Ontario Heath Coverage

[Mister G]

Note the last thing I said Mister G... I've lived my life since the age of 24, to at least 44, in the 50% tax bracket so yes I certainly paid my dues to our great government and indeed when it comes right down to it paid for her health care out of my pocket and then some. All in all, I'd be living on the street if I again had to fork out the past 5 years expenses for her procedures. I guess you unfortunately have to live it, to understand it. I won't get too excited for your next response, while I sit here at Sunnybrook waiting for her delayed final day of full brain radiation.

I'm sorry if your offended by my response, but I thought you would know better and you do that we all pay either now or later. That was my point. Some of our younger anglers here I don't think understand that. Some think, it's free because the government gave you something. If those anglers could only go back 20-30 years and see things haven't gotten better, but they sure have gotten more expensive.

[bigugli]

I've tried staying out of this one. It evokes too much emotional response. i've seen both the good and the shortcomings of the Ontario system, and hands down I'll take Ontario.

When my daughter was a toddler she was misdiagnosed and lost in the system shuffle up at Mac. According to the treating physician "She's a toddler. What does she really know about pain. She says she hurts so she can have attention" The Shriners came to the rescue and got her into one of their units for treatment. If not for them she would have died a long time back. The first spinal repair cost close to a quarter million back in the 90's. If I had to pay for that I would have been broke then, and never afforded the further spinal repairs that followed.

You all know my wife had cancer. You want to tell me how a disabled person pays for all that treatment. They don't because they can't. Disabled people don't qualify for most life insurance or health insurance policies. The exceptions being policies negating prior illness and costing 1000 a month per person.

It;s nice to hear from the "never been sick" "never needed the system" types. They will eventually get a huge heaping dish of crow. As for the well to do not wanting to subsidize the poor and needy with taxes. That has never changed in a thousand years. After all there 'no workhouses, are there no prisons" to paraphrase Dickens. To the wealthy those who cannot work are a burden and under social Darwinism should be allowed to die to "decrease the surplus population" A standing conservative argument established by the Rev'd Malthus.

Edited March 13, 2015 by bigugli

[Paudash]

From my situation I would much rather go with the US system but I am very lucky to be in the 50% tax bracket and could afford full heath coverage in the states if we had that system. What people do not realise is the US system is very good and affordable if you start your insurance at a young age and not in you 40's when health issues usally start. It is similar to people here being able to retire at age of 50 because they started RRSP's age 20 not 40 like the majority of people. Everyone has good and bad stories from the 2 systems but our system has failed my daughter and I have been paying over $20000.00 a year for the past 5 years that our government will not even let me claim against my taxes for the drugs she requires that are all fully available here in Canada, but we have to purchase them in states or buy them with US prescriptions from internet pharmacy's.

[FLEX ROD]

Paudash, I am sorry to hear about your situation with your daughter, but now the issue of claiming the drugs against your income tax is completely off topic as you are now comparing Federal tax guidelines versus Provincial Health care.

 

I also would support a two tear health care if it was available and if it opened up the opportunity for faster / easier availability for treatment .

 

John

[bigugli]

Oh yes the two tier system. The white country club hospital vs "county" for the rest. If you think the statement is racist, yes it is. Every year at the nursing job fairs, big private hospitals in the states come to Canada to hire lots of Canadian nurses. White nurses.

Spent enough years in health/nursing admin to know a lot on the subject. Many an Ontario nurse goes down with a contract job with bonuses and all the hours they can handle, sometimes more. 2-3 years down there and they came come home with a fat bank acct. If you have money you go to private hospitals and wait for nothing. If not, the waiting lists in Ontario are nothing compared to a county hospital in many a US city.

[Paudash]

Flex Rod,

 

It is the same because if the doctors here were treating her the drugs would be covered by my work insurance but because they are US doctors they are not valid in Ontario and not accepted by Ontario pharmacies. These are common drugs that we end up buying from a CVS in the states.

[MrSimon]

If you have money you go to private hospitals and wait for nothing. If not, the waiting lists in Ontario are nothing compared to a county hospital in many a US city.

 

I'm not sure you understand how things down here work as well as you think you do.

[Old Ironmaker]

We already have a 2 tiered system. Nothing stopping anyone from going to a private clinic in Ontario and paying for the privilege of immediate service.

[manitoubass2]

Just a quick question for those near the GTA, can you guys/gals call your dr. With immediate questions?

 

One thing I love here is that I can converse with my dr over the phone, or get in within a day or two to see him.

 

An hour east you cant talk to your dr, and just to get in a clinic is over a month wait.

 

Again I think we have a great system here but improvements can be made.

 

My dr even shows me prices of meds to help reduce the cost. I pay up front but my coverage covers that cost once submitted.

 

Im just curious how service varies in different areas of ontario

 

Also, at the local drug store, all the meds are generic, good and bad come with that i spose

Edited March 13, 2015 by manitoubass2

[Canuck2fan]

I have 8 aunts and uncles 6 of whom would most certainly would have wound up BANKRUPT if they lived the US, due to the health problems they experienced.

 

So to me 90 bucks for an eye exam is an acceptable cost to the system we have here. Could it be better of course is everyone ever going to be happy not likely.

 

I would like to see the people who complain sit down with the money, and requests for it do a better job than is done now..... I know I couldn't even begin to make the simple decisions correctly much less the tough ones.

[Old Ironmaker]

I have never paid for an eye exam due to Diabetes until 2 weeks ago. The test to look deep to the optic nerve cost me 40 bucks. I was going to question that one but don't want to spend 3 days trying to get to talk to a human being.

[Mister G]

I have 8 aunts and uncles 6 of whom would most certainly would have wound up BANKRUPT if they lived the US, due to the health problems they experienced.

 

 

Don't make those accusations because you really don't know all the CORRECT info........as someone here early mentioned, there a good and bads with both health care systems. But to spread false hearsay info is only making matters worse.

[Steve]

paudash, this is not going to sound nice but......3 months wait for mri means your daughter's issue was not considered critical.

 

when I was having seizures on a frequent basis, I had MRI's immediately.

 

i had three MRI's in two years....all in the same day as my seizure's.

 

they were checking for clots, tumors, etc.

 

if you are considered an emergency, you will get your mri immediately.

 

those who wait are those whose injuries aren't considered critical.

 

we have the option. if you don't want to wait, go to the states and buy it.

[Terry]

Don't make those accusations because you really don't know all the CORRECT info........as someone here early mentioned, there a good and bads with both health care systems. But to spread false hearsay info is only making matters worse.

but of course you are making accusations and you have no idea

of his family situation and what info he may or may not have

[misfish]

Wish I had choices of lenses when my cataracts were done. After surgeries Brian you will never have to pay for eye exams.

 

Lets hope so Ralph, but I think with the glaucoma,I will still need to take my drops and have check ups once a year.

[aplumma]

Lets not poke each other, debate the facts and if this turn personal I will lock it.

 

 

Thanks

 

art

[Steve]

however art, when one recounts a personal situation, it then becomes fact.

[Canuck2fan]

Don't make those accusations because you really don't know all the CORRECT info........as someone here early mentioned, there a good and bads with both health care systems. But to spread false hearsay info is only making matters worse.

 

Sorry but they are not accusations they are facts!!!! Maybe with Obama care they wouldn't have wound up bankrupt or lost their coverage , but before Obama care when it all happened they most certainly would have lost their insurance and had to pay themselves. In all the cases they would have COLLAPSED their work coverage, or gone without any coverage after being laid off when the job they had for 20 plus years with excellent benefits went offshore...

 

Since you can't ignore going for care or just take aspirin when you have fatal cancer in 5 of the cases, they required a lot of very expensive care. Also there is no way any county hospital in the US would have treated them for free as they weren't destitute. They had homes to sell to satisfy the debt. Which is WHAT was happening to lots of people in the US at the time. Look up the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the US of A and will you find it says medical costs.

 

As for the myth anyone can get care in the US at a County Hospital because they can't refuse to treat you, that is only true if you need emergency care, once you are stable they no longer have to treat you. Also if you have the means to pay you eventually pay whatever you can.

 

There is nothing false in what I wrote and I stand by it fully. Also, since you don't know all the facts maybe you shouldn't be so quick to condemn it as heresay.

[lew]

Lets not poke each other, debate the facts and if this turn personal I will lock it.

 

 

Thanks

 

art

 

Nobodies poking anybody Art, we're having an interesting discussion about health care in Ontario.

[Paudash]

Steve,

 

I could not agree with you more and that was the issue but after my D suffered numerous seizures and 2 while we were at sick kids hospital in Toronto in front of doctors. She went from being an elite athlete to being wheelchair bound in a matter of 3 months. She was given 4-5 MRI's in the first 2-3 months but when they could not find a diagnosis they pushed everything out further and further and we went from doctor to doctor from Ottawa to Kitchener until a doctor told us to go to the states. As soon as they they found out she played hockey they kept saying she has a concussion and refused to look past it even though she never suffered a major hit. The Ontario system is set up like a menu, this is what the test shows so this is what you have. What if the test do no show anything conclusive, they push you to the next doctor. Your vet can treat your dog off of symptoms but Ontario doctors are not allowed to.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Paudash

[Steve]

that's the thing with seizures.

 

there aren't easy answers.

 

when you went to the states, did they find a cure?

 

after all, there is no "cure" for seizures, just treatments.

[Paudash]

No cure, but a treatment program that has allowed her to start school again after missing 2 years and we are hoping for her to go to college in September. But the best thing is no seizures in the past 2 years since she started treatment with US doctors.

[Steve]

that is great to hear.

 

finding a successful seizure treatment can be difficult as no two seizure disorders are the same.

 

seizures are extremely scary events to go through.

 

i hope she can continue to live a happy, normal life

Edited March 14, 2015 by Steve

[Gerritt]

I for one am thankful we have the system we do. While it's not free healthcare its a burden that is shared amongst the population.

 

And when you need it, it's there.

 

No need to go bankrupt, no need to mortgage the house... Socialism works here in my opinion. Rich or poor... You get care.

 

I know that would not be able to afford to pay out of pocket for the care my family has required in the past. Including ICU.

 

 

Or 900.00 in premiums monthly if I lived south of the boarder

 

 

Those in the US will never understand this.. (No offense Art)

 

I will gladly pay 90.00 to have my eyes checked if I know that when I need it.... Our system is still there and I won't have to mortgage the house for something that would save a life for those I care about.

 

 

Look at the big picture.

 

G

[danc]

On my yearly jaunt to Kansas for the NASCAR race, I got talking to one of my neighbors there. He told me that his family premiums were up to $1200.00 per month and he could no longer afford it. I can't imagine too many people that could. Canada's healthcare might not be perfect, but it isn't gonna bankrupt you either.