed at the rate of $20 a week. That’s cheaper than insurance, and considerably less than the average Canadian pays for health in his taxes. But, for the typical 30-year old, not being insured is not merely rational but liberating: You can walk into just about any hospital in the US and get pretty much anything you need. Any other system — whether governed by insurers or the state — will tend to greater cost, fewer choices and more inconvenience. And in the Western world no other health structure costs more, offers fewer options and inconveniences you on a more extravagant scale than the Canadian system our politicians are so insanely proud of.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...
Hey, that’s great news, isn’t it? There are more MRI machines in the city of Philadelphia than the whole of Canada. The average wait for an MRI in the US is three days. In Canada, it’s six months — but that’s with all these ghastly private clinics. Now that we’re getting rid of those, I’m confident we can push that waiting time all the way up to the coveted one-year mark. And that’s what counts, isn’t it? Universal lack of access. Equality of crap.
That Mark Steyn certainly knows how to turn a phrase.
Exactly right. What are the chances of them needing health care, and why should they pay $400/month for insurance?
(We know why -- to offset the costs of those who do need it -- and that's the only reason politicians want to insure them)
And you know how to find old articles that are no longer relevant, if they ever were.
NO TIERS LEFT TO SHED From The National Post, November 16th 2000:
You mean that Canada has gone a privitized its health-care system sometime during the last two years?
I guess I must have missed that when it was reported in the papers, or was it kept a secret.
The average wait for an MRI in the US is three days. In Canada, it’s six months
Wrong. If you need a EKG or CT scan or MRI, you can get it when you need it. Because you need it. If you want one, depending how badly you want it ,in a week or two.
A couple I know both had a bad run of luck last year and ran up $40,000 of medical bills, but the hospital agreed to be reimbursed at the rate of $20 a week
That's a nice little commitment to have to make. Even with no interest , only a 40 year commitment.
of your getting breast cancer, kidney failure, a stubbed toe, whatever,
Whatever. Like smashing your car, falling down the stairs, breaking your leg skiing, having your appendix out or having a rupture pop out of no where.
But, for the typical 30-year old, not being insured is not merely rational but liberating:
And how many children are born to parents under the age of 30 ? Without insurance ?.And those that don't just add to the cost for those that do. Steyn either is not a parent or he's so liberated he's not a responsible one. Or maybe he just likes adding millstones, at 20 bucks a week. Since when are American Hospitals in the credit business?
Ontario bought over 50 MRIs in 2002. Like I said, a two year old article that's out of date, if it ever was in.
Actually, they want it for free.
Ontario bought over 50 MRIs in 2002.
So now they have as many as Philadelphia?
Hardly. It might be a boondoggle in BC, after the NDP chances are it is, but like it or not, it works here and having used it for everything from birthing babies to successful cancer treatment I've go no complaints.
It saves lives and lets people get on with their lives. Be critical of it, it deserves criticism. But don't lie about it. And that's what presenting Steyn's 2 year old article as today's truth is. Lying.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.