RIP medicare

[avro_arrow_25206]

The Supreme court of Canada ruled that the Quebec government cannot prevent patients from paying for private medicare, nor can it prevent people from setting up private clinics for treatment currently provided by Quebec's public health care.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/06/09/newscoc-health050609.html

Despite how everyone is saying the national health plan would remain strong and intact, I am convinced that this is definitely the beginning of the end. My only advice is to not visit Tommy Douglas' grave, or else risk being strangled by his ghost.

[JeffinDEN]

That's a step in the right direction. Welcome to the 21st Century.

[yyz-yvr]

Quite dissapointing to me, not what I wanted to see at all. Give us better PUBLIC heathcare instead.

[Genessee]

I have no problem paying for what I use. If someone can afford it, they should.

Not being able to get easy access to some essential services and specialists has gotten quite bad. A friend of mines mother has a rather serious eye condition that needs attention, the retina is detaching.....The earliest to get anything done about it was 6 months (will be in looked at in sept).

Regardless of where it's set up, if people want to pay for faster care, or care that they consider a higher quality, they will. If they can't do it in Canada, all they do is take a trip to the US. It's not too uncommon, even my insurance provides for trips outside of the country if my doctor decides I can't get the proper care here.

This would bring general care in line with dental and eye care. Most people have to pay that. Unless they recieve some kind of assistance, or insured.

Can't wait for the Wal-Mart Walk-in Clinic :P

[JeffinDEN]

Quite dissapointing to me, not what I wanted to see at all. Give us better PUBLIC heathcare instead.

That is what competition brings, better healthcare.

[Genessee]

I messed up the cut n' paste, so I deleted the message..which I didn't have to do now that I thinkj of it...d'oh.

For that guy in the article that wanted to pay for insurance to get his hip done faster....He could pay for it himself, some insurance companies (manulife comes to mind) has a plan that allows out of country treatment if the doctor says it's needed. No one would insure him with a pre-existing condition though.

[wannabepilot777]

As much as I am for private industry, it is a shame to see this. Our neighbors to the North are very used to this system and I hope that everyone can still get the healthcare that they need to get. If they can pay for it, great, but the people that can't pay better not feel this decison at all if they are being fair and correct about this.

[Genessee]

As much as I am for private industry, it is a shame to see this. Our neighbors to the North are very used to this system and I hope that everyone can still get the healthcare that they need to get. If they can pay for it, great, but the people that can't pay better not feel this decison at all if they are being fair and correct about this.

Bumping those that can't pay for those that can certainly wouldn't be nice.

[avro_arrow_25206]

Bumping those that can't pay for those that can certainly wouldn't be nice.

Queue jumping is the worst thing that can possibly happen. I hope that at least the private institutions would be kept completely separate from the public system so that there is little or no influence for people who can't afford to go to dark side.

[JeffinDEN]

Queue jumping is the worst thing that can possibly happen.

What the hell is queue jumping in reference to healthcare?

[avro_arrow_25206]

What the hell is queue jumping in reference to healthcare?

what he said:

Bumping those that can't pay for those that can certainly wouldn't be nice.

... getting priority treatment while making regular patients wait longer

[JeffinDEN]

What are you "waiting" for? I've never really had to wait for anything medically. My son did, he needed tubes in his ears and had to wait a week as the Doc. was at a conference. We could have used one of the others in the office, but he liked his regular Doc better, so we waited the few days. Usually you get asked when can you come in? You pick a day and you're in. Never really thought about waiting.... Is that common?

[avro_arrow_25206]

lol, no need to rub it in now, Jeff

[UA-F9 Guy]

That's a step in the right direction. Welcome to the 21st Century.

Are you retarded? I mean i think we should sum this up. Not everyone HAS money to pay for healthcare. All competition does is make an excuse for the rich to get richer because they offer a better product and make the poor die because they can't afford the treatments needed. Jeff, i respect most of your comments whether or not i agree or disagree with them, but you're wrong on this one pal.

[Genessee]

What are you "waiting" for? I've never really had to wait for anything medically. My son did, he needed tubes in his ears and had to wait a week as the Doc. was at a conference. We could have used one of the others in the office, but he liked his regular Doc better, so we waited the few days. Usually you get asked when can you come in? You pick a day and you're in. Never really thought about waiting.... Is that common?

Here, if its not life threatening, or close to it, he would have had to wait several months to be looked at, then possibly several months more to have the procedure done.