Re: OT bush bozos at it again

".dbu." <foolishlefties@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>In article <upa8m1degrm47u1a9082qheefep5amffg1@xxxxxxx>,
> Gord Beaman <gord@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
snip
>Here we don't pay taxes equally.

Same here, the more you make the more you're taxed (more or less)

>The taxes you mention, are they
>federal income taxes they take out for medical ? How do you gage the
>increases per year for medical costs? Or are they buried with the other
>costs of government? If not, how then do you know it's such a good
>deal? I have heard other Canadians are not so happy with your system.
>
Well, I'm not a financial wizard by any means but all expenses
are taken from the general coffer which is basically Federal,
yearly increases for each individual gov't service is, I suppose,
negotiated by itself but I have no idea about "what kind of a
deal we're getting" etc.

As to people not being happy with this or that system, I say,
well, why don't you fix it or go to some country where you'll be
happier?...seems silly to live where you don't want to,
especially now-a-days...seems to reflect poorly on your mental
competence doesn't it now?... :)

>So if you feel ill say Monday morning....you call your local clinic up
>and request an appointment, do you get to see a doctor that day?

Well, I certainly do, mind you, I'm maybe a special case, I have
emphysema and am on home oxygen so my family doctor, who knows
that I seldom complain will see me at almost a moment's notice.

My wife's much younger and healthier can usually get in to see
her doctor in one or two days max.

>How
>about if you wake up with a tooth pain, can y ou get in to see a dentist
>right away?

Well, dentists are a different breed I think...I have a military
dental insurance plan which pays for dental work...so, sure,
instant service for pain I've always found. Again, I'm not an
expert but I don't think that dental is covered by Medicare but I
don't really know that for sure.

>If I needed elective surgery (not an emergency), how long
>would I expect to wait? Because it's elective surgery it could still be
>very serious and time limited so it is still important to get in ASAP,
>right?
>

Tough one to answer...I have a friend here whose wife had a knee
replaced 2 months ago (arthritis?). I believe she waited several
months after agreeing to it...she's having the other one done
next week... I suppose it matters a lot how popular the procedure
is...

>
>>
>>
>> >Details are missing. How would they
>> >force someone to pay for medical coverage, taxes?
>>
>> Of course...here you cannot opt for "no coverage"
>>
>> >Many of those without
>> >medical coverage are homeless or perhaps a notch or two above, so how do
>> >they pay?
>>
>> It's included in their taxes, just as any other service, of
>> course if they're living on welfare (the dole you call it?) then
>> they don't pay taxes but can still get medical services, they're
>> human, you cannot deny them medical service just because they're
>> poor.
>
>Of course not. The difference is those without here in this country get
>treated regardless, but they may have to go to a hospital that's not so
>close to where they live, they don't have much choice like downtown
>general ect. In emergencies I don't think any hospital will turn away
>anybody, but I'm not sure about that, seems like that would not be in
>the best interest of the medical community, turning away emergency
>patients.
>

Well, I've certainly heard of it (but this could be just horror
stories I suppose)

>>
>> >What happens to the middle, do they pay more to support those
>> >who can't? Why would this be fair?
>>
>> Just as those who make more money pay higher taxes a higher
>> percentage of their taxes go toward maintaining the Medicare
>> system.
>
> So up in Canada if you say make $100000 a year wages you would get
>taxed at 30 percent, and if you earned $30000 year you would get taxed
>at 15 percent as an example? Are those percent close?
>

I don't really know, I guess so, I believe most middle income
people likely pay more or less 20 - 30%

>>
>> > And we have to ask the doctors, do
>> >they work for the government in this plan? How do they get paid.
>>
>> They get paid by people appointed to handle that chore...pretty
>> well all medical procedures are tagged with a price, seems simple
>> to me...
>
>So you have political appointees governing wages for the doctors? Yuk!
>
>
No, of course not...it's negotiated by a lot of experts, both
medical and financial, then fixed at a certain figure per
standard procedure (I suppose there's an allowance for
complications etc), I suspect that these rates are renegotiated
on some basis?...yearly etc?


>> >Many
>> >questions about a national health care plan that needs answers. I can
>> >also see how it can be fraud heavy and then who pays for that?
>>
>> Of course that can and does happen...but there are checks and
>> balances in place to combat unscrupulous people...there's fairly
>> stiff penalties in place to enforce -honesty- :)
>>
>> > Nope, count me out.
>> >
>> >The system would be huge, with the government involved. It would be a
>> >mess especially if the democrats hammered out a plan. No thanks, I'll
>> >stick with my own health plan with Blue Cross.
>>
>> Ok...if you say so...I think it works fine myself...Canadians go
>> all through their lives never giving health care a thought...just
>> as most people (even Americans) never give a thought to highway
>> maintenance...see?...same thing exactly...
>
>Most of us do too, never giving a thought until one day you get hit with
>a serious illness. My main concern is would I have been able to have
>obtained the same level of care that I received almost three years ago
>for the big C as I would have under a universal health plan.

Well, about two years ago I, too, shook hands with Mr C. It
wasn't too serious I suppose, a mole on my back started to change
it's size and look, I called my family doctor, she (cute little
30 year old gal) made an appt with 'Dr S' for three days hence, I
went in, "shirt off", he said "Mr Beaman, this looks like it
needs to come off". Long story short, he got a couple nurses in,
they bathed my back with alcohol, he froze the area with about
three needles and 'cutter offn there'...quick and clean
job...almost nil pain...he contacted my Doctor a couple weeks
later to inform her that it had been Squamous cell carcinoma,
(skin cancer) He made another appt for a followup..."lookin
good" he said...end of story...what more could a guy ask?

>I think we
>all understand there can be a great variation in the skill of doctors
>especially surgeons and I want to know I'm getting the best and not
>someone just out of medical school honing his/her skills on me. If we
>don't have a choice then more likely that's what many will get.
>

Well, look at it this way...if your medical bill is to be paid
EITHER by a private insurance company OR a government entity then
who's going to be more concerned with penny pinching?...seems to
me that I'd sooner have my Government backing me than some
bean-counter in a private insurance company, eh?

>How much of a choice in selecting a specialist do you get?
>

I have no clue...here in this small city the top specialists in
cancer is Dr S and Dr D. They both confer and bring in (or send
you out) if there's a question...so how much choice does anyone
have?...beats me sir.

>My take on your system up there is much like being in the military here
>where if we have a runny nose we would go to the dispensary and see
>someone perhaps not a doctor.

Not in my experience at all...

>If we have a serious illness we take what
>they assign us, hospital and doctor, surgeon ect. Simply put, but is
>that somewhat how it works or am I all wrong?
>

Well, most of us have 'Family Doctors', GP's usually who refer
their patients to specialists as required...

>I'm not trying to be disrespectful to you or the Canadian health system,
>but I am trying to get nuts and bolts types of answers.

Well, you likely need more expertise than I'm qualified to give
to vote on that question...all I'll say is that I find no fault
with our system at all, seems to be logically sound and on a good
sensible basis...


>This issue will
>no doubt come up in the U.S. at some point in time. I think our system
>could use some administrative streamlining. That alone could save $$.
>

Likely so.

>Thanks for your comments.
>

Ok...a pleasure to debate with you sir...cheers...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)
.

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