Canadian Health Care

The majority of people visiting this site are our good neighbours to the south in the United States so I wanted to post this in response to a video I was just made aware of in which a Canadian, .Shona Holmes, is interviewed on Fox News. Apparently she was recruited by conservative interests in the US to speak about how our health system is a failure.

This video is full of inaccuracies and leading questions and some just plain ridiculous statements. For example, this woman did not have a tumour, she had a cyst. I suggest that the word tumour was used because the dramatic effect is more powerful than calling it a cyst. Shona Holmes also says that our system is not free because we pay for it with our taxes. Well, duh, this statement alone shows how ridiculous her whole argument is. Of course we pay for it with our taxes but it's a darn sight cheaper than paying for private health insurance or worse, paying $100 000 for surgery at a private clinic as she did.

My own case is evidence that our system does work. I have never paid one cent for any of the medical expertise I have received. I currently see two specialists, a rheumatologist and a GI doctor on a regular basis, plus my GP as required. In June I spent the night in hospital as a result of my fall and it costs me nothing. I see a physiotherapist weekly and, again, my visits are covered by the health care system. Yes I pay taxes so I suppose that I pay indirectly but it's a great trade off.

And then there's my medication and formula which come to over $2000 a month. I pay $120 (based on my income), again not a bad deal. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. I get the best care possible and it's not costing me an arm and a leg nor do I need to go out and get private insurance at an outrageous price and for which I would probably be turned down anyway because I have a progressive chronic illness which is expensive to treat.

So, if you should happen to see the ads run in the US featuring this woman please keep in mind that she is one person out of 33 000 000 and the rest of us are pretty darn happy with our system. Is it perfect? Of course not, but it sure beats the alternative by leaps and bounds.

Update-July 31/09

Heard a news item on the radio this morning re this woman's case. In an interview with a medical expert, it was stated that no one has ever died from this type of cyst as it is comsidered benign and if it did become malignant she would be scheduled for surgery immediately. More evidence that this woman is definitely not credible. She is apparently now preparing to sue the government over the matter. That explains a lot.