Canadian Healthcare- Bribe the Doctor

[Guest JamesWilson]

Caveat!: I don't know or have the answer to this question!

... I grew up in Minnesota, not far from the Mayo clinic and we would often comment at the large number of cars in their parking lot with Canadian License plates and which still happens today even though they have to pay for the care there vs. free at home!

It is true that some Canadians do visit US health providers like the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics, and some of those do pay for the costs out of their own pockets. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes their home provinces will pick up the tab if it is deemed a medical service that is either not available in their home province, or not available in a reasonable time. I have no idea how often the costs are covered, however...

[RA1]

Keep in mind, though, that sometimes their home provinces will pick up the tab if it is deemed a medical service that is either not available in their home province, or not available in a reasonable time. I have no idea how often the costs are covered, however...

Do you not see something inherently wrong with this statement? Not picking on you, but if the US or elsewhere has the service in a timely fashion and it is NOT available likewise within the medical "care" offered, what good is it? Or, to put it another way, what is it worth?

Best regards,

RA1

[MsGuy]

RA1, several of the more affluent families in my home town use Mayo when they are dissatisfied with the level of medical care available locally/regionally. As Minnesota is a lot closer to Canada than to Mississippi, I doubt that some Canadians making the trip down proves anything other than folks who can afford it tend to seek out the kind of world class medical care Mayo offers, where ever it may be found.

[RA1]

But, so far, the US does not have single payer aka socialized medical care. That is the difference I was pointing out.

Where shall WE go when and if we do? Mars?

Best regards,

RA1

[BiBottomBoy]

To be fair if you have anything major that needs to be done in a hospital and don't have great health insurance at this point it would be cheaper to fly to Asia to have it done than to go to your local hospital.

That's just wrong.

[KYTOP]

Please tell me where and when my daughter should show up to schedule eye retina surgery without being required to provide verifiable documentation of insurance coverage or a mulithousand dollar cash deposit and I will have her on a plane in two shakes. I would be most grateful.

It is interesting to see that this has started a conversation about Healthcare here and in Canada. I have enjoyed reading many of the comments. I think Canadian and American Healthcare both need some improvement. The waits for surgery in Canada, especially related to cancer seem to pop up in the media often and that is why I found bribing the doctor to get faster care interesting. If I understand correctly a doctor's income there is basicly limited by the government (are they Government employees?) therefore it would make the system ripe for bribes of doctors and maybe even hospital personnel.

In my area here in the USA there are many programs for uninsured care but you have to know how to access the programs and that can be complicated sometimes. I realize these programs vary widely troughout the USA.

TY, as for your daughter's eyes. You might see if the Lion's Club has a program or clinic in your area. Here they have a large clinic that is affilated with a University teaching program. My youngest sister, who has been unemployed for about 18 months and lost her insurance shortly after that, just had glaucoma eye surgery to each eye at no cost to her. She did have to go through an application process of some sort and wait a few months for the approval but she was able to get the surgery and is doing well now.

I think my biggest thoughts about the US Healthcare system is I really do not think that Obamacare is going to be all it is cracked up to be. We could have done so much better.

[MsGuy]

TY, as for your daughter's eyes. You might see if the Lion's Club has a program or clinic in your area.

TY, KYTOP's suggestion is an excellant one. My friend the long time Lion's Club big wig would kick my ass if he knew I had forgotten about the Lion's programs for blind and sight impaired folks. It's their main inter-national charitable focus.

Local clubs choose how they will engage in the overall effort, so any inquiries should be directed to one of your local charters. The club locator link on this assistance requests page shows 4 clubs in the Tampa area.

Since this is a completely local activity and programs vary greatly, it may well be another dead end for you but it's certainly worth checking into. My small town Lions Club has sponsored operations for several people over the years. Because of the execellent reputation of the Lions in this field, clinics and hospitals often offer their services at a discount when the Lions are sponsoring the individual.

[TampaYankee]

I think my biggest thoughts about the US Healthcare system is I really do not think that Obamacare is going to be all it is cracked up to be. We could have done so much better.

Thanks for the Lion's Club info. I will look into it.

As for Obamacare, the best thing about it is that it actually happened. We got past decades of organized intransigence from special interests opposed to it and significant GOP ideology-based obstruction. It was an ugly process and some regrettable political deals had to be made to get the votes. Also some real sacrifices of progress and improvements had to be made for the same reason. American politics is neither a pretty process or a totally lofty endeavor. Would that our politicans were statesmen and our special interests were willing to compromise their interest with the country's interest, but that ain't the way the system works.

Much needs to be fixed in it. Most notably, getting real cost control measures implemented. That should be easier to accomplish on an incremental basis now that we have moved beyond that institutional intransigence and given the public a real program to benefit from rather than a scary bogey man conjured up by the opposition. The program does contain some real insurance reform and expands access to many previously uncovered, if implemented properly.

I would prefer a single-payer system but that is down the road, maybe 15 - 20 years, maybe longer. A public option that offers competition to private plans in order to reign in cost is doable in the next several years, to get costs under control. There really is no other way to attack costs and maintain affordable access short of price controls which reduces access. It is not sufficient to cut costs if that cuts access. Else we can cut everybody's access, by going to a 100% free market system requiring everyone pay full price out of pocket and save the whole kit and caboodle.