UFC's Lesnar berates Canadian health care...

[Shwa]

Interesting story from today's Toronto Star

UFC's Lesnar berates Canadian health care as Third World

Published On Thu Jan 21 2010

Two months after nearly dying in the Canadian wilderness, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is healthy and ready to fight – against challengers to his belt and against anyone advocating health care reform in the U.S.

Lesnar still won't say exactly where in Canada he was last November, when a severe bout of diverticulosis made him so ill that his career and long-term quality of life both were jeopardized, but in a conference call to announce his return to action he blasted the hospital system here.

"They couldn't do nothing for me," he said Wednesday. "It was like I was in a Third World country. ... I'm just stating the facts here, and that's the facts. If I had to choose between getting care in Canada or in the United States, I definitely want to be in the United States."

The rest of the story here...

So this guy is misdiagnosed in the US by his - no doubt - higher priced doctors, where he suffers with a hole in his colon for a year and yet when he doesn't get the satisfaction from emergency care from an undisclosed Canadian hospital, he suddently gets the "right" treatment in Biskmark?

LOL. Obviously too many shots to the head.

[bush_cheney2004]

So what's the problem? Lesnar owns property in Canada and pays taxes...has often spoke praises of Canada to outdoorsmen on sports shows. His condition was of his own making, but he is still entitled to an opinion.

--Brock's lowest moment was getting care from Canada. "We have the best doctors in the world" in the United States, tells us he's opposed to widespread health reform. Doctors in Canada couldn't do anything for him, it was like he was in a third world country. Brock loves Canada and owns property in Canada, but he'd definitely want to be in the U.S. to get care. Restates that he loves Canadians, but he's not a fan of their healthcare.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/1/20/1261940/summary-of-the-brock-lesnar

As for being an idiot, definitely not....you just gave him even more free publicity for his returning title fight.

Edited January 21, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[blueblood]

So what's the problem? Lesnar owns property in Canada and pays taxes...has often spoke praises of Canada to outdoorsmen on sports shows. His condition was of his own making, but he is still entitled to an opinion.

--Brock's lowest moment was getting care from Canada. "We have the best doctors in the world" in the United States, tells us he's opposed to widespread health reform. Doctors in Canada couldn't do anything for him, it was like he was in a third world country. Brock loves Canada and owns property in Canada, but he'd definitely want to be in the U.S. to get care. Restates that he loves Canadians, but he's not a fan of their healthcare.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/1/20/1261940/summary-of-the-brock-lesnar

As for being an idiot, definitely not....you just gave him even more free publicity for his returning title fight.

Dollars to donuts that hospital was in Brandon. i don't blame him for being upset, for a country that touts the best healthcare in the world and can't help him, but he drives to Bismark and gets cured - he has a point.

He must have heard waiting list for a surgery and his wife couldn't drive fast enough!

[kimmy]

Brock Lesnar is among the best in the world at what he does. What he does is fight. He's an extraordinary athlete and a dominating wrestler. He is not exactly a noted intellect, or renowned for doing anything other than grind his opponents into the mat.

That said, I see no reason why Brock Lesnar's opinion is any less valid than the opinions of the myriad of celebrities who have endorsed the Obama agenda. Ashton Kutcher and the gang aren't exactly noted intellects either.

-k

{do you know why Mrs Lesnar wasn't afraid to drive 100 miles per hour to get him to the hospital? It's because she has really big drivers-side airbags.}

[Moonlight Graham]

-k

{do you know why Mrs Lesnar wasn't afraid to drive 100 miles per hour to get him to the hospital? It's because she has really big drivers-side airbags.}

Wow didn't know Lesnar married Sable. I love her she's mad hot!

Yeah Lesnar is entitled to his opinion. Never heard of "malfunctioning equipment" complaints in our hospitals before. But a few years ago when i went to the ER & wait-times were GARBAGE, like 4-5 hours for me, then when i finally saw a doctor he literally told me to take a couple of tylenol and go home. The next day i had to go back and was admitted for over a week.

Our healthcare system isn't perfect for sure, but some of our problems have to be looked at through the lens that we are next to the U.S. which has a private system and rakes in the dough. So many of our doctors/nurses have left for the U.S. for more money, and this certainly has contributed to the some of the wait time and quality of care problems, as well as the ability for anyone to find a GP here.

If you want to look at universal healthcare & its effectiveness, go look at the different European countries instead for a better comparison than Canada as we are in quite a unique situation.

I'm certainly rooting for gov't-run universal healthcare in the U.S. because it would mean the Canadian system would imrpove. woo-hoo!

[blueblood]

Wow didn't know Lesnar married Sable. I love her she's mad hot!

Yeah Lesnar is entitled to his opinion. Never heard of "malfunctioning equipment" complaints in our hospitals before. But a few years ago when i went to the ER & wait-times were GARBAGE, like 4-5 hours for me, then when i finally saw a doctor he literally told me to take a couple of tylenol and go home. The next day i had to go back and was admitted for over a week.

That's why those of us with money go down to the states.

Our healthcare system isn't perfect for sure, but some of our problems have to be looked at through the lens that we are next to the U.S. which has a private system and rakes in the dough. So many of our doctors/nurses have left for the U.S. for more money, and this certainly has contributed to the some of the wait time and quality of care problems, as well as the ability for anyone to find a GP here.

Take your gripe up with the Canadian Medical Association, their union has a hand in this madness. What's wrong with bringing in for-profit clinics to Canada that pay tax dollars?

I'm certainly rooting for gov't-run universal healthcare in the U.S. because it would mean the Canadian system would imrpove. woo-hoo!

No it would mean Canadians who could afford to go to the US would be plugging up the system here even more so. It would mean their system is plugged as well.

With either system somebody gets left out, either by wait times or by user fees.

[bush_cheney2004]

Dollars to donuts that hospital was in Brandon. i don't blame him for being upset, for a country that touts the best healthcare in the world and can't help him, but he drives to Bismark and gets cured - he has a point.

Good guess....this Daily Graphic - Heral Leader story backs you up:

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2271484

Blame the CT scanner!

[Oleg Bach]

Doctors anywhere are a lot like lawyers. Some are idots and some are highly skilled with natural talent and great empathy. If you get a doctor that is a dud..don't think you have to deal with him or her because you have over respect for someone who has a high degree. Get rid of him - I have fired doctors on behalf of a third party. For instance one gastro guy was about to cut the guts out of a patient because the patient disobyed his instructions...a power tripper...so I corner the guy in the hall..You could tell he had dirty clothes on under his lab coat..and you could tell he was disturbed by some personal issues in his life..The nursing staff were behind me all the way - this jerk caused a lot of harm so I told him to get lost and he was off the case....It was the first time someone stood up to this nut...MOST people with limited education admire these guys like gods. They are not gods - Use and trust your better judgement - If it smells like shit - dump it.

[Shwa]

Of course he is entitled to his opinion, that is not at issue. What is at issue is that his opinion makes him look like an idiot. And a total idiot at that by trying to put a spin on his own misfortune to try and score political points.

Here is a highly paid, high level athlete - who can afford some of the best medical care in the world and for over a year he is mis-diagnosed by his own US doctors in his slice of the US health care machine.

Now, according to the story from Brandon:

I'm speaking on behalf of our doctors in the United States that don't want this to happen.

"This is what we've got and it's affordable for us, for my sake, but he's not used to what we have and he probably gets better treatment down there," Chad said

Another "conservative Republican" who opened his mouth and removed all doubt.

[bush_cheney2004]

Of course he is entitled to his opinion, that is not at issue. What is at issue is that his opinion makes him look like an idiot. And a total idiot at that by trying to put a spin on his own misfortune to try and score political points.

No, his opinion is based on his experience, which is more than many opinions have on the matter, including yours.

Here is a highly paid, high level athlete - who can afford some of the best medical care in the world and for over a year he is mis-diagnosed by his own US doctors in his slice of the US health care machine.

But that has nothing to do with a very broke dick scanner in Brandon. No wonder I still see so many Canadian plates headed for Rochester.

[Shwa]

No, his opinion is based on his experience, which is more than many opinions have on the matter, including yours.

Nice try at minimizing. The story is about a high level US athlete comparing Canada's health care to the Third World after his own health care system misdiagnosed him for over a year. Even after he was correcly diagnosed in Canada he took his cheap shot because he is a "conservative Republican" and "We don't need socialistic health care in America." All of this because, he "...wasn't at the right medical facility."

He played the political card and looks like an idiot.

[Shakeyhands]

He played the political card and looks like an idiot.

Not to all the jackasses who don't realize how good we ALL have it here. See above.

[Oleg Bach]

Medicine in America is strickly about a corporate elite that can not bare to take a cut in profits. They propogate the idea that the Canadian system is socialist..when it fact it is humanist. To berate the Canadian system is simply to lie and slander it. When it comes to buisness and profits it's all about deception....Billion dollar American insurers have no problem saying that we are some sort of disaster - where in THEIR system the middle class is being destroyed by the fact that a person who gets sick loses their home and there is no estate to be transphered to their heirs..because the insurers have stolen the home of the old and ailing. I would say that is very third world but with a nice paint job.

[Guest TrueMetis]

But that has nothing to do with a very broke dick scanner in Brandon. No wonder I still see so many Canadian plates headed for Rochester.

Why do you continue with this myth? There are no were near as many Canadians going to the States for medical care as everyone thinks.

[kimmy]

...so, here's a guy who figures this is a big hoax designed to promote future UFC events in Canada. Moronic. The events in Montreal and Vancouver are going to sell out regardless, and Lesnar won't be on either card, anyway. Further, Lesnar was already the biggest name in mixed martial arts. The UFC has lost a lot more money by having their biggest draw out of action for a full year than they would gain from riling up Canadians over healthcare.

Hey, maybe he's just a celebrity who feels like sharing his political opinions.

-k

[Oleg Bach]

AMERICA has a system based in coersion - We have a system based in compassion. Which does the civilized person prefere?

[bush_cheney2004]

He played the political card and looks like an idiot.

Not to his intended, voting audience. Lesnar, already a huge draw, now has another dimension. Mixing politics and fame is not exclusively reserved for left leaning "idiots".

[bush_cheney2004]

AMERICA has a system based in coersion - We have a system based in compassion. Which does the civilized person prefere?

When your system breaks down, apparently they prefer the American "coersion"....check or credit card?

[bush_cheney2004]

Why do you continue with this myth? There are no were near as many Canadians going to the States for medical care as everyone thinks.

It's not the quantity so much as the systematic reliance on America's excess, for-profit capacity. We've already been over this many times....provinces now have standing contracts with American providers, and Canadians of means do not have to patriotically wait in queue. Ontario is spending millions for evil YankeeCare.

[bush_cheney2004]

...UFC has lost a lot more money by having their biggest draw out of action for a full year than they would gain from riling up Canadians over healthcare.

Hey, maybe he's just a celebrity who feels like sharing his political opinions.

I agree, plus it is always fun to spin up some Canadians over health care. They are...ummm...so sensitive about it!

[blueblood]

Not to his intended, voting audience. Lesnar, already a huge draw, now has another dimension. Mixing politics and fame is not exclusively reserved for left leaning "idiots".

I agree, Bono gets to express his belief that everyone should give food to Africa and put their ag producers out of business; why can't Lesnar bitch about getting shafted at the hospital up in Canada and getting the care he needed down in the US.

Oh and that will be credit card, those points are handy.

[Smallc]

So I have a question. Why didn't he just say....drive to Portage la Prairie...or Winnipeg? So the almost new CT scanner in Brandon was down...like that doesn't happen anywhere else.

[bush_cheney2004]

So I have a question. Why didn't he just say....drive to Portage la Prairie...or Winnipeg?

Because he wanted...(choke)....to die...(choke choke)...in....America.

[Smallc]

Well, good for him. Portage la Prairie wasn't very far away and has a functional and under-utilized CT scanner. As for the Brandon Regional Health Centre, it's a very modern facility with excellent equipment. Sometimes things break. That's not really the fault of Manitoba Health.

[bush_cheney2004]

Well, good for him. Portage la Prairie wasn't very far away and has a functional and under-utilized CT scanner. As for the Brandon Regional Health Centre, it's a very modern facility with excellent equipment. Sometimes things break. That's not really the fault of Manitoba Health.

Well, we don't know exactly where Lesnar was bow hunting Bambis. Three hours is a big travel radius, plus it was Rena Lesnar calling the shots. Maybe she wanted to go for a sure thing!