Private Health Care

[JerrySeinfeld]

Is it just me, or was it not even a year ago when private health care was a bad word in this country?

How far we have come:

1. The supreme court has ruled it's uncontitutional to deny private service.

2. Jack Layton uses a private clinic.

3. Not one of the leaders in the debates would unequivically promise to ban private care.

4. Even the lefty nitwits in this forum are opening up their minds to the concept.

How things have changed!

Hopefully in many other areas the pendulum will begin to swing more conservative- as it has in most parts of the world.

Hey, it's either that or we take the next logical lefy step: legalize polygamy in the interest of "multiculturalism"!!!

[Hicksey]

Is it just me, or was it not even a year ago when private health care was a bad word in this country?

How far we have come:

1. The supreme court has ruled it's uncontitutional to deny private service.

2. Jack Layton uses a private clinic.

3. Not one of the leaders in the debates would unequivically promise to ban private care.

4. Even the lefty nitwits in this forum are opening up their minds to the concept.

How things have changed!

Hopefully in many other areas the pendulum will begin to swing more conservative- as it has in most parts of the world.

Hey, it's either that or we take the next logical lefy step: legalize polygamy in the interest of "multiculturalism"!!!

Haven't you heard? Child molesters are arguing that children are simply another sexual preference and that if is illegal to discriminate against people based on sexual preference they shouldn't be persecuted against.

[Rovik]

Is it just me, or was it not even a year ago when private health care was a bad word in this country?

How far we have come:

1. The supreme court has ruled it's uncontitutional to deny private service.

2. Jack Layton uses a private clinic.

3. Not one of the leaders in the debates would unequivically promise to ban private care.

4. Even the lefty nitwits in this forum are opening up their minds to the concept.

How things have changed!

Hopefully in many other areas the pendulum will begin to swing more conservative- as it has in most parts of the world.

Hey, it's either that or we take the next logical lefy step: legalize polygamy in the interest of "multiculturalism"!!!

Lefty nitwits eh? Real intelligent calling anyone who has left of centre views names. And to generalize that all people with left of centre views would embrace polygamy is a stretch and somewhat demeaning. I'm sure most mainstream left of centre people wouldn't support polygamy.

[August1991]

Seinfeld's post concerns what is "progressive" - that is, "how will the future be?"

"Progressive" apparently does not include State-managed clinics, but it might include private for-hospitals in the future.

Hey, it was once considered "progressive" to bring young Indians into schools to live and to teach them proper ways. That's not considered "progressive" now.

[Harare]

"Lefty nitwits eh? Real intelligent calling anyone who has left of centre views names. And to generalize that all people with left of centre views would embrace polygamy is a stretch and somewhat demeaning. I'm sure most mainstream left of centre people wouldn't support polygamy."

So it's OK to paint all Conservatives with the religious right, bible thumping anti gay anti abortion brush but not to genaralize about lefties ?

[Rovik]

So it's OK to paint all Conservatives with the religious right, bible thumping anti gay anti abortion brush but not to genaralize about lefties ?

I agree with you, it's not ok to make that generalization. There are many type of Conservatives...there are"fiscal Conservatives" and "social Conservatives." There are also Conservatives that don't exactly fit into either category. I do admit there are people on both the extreme left and the extreme right but these are by far in the minority for either sides.

[MableSpam]

i am for private health care...just without any public funding.

i never understand why no one makes this distinction on the matter.

if someone wants to pay for faster service, by all means go ahead...but taxpayers who cannot afford it should not subsidize others to get service before they do.

jack's experience was with a not-for-profit clinic that was grandfathered...so it was indistinguishable to him as private.

why do people always have to make it "us vs them"?

Is it just me, or was it not even a year ago when private health care was a bad word in this country?

How far we have come:

1. The supreme court has ruled it's uncontitutional to deny private service.

2. Jack Layton uses a private clinic.

3. Not one of the leaders in the debates would unequivically promise to ban private care.

4. Even the lefty nitwits in this forum are opening up their minds to the concept.

How things have changed!

Hopefully in many other areas the pendulum will begin to swing more conservative- as it has in most parts of the world.

Hey, it's either that or we take the next logical lefy step: legalize polygamy in the interest of "multiculturalism"!!!

[Hydraboss]

"why do people always have to make it "us vs them"?"

Because it's more interesting, and talking heads must talk.

Private health care? Hell ya.

Completely for-profit? Hell no.

Comfortable mix? Where would the fun be in that?

There is so much private health provision out there, that it's hard to tell why this is being argued. There is a PUBLIC hospital in Edmonton that has a PRIVATELY OWNED emergency room. There is no difference to the patient, but it is owned by three doctors. Don't believe me? Check out the ownership group of the Miseracordia Hospital in Edmonchuk. My wife is an RN, and two of her former work buddies accepted jobs there. They are paid from a corporation, not the Capital Health Authority. Does this mean that the place is EVIL? No.

[Drea]

Am I the only human being in Canada who realizes what the REAL issue is?

PRIVATE INSURANCE PROVIDERS.

Who cares who owns the place where you get you eye surgery, or your knee replacement? It doesn't matter a bit as long as people can get the operation done somewhere and as long as they are NOT DENIED medical coverage by a private insurer (like in the USA with their HMO's who are god's who have the power to decide who lives and dies by deciding who is and who isn't covered by insurance.)

In Canada we are ALL covered by public health insurance. The public system CANNOT deny treatment to anyone for any reason. If you get cancer from smoking you are covered, if you get diabetes because you are obese, you are covered. Not so with private insurance.

Can you imagine you health insurer telling you that you have to be tested for "bad fats" and if you have been eating any you've nullified your insurance? Or if you didn't go for your morning run you are jeopardizing your health and are therefore not covered?

This is what would happen if we had private insurance.

The insurers in the USA are drooling over getting 30 million new "customers" and charging us extreme rates and denying us coverage as they see fit.

[Hydraboss]

"The insurers in the USA are drooling over getting 30 million new "customers" and charging us extreme rates and denying us coverage as they see fit."

Extreme rates? What do you call the percentage of our taxes that go to health care spending? Personally, I couldn't care less who provides the service at 4am in emergency with my seven year old. Nobody has ever said (from any party) that they want to turn over the whole damn system to the private pirates. If I want to go to a private clinic and pay with my private insurance, I should have that choice. It doesn't mean that you can't go to the public clinic and pay with your health card (which we all pay for). This is not a this-or-that argument. It's about options. I have my right to options. Paul Martin has the right to options, and he exercises them.

[Drea]

I am in complete agreement with you Hydraboss.

Private clinics and hospitals are not going to change anything for the average Canadian. Public insurance will still cover the cost of your knee operation.

And why "use up" the resources of a major hospital for minor surgery when it could simply be done at a clinic? IMO this would free up the major hospitals for heart operations, etc.

[geoffrey]

I am in complete agreement with you Hydraboss.

Private clinics and hospitals are not going to change anything for the average Canadian. Public insurance will still cover the cost of your knee operation.

And why "use up" the resources of a major hospital for minor surgery when it could simply be done at a clinic? IMO this would free up the major hospitals for heart operations, etc.

Not to mention the clinics are way nicer. Had some diagnostic stuff done at this one clinic, and they had cookies for me. A big platter of cookies and other food, and it wasn't like eat this for the test. It was like just eat. Had some nice music playing and friendly people. None of this exists in a public hospital.

Cookies.

In a hospital.

In Canada.

I'm not making this up.

The cookies in themselves convinced me that private clincs are definately the direction we should be moving in.

[scribblet]

I am in complete agreement with you Hydraboss.

Private clinics and hospitals are not going to change anything for the average Canadian. Public insurance will still cover the cost of your knee operation.

And why "use up" the resources of a major hospital for minor surgery when it could simply be done at a clinic? IMO this would free up the major hospitals for heart operations, etc.

Why would you care who wants to pay for private insurance, its not your business how somebody chooses to spend their money. You will still have your public system.

[geoffrey]

I am in complete agreement with you Hydraboss.

Private clinics and hospitals are not going to change anything for the average Canadian. Public insurance will still cover the cost of your knee operation.

And why "use up" the resources of a major hospital for minor surgery when it could simply be done at a clinic? IMO this would free up the major hospitals for heart operations, etc.

Why would you care who wants to pay for private insurance, its not your business how somebody chooses to spend their money. You will still have your public system.

I can buy US private insurance and fly down to Montana for better care already.

Get over it already, theres two-tiers in Canada already. Those that are stuck in queues in Canada, and those that can afford to fly south. At least level the field a bit by letting people buy insurance in Canada. I agree completely (a rare occurance indeed) with the supreme court's decision roughly saying that the government can't force you to not save your life with your money.

[Canuck E Stan]

Just thought of a good slogan for the NDP.

Public Health Care-

"Can't save your life,if your money depended on it."

[geoffrey]

Just thought of a good slogan for the NDP.

Public Health Care-

"Can't save your life,if your money depended on it."

You have to add "Sending more NDP members to parliment means..." to the beginning.