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Dave Smith[_1_]

On 2016-04-10 8:35 AM, wrote:
> On Sun, 10 Apr 2016 22:09:42 +1000, Bruce > wrote:

>
> Anytime the USA tries to bring in universal health care the insurance
> companies spring into action. We watched that happen in 1968 when
> Canada switched to health care and again when Hillary Clinton was
> crossing the USA in Bills time trying to come up with a good plan
> everyone liked.
>
> One of the favourite insurance company ads was to show a Canadian
> woman who claimed she had a brain tumour and could not get it taken
> out here so she paid a ransom to have it done in the US. The truth
> was, her tumour was benign and her Ontario doctors felt it was best to
> leave it since it was no longer growing, rather than chance operating
> on her brain and possibly doing some damage in the process.
>
> There were plenty of others but I forget them now, they were so
> laughable. I am just thankful that no matter what health problems hit
> me, it won't cost me a dime, other than perhaps parking for the car.

The insurance companies are lobbying hard to prevent them from losing a
very profitable business. There are lots of stories about wait times
and services that are unavailable. The only one that seems to have much
credibility is the shortage of MRI facilities.

When I had my heart issue, which seemed to be no big deal when it
started, the delay was my fault for not contacting my doctor before he
went on vacation. I went to a walk in clinic and saw a doctor within 10
minutes. He sent me to the hospital because it was a weekend and they
could do the tests that day. I was seen by a doctor within 15 minutes
and spent a day there while they did tests and then repeated them. No
heart attack and no immediate concerns, but was told to follow up with
my doctor. When he got back from vacation I got in to see him. He
referred me to a cardiologist and saw him within a week, and he booked
be for angiography which happened within two weeks. They found a
blockage and ran into problems clearing it out so I had emergency
surgery. It took about an hour to get me prepped and a teach together.

I spend 4 days in ICU and another 3 nights in the hospital. I was billed
nothing for all that.