Canada's healthcare saved her; Ours won't cover her

Why do all Canadians with money come to the states to get high risk surgery? Because it's not as great as it sounds folks! Universal Care has its advantages, but let's not forget the disadvantages, namely paying a butt-load of taxes. I was born in Canada, my father went to medical school there, and the day he graduated, he moved to the US to complete his residency here and never went back. He REFUSES to work there! Do you like going to the DMV? Well, that is what going to the doctor will be like if Uncle Sam is running the show. I'd personally would have a choice of which specialist I go and see, another thing I would give up with Universal Health care. Are you guys stopping to think about the choices you'll be giving up? And to those who think doctors charge too much, think of all the people who go to the hospital every year, who must be seen, but don't pay a dime! Majority of the people I take care of in the ER personally. Most the time it isn't even an "emergency", they know they will be seen, but won't have to pay! Government again at its finest...

The only reason people need health insurance is that docs charge too much and drugs cost too much. Lower the prices, people pay less and can then afford it.

The measure of a civilised society is to see how it treats the poor and sick.

I know folks like the lady in the story who never give up their Canadian citizenship (and go "home" for x amount of time a year) just so they can keep their Canadian health insurance.

I also think that we should go single payer; I've put too many patients in body bags who didn't go to the doc for the breast lump, rectal bleeding, or recurrent headaches because they didn't have insurance -- when they finally come in, it's too late. I also think we should change the laws so that an ER trip costs more than an office visit, and if you're on assistance and go to the ER for non emergency stuff, it gets taken out of your check (with lots of education on what's an emergency and what's not). Maybe that would keep our "demerol and diet soda q2h" group out of the ER.

The two universal systems I have some familiarity with - Canadian and French - offer completely free choice of doctor, as do both of the proposals for single payer in this country. Going to the doctor in Canada is just like going to the doctor in the US - except you don't get a bill afterwards.
And someone finally studied the thing about Canadians coming to the US for care. Remember that most of the population of Canada is quite close to the US border. The finding was that .1% of Canadians had ever traveled to the US for healthcare - 1 in 1,000. By comparison, about 1 in 30 Californians travel to Mexico for care each year.

I would be very interested to know what study you are quoting when you write that .1% of Canadians are traveling to the US for healthcare. I am interested in gathering information on it.
Thanks.

Thats fine and dandy but where my parents live in Canada they cant even get a family dr to accept them because they all have to many patients they have to PAY to go to the clinic $35, much like I would if I were to go to a clinic here. Where I live in Texas I can get into my doctor within a week. So the healthcare systems has nothing to do with it.

The only reason people need health insurance is that docs charge too much and drugs cost too much. Lower the prices, people pay less and can then afford it.

The measure of a civilised society is to see how it treats the poor and sick.

We must be very civilized since we have the wealthiest poor in the world.