BZBee

jbq, I think it is a wonderful story and a patriot such as the gentleman who was changing the flags should be thanked; it shows that you both care.

I think that is a huge exaggeration. Lots of people in Canada don’t make the kind of money that will allow that amount of taxation. Unless he’s talking about a combined total for working family members in the same household. quote name='guyser' date='Mar 31 2007, 06:43 PM' post='202793'] The you have a lousy plan. Switch Switching would mean having to pay for the plan entirely ourselves which is not possible on our income. The plan is what is offered by my husband’s employer; my employer offers nothing. In June my husband’s employer will close the doors and as of September there will be no health insurance….period. We’re hoping he will find a job with benefits but those are getting increasingly harder to find these days.

Oh please, I didn’t even make that kind of money when I lived in Canada. You make the big bucks, you pay the big taxes. My father worked for 61 years and had 6 children to raise, house, clothe, and feed. He’s a good man who wanted to give his family as much as he could. Today, he struggles because he never managed to save for his old age. You’re a real number. You and the future producers will NEVER contribute as much to society as my parents’ generation; they managed to work and bring their children up with values, morals and respect. Society is a mess and it will get worse…it’s the me generation and it sounds like you fit right in. Are you planning to off yourself when you turn 60, 65, 70? Maybe someone will think of you the way you think of the elderly today. Don’t you have parents? How can they do that if there is a government imposed patient quota? That’s not something that people would normally think of doing. As I said the reason for higher premiums is not disclosed by the insurance company. I’m not sure there is a website with that information on US doctors. Anyone know of one? Yes, in the US. I went to a clinic and they sent me to the hospital with a referral which stated what they thought the problem was. Oh, and I had to pay the clinic and the hospital. It’s obvious that you don’t care about others, so I don’t understand why this is even an issue for you since you can obviously go to the US for your healthcare. [quote name='geoffrey' date='Mar 31 2007, 01:00 PM' post='202660' I agree. It's criminal what the government does, and how much people suffer, all because of an ideology. People + suffering is not exclusive to Canada. [quote name='geoffrey' date='Mar 31 2007, 01:00 PM' post='202660' $500/month/person, that's a little high. But oh well. I see where your coming from. Say you get a serious condition that requires a drug treatment that costs $100,000 a year. Then what do you do? I think that's the big reason behind insurance. The little stuff is nice too. I may choose death over being kept alive at such a cost; after all, I doubt that I’ll still be productive if I’m that sick.

I don't go to bars but at restaurants I would pay with cash when possible. At the grocery store, however, I use my debit card because I save more money that way. Before debit cards, I would go to the bank to withdraw the amount I thought I would need to pay for the groceries and then have to make sure I didn't go over that amount...thankfully, I never did and always had money left over. That leftover money would never make it back into my bank account....I'd spend it on crap (my fault, I know), but now all that is taken out is the actual cost of the groceries and the rest stays where it belongs....in the bank until needed.

And, as a Canadian, I've been accused by Americans of wanting something for nothing. In Canada, it ain't free. Tell you what, when my husband (he's in his very late 50's) loses his job in June, we'll have to find a "free" free clinic and have the good citizens pay. My employer offers no healthcare insurance coverage and the cost is undoable for us if we want to eat and have a roof over our heads. Not knowing how long he will be unemployed and how much of a pay cut he will have to take, we have started preparing for his unemployment by giving up our seccond car and other luxuries such as vacations, eating out and entertaining. Incidentally, we both have conditions for which a cure has not been found and which require medication and follow-ups by our specialists.

He paid for cast removal but not for the application? I wonder who paid the doctors who attended to him. Well heck, we are given copies of contracts so I wouldn't expect the right to anything that is excluded and I would expect to pay my deductible (or co-pay) but I would definitely expect the right to what the contract states I am paying for.

Because as stated before I very rarely use money, I had to try your suggestion. I put 3 bills in my palm, then a bunch of coins (2 quarters, 3 dimes, 5 nickles, and 15 pennies).....know what happened? None fell out; and my hands aren't all that big. I doubt that 25 coins would be needed to make your change.

I'm happy for you but I do have two questions. Did your brother eventually pay for that leg fracture treatment and why doesn't he have health insurance? Maybe I should have been more specific: Those without insurance do not usually visit a doctor's office for anything that is not life threatening. When a serious condition necessitates the services of emergency care, they suffer real hardship to pay the bill. As I understand it, "free" clinics are not always free...it depends on the service required. You pay for health insurance and you don't think you have a "right" to healthcare? I pay, so you bet I have a right.

First off, the machine does not count out the change, it tells the cashier what amount to give you but the cashier has to count out (hopefully) the correct amount. Technology has changed the way they count out the change….so maybe a return to the old technology is the answer? Now, you know that’s not going to happen!!! If it doesn’t matter whether they give you coins or bills first then it should not be a big deal for them to do the opposite of what they’re used to doing so, might I suggest that while the cashier is ringing up your order, you politely say to her “when you give me my change, please make sure to put the coins in my palm first and then the bills.” If she doesn’t comply, then reprimand her for not complying with your request or ask to see a supervisor and complain…that should speed up your exit. I see old people do this effortlessly all the time without dropping their change or holding up the line…..they don’t seem to have a problem with chewing gum and walking at the same time either.

Yes but worse. Face North.....now turn completly around and face South. Bingo!!

$600 for an entire family? Now, that’s cheap compared to $400 (subsidized) for 2 people!! You are speaking of people who were productive to society for many, many years. FYI, my father retired at the young age of 79. Many are unable to play shuffleboard, let alone work. You fail to understand that these are the same people who helped pay for your preservation when you were too young to work. Now it’s your turn to return the favor. I suppose you plan to be productive to society for the rest of your life ? Why don’t we just knock off all old people who we consider a burden to society? So, your implied concern in your statement: “It can take over a year to fix a hip that causes extreme pain and a loss of mobility in a seniors final days” is hypocritical because if you have to help pay for the fix, then it should not happen. Sorry, I thought the topic was hospitalization and doctor’s visits. Most healthcare insurance policies in the US do not cover dental and vision; you need different insurance for that. We won’t even start debating the cost of prescription drugs here in the US versus Canada. Prescription drugs are usually covered by health policies here but if a drug is too expensive and no generic is available they won’t cover it. As I understand it, you’re well aware of the high cost of services yet want the choice to pay for them yourself because it will improve the service and care you get? In the US, those who can afford health insurance complain that doctor’s rush them through because the next deposit into the doctor’s bank account is sitting in the waiting room. Those who don’t have health insurance do not usually see the inside of a doctor’s office. Doctors and insurance companies don’t advertise when a doctor is hit with a lawsuit. The cost is passed on through higher insurance premiums which cover a variety of services and no one particular doctor or service is singled out as a reason for the cost increase, so patients are generally not aware that they should choose another doctor. And don’t forget, we’re talking about the Lawsuit capital of the world. I waited 7 hours in an ER here to be seen and Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) was suspected. Good that you can do that…..so there’s another choice for you. What’s the problem? Don’t tell me about others who can’t afford it…..I’m not convinced of your concern for others (shuffleboarding seniors and all). Besides if those of you who can afford it actually do it, then it may lighten the load on the Canadian healthcare system and allow better care to those who can’t afford it and need it. See above. So, you want the World to believe that the Canadian government allows people to die while the doctors who can save these lives work part-time? Sounds like the people of Canada need to look into charging the government with a criminal offense. What field exactly are we talking about? My point exactly. What’s your point? So I get this “choice” and I pay $500/month (and that’s a very conservative number) for health insurance to cover what is not covered by healthcare. I pay that amount for let’s say 3 years so that amounts to $18,000.00 and in those 3 years I’ve seen my doctor at least once a year and don’t need any prescription medicine……let’s say I’m healthy (no claims for the doctor’s visits because they are covered under the “system”). At the beginning of year 4, I need to be rushed to the hospital (no charge for hospital under the “system) so I’ve already paid for more than 36 kilometers in an ambulance; 240 fibreglass casts; and more than 36 fourteen days treatments for pneumonia. (In all of my life, I’ve had to use an ambulance once…and that was no where near a 36 kilometer ride.) Why are there so many Canadians without insurance coverage for drug or ambulance, etc.? If they could have it, would it be such a good thing? I think I would save my money in a “health emergency” fund rather than give it to an insurance company. My experience with insurance companies is that they get greedier and greedier and it is a prime example of paying for others who make claims…..and I am under the impression that you resent this. Tax me. You’re one of the lucky ones…..some have not been so fortunate. My friend’s husband wasn’t but his condition was much worse than dehydration. Speaking of which, I been to hospitals in Montreal many times for just that because of my condition; first thing they did was IV me up…..and they were very professional as well. Maybe candidates need someone like you to explain to the people how “private healthcare” would work.…or would it?

It's just the way they count out your change...bills first, then change and that's the way it is placed in your palm; they are supposed to count it out for you but many don't. This isn't an issue for me because I very rarely use cash anymore but when I do, I do get out of the way before messing with putting away my money...it's the courteous, sensible thing to do. For those of us with two usable hands, it shouldn't be such a big deal. You mean you don't swipe the card yourself? We do here in most places for credit or debit (we push the appropriate button) and sometimes, for credit charges, the cashier will ask to see the back of the card. I feel much better when they ask to verify the signature. If my signature wears off, I'll order a new card....a card without a signature can cause you big trouble if lost or stolen.

I'm sure all the single parents who already work 6 or 7 days a week and double shifts would love that solution. Did you miss the part that it's "GAP" insurance? FYI, that means that it is subsidized by the Government so $400/month is not the full cost…..plus they still get the honor of dishing out a co-pay. I guess you also missed the fact that they are retirees? That means living on a fixed (and very limited) income. I am Canadian and never had private health insurance in Canada. I worked on contract and had no coverage under an employer's health insurance plan yet I was hospitalized due to necessary surgery and did not have to pay the hospital....that was taken care of with my taxes. So, you're wrong, I will not reconsider my cost criticism. Can't be all that much to pass on to the Canadian taxpayer if the settlement is hardly a dime. So, you think that the doctor foots the bill in the US? Ha!! Think again. The doctor's insurance company pays the settlement and the doctor gets hit with higher premiums and these costs are then passed on to their patients. I guess what I stated in a previous post is accurate; seems like Quebec has their healthcare act together and other provinces can learn from them. I waited weeks in the US for my non-emergency CT-scan. My sister sees her neurologist in Montreal and gets her MRI the following week because her condition warrants it and there are many others who do as well so why would you not expect to wait while the urgent needs are met? I would not expect an ER to put me at the head of the line with my broken arm while the guy next to me is bleeding profusely. The Americans will take their money....but only greenbacks; they don't accept Canadian money. You said yourself that you can drive ½ or an hour to an alternate ER and be in and out in ½ hour; so, you do have a choice. Such a terrible disaster!! Are you sure this makes sense? Wouldn’t he have to work rather quickly in order to get through his “quota” in 6 months so he can dash across the border to make his few million? What about the other doctors in his field? Do they drag out their quota so they will have something to do all year long or are they also capable of getting their quota done in 6 months? Do they all go to the US to make millions or do some of them sit around for 6 months with their thumb up their butt? I don’t think that’s the sad part at all. I think the sad part is that some of these great doctors are feeding the theory of the "broken" system. For some, it's all about the money and not about the healing. And my experiences are limited to Montreal and the US so I can only compare the two. You can't tell me that there is rationality in a system where the World's most powerful country is incapable of putting in place a system that entitles it's citizens the right to healthcare and, further, is unconcerned that a number of people almost equivalent to the population of Canada have no health insurance. I can honestly tell you that I hope to never need urgent, or any, healthcare while in Mexico. Fear mongering; fear of what? I know nothing of the system in France, Sweden, Germany, or Ireland but obviously you do. However, even if it is your opinion that Canada has a terrible system compared to those countries, it is my opinion that Canada's system is not the worst in the civilized world.

Oh my gosh...all those years in Quebec and resenting the fact that I was not fluently bilingual, I may not have been fair to that Province at all....apparently, the doctors and medical services there seem to be superior to most of the rest of Canada.

There was a horrible accident in Philadelphia involving a car and a fire truck. The driver of the car did not hear the fire truck’s sirens and decided to go through a light which had just turned red. The car’s driver was on his cell phone; his car was hit by the fire truck and the impact sent it into a nearby convenience store…the driver died on impact (I can’t imagine what the person on the other end heard). Personal liberties drunk drivers or driver’s using cell phones be damned; I, and we all, have the right to live. However, I agree with mcqueen625 that using a hand’s free unit is no more dangerous than changing stations on your radio or having a conversation with the person sitting in the passenger’s seat; and we can’t outlaw everything. As a matter of fact, while on a cell phone you don’t tend to turn your head to look at the person you’re speaking with. I learned in driving school that both hands should be on the steering wheel at all times but, of course, many people do not practice this because we live in a world of multitasking. It is extremely dangerous to drive with one hand on the steering wheel while the other is holding a cell phone, coffee cup, etc. The other method…and I’ve seen this….is to have both hands on the steering wheel while you hold the cell phone between your head and your shoulder, do you want to be driving in close proximity to this person? I use a Bluetooth headset (wireless hands-free) which requires just one push of a button on the headset to start and end a call and, even with this, I will not take a call if I am in heavy traffic or under any circumstance where I think the call may take away the attention needed for me to get to my destination safely. Bottom line, cell phone usage in a moving vehicle should be banned throughout the US and Canada unless a hands-free unit is used and even hands-free should have limitations depending on driving conditions; sometimes we just need to pay 100% attention to our driving because we cannot foresee what the other guy is going to do. We cannot, however, customize laws for the “can do many” and the “only one thing at a time” groups. Who for instance is going to say “no” when asked “can you drive and have a conversation at the same time?” We are not alone on the road and it is quite possible that, although you may be capable of driving and taking the shopping list by cell phone, someone from the “only one thing at a time” group comes along and is distracted (not by a cell phone) and causes you to be in an accident and this now makes you a member of the “only one thing at a time” group. Many don’t know their limitations and those who do, very rarely admit to them. This may be another forum topic but to be fair, excessively loud music in automobiles should be banned as well since this impairs your ability to hear warning horns and sirens. I’ve seen so many drivers here in the US on a cell phone with the music blaring…how in the world do they hear what is being said? Is it really necessary to have a car stereo that loud? Talk about distracted!!

The cashier counts and removes the change from the cash register all at the same time (it's more efficient that way) and I think it's natural for him/her to put the coins in the most convenient spot (usually the hand closest to her/him that is being held out) so, providing your reflexes are quick enough, why don't you just pull back the hand that the bills are placed in and quickly replace it with the palm of the other hand to receive the coins? Or, if you're female and carry a purse, just open it up and shove it toward the cashier so the money can be deposited inside (you can sort it out later); if you're a man open your wallet to the bill compartment so only the bills will be placed there and then the cashier will be forced to hand only the coins to you. I don't mean to be derogatory but are you serious? What would you have them do instead?

As consumers we purchase products in the packaging in which they are sold. Shouldn't it be the responsibility of the companies who sell these products to find environmentally friendly alternatives? Plastic bags are the least of the problem and banning them is not the answer; most people bunch them into little balls and reuse them and/or keep them for a very long time (like I do). Maybe more supermarkets need to charge for plastic bags if you don't bring your own; that may stop a lot of dicarding and start a lot of reusing.

Well, that is good news but what I've been reading is that (Canadian) lives are being saved in the US while Canada is just letting her population die. Well, ya don't want to be like the UK....the wait times there are excessive. Friends in the UK told us of wait times of more than 5 years for elective surgery. Well, I think that anyone who thinks they have the answer to the problem should start writing letters to their Members of Parliament. There is strength in numbers so get family and friends to do the same.

There you have it, your family could afford it so your family member came to the US for medical services the same medical services that many Americans cannot access because of lack of health insurance. My point is, even if it was better and faster in the US what good is it to those who cannot afford health insurance in this country? Not that expensive in the big picture? My parents are both retired (my dad worked for many years here in the US) and are on Medicare and have to pay out $400.00+/month in gap health insurance...that's a good chunk of dad's social security check each month. As for accountability, a Doctor can be found guilty of malpractice in one State but then he can just move to another State and start practicing again. Also, the rules have changed for malpractice lawsuits here (in favor of the doctors, of course). I must have had excellent doctors or must be exceptionally fortunate since I really have nothing to complain about with regard to the care I received from my Canadian doctors and the hospitals I stayed in. I have family in Canada who also have no complaints (apart from having too long a wait in a doctor's waiting room). Considering the haste in which my doctors got me into the hospitals when I needed surgery, I am just having a difficult time believing that there are doctors who have patients with chronic conditions who don't do what they took the Hippocratic Oath to do. Incidentally, the Bee Gee brother who died in Maybe I ought to keep up more with what's going on in Canada but I must say that I'm surprised that the mortality rate is not much higher considering the "piss poor" health care system. People die here every day as well from shoddy medical services.

Oh, it does burn me up when I read crap such as this. If you haven't lived in both countries and experienced healthcare in both, then you don't have the right to spew off about one over the other. And by the way, healthcare in Canada IS NOT FREE. EVERYONE pays into it. I will take high taxes and the Canadian healthcare system any day over the US system. I am sorry for you aunt's loss but millions of Americans cannot afford health insurance so a waiting list would be a very attractive alternative for them. However, in all of my years in Canada I was never put on a waiting list for ANY surgery...and I had 7 surgeries (5 major) in Canada. I've had 2 major surgeries here in the US and can tell you from personal experience that the care I received pre, during and post hospitalization here in the US was in no way superior to that which I received in Canada. As a matter of fact, I saw the nursing staff and my doctors more often in the Canadian hospitals. I never waited more than 2-3 hours in an emergency room in Canada; I recently had cause to visit the waiting room of our local hospital and waited more than 4 hours to get an ultrasound, then another 3-1/2 before they told me what was wrong with me (that’s an entire work day). You think it's better here in the US? Why not live here and pay the outrageous monthly premiums for health insurance and then be told which doctors you can and can't see? To see a specialist you have to get a referral and/or prior authorization. I had to jump through hoops prior to my surgeries here. Let's not forget the cost of prescription drugs here in the US. There are elderly folks who have to choose between food and the prescribed medicine they need to survive. Would you like to make that choice? If you die of malnutrition then I suppose the medicine won't do much good, would it? Many Canadians complain about the healthcare system but are they willing to pay a co-pay or usage fee for improved health services? Nah, probably not...so how about getting these same Canadians to pay big bucks in monthly premiums to greedy insurance companies? Well, that's how it works here in the US. So, Canadians who come across to the US for (in their opinion, better) healthcare should be thanked by those of you in Canada who use the system for not tying up services that are urgently needed by those who do not have the money, time or means to get to the US. Wait a second, I just had a thought....do you (OP) run one of those greedy insurance companies that is just chomping at the bit to get in the door to "insure" the Canadian population?

Coulter is actually a poor excuse for a satirist. As far as her looks goes, how can anyone so ugly on the inside look good on the outside? Henry Rollins is my new hero ;-)

I live in the US and watch just 2 news broadcasts on weeknights when I am at home. Lou Dobbs on CNN and Bill O'Reiley on FOX. Lou Dobbs is a straight shooter who has his finger on the pulse of the American majority whereas Bill O'Reiley (Mr. No Spin Zone) who claims to be "fair and balanced" is everything but; if his guest opposes his point of view, he will cut them off in mid-sentence. He claims to be an independent but treats Republicans with respect and dismisses anything Democrat.....then says stupid things like "I asked so-and-so to come on the show but he is hiding under his desk." And oh, his reference to kool-aid is so old. Why do I watch this guy? It's kind of like passing an accident on the highway, you don't want to look but you find yourself looking anyway .

Your name may be similar to one listed on the "no fly" list.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Chinese proverb. The International Thesaurus of Quotations, ed. Rhoda Thomas Tripp, p. 76, no. 3 (1970).