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I listen to Canadian talk radio thru my computer while I'm at work here on Long Island. Since the elections were called healthcare seems to be the hot topic of the moment. I find it interesting how vehemently we Canadians do not want an "Americanized" healthcare system...and I agree. After living with both systems I have decided that I do like the Canadian system better BUT it has problems too.

At the other end of the scale, the general census from Americans is that they don't want a Canadian socialized system of healthcare either.

So speaking as a Canadian who hopes to move back to Canada some day...is there a middle ground? Is it fiscally possible? Is there any solution to fixing the problems with our Canadian system...even if it means adopting some ideas from the Americans?

   

Healthcare should be free, free, free. Just like education.

   

yes, free.
and feminine protection and birth control should be free.

   

Nothing is free. It is fiscally possible to fix our system, though. The Romanow Report pretty much covers how to do that. There's increased funding to bring us back up to par and things, like increased homecare, that will save money in the long run. It's a good, solid plan based on suggestion from Canadians within and without the healthcare system.

That the Liberals continue to not implement it is their shame. That L'il Stevie Harper has not embraced it is yet another example of his incompetence.

   

In other words, Mr. Harper - the next pm - is considered incompetent because he has not yet been elected and had the opportunity not to fulfill his election promises mmmm, then again if he promised he would . . . . .?

Unlike pmpm under the tutelage of Crouton the Cretin who after ten years of banana republik behavior is only now promising to spend money on health care, the very same money he cut in transfer payments in 1995 - which is the very same money that comes from those of us who pay taxes.

   

L'il Stevie Harper has not promised to implement the Romanow Report, Karra. He has also spent much time skirting around the issue of making our system more like the American system. The American system is much more expensive per capita BTW, and the care provided is lacking for those without insurance.

   

Will you ever stop stating the obvious I wonder?

We are well aware he hasn't - but then nor has Handsome Yak and his Chow - then again, nor has pmpm who spent 15 million of our dollars on a tome sitting in Canada Archives avec the Liberal Red Book.

So what's your point, other than the tin foil . . . .

   

Get some facts, little girl. Jack Layton has stated many times that he will institute the recommendations of the Romanow Report. If you actually followed politics instead of just giving it up for anybody who promises you a tax cut, you'd know that.

   

And you believe him?

Wow!

   

And the reasons not to are...??

Just asking, I really don't know.

I DO know we do not want Americanized health care in Canada. frivelouse (sp?) lawsuits have driven the cost of healthcare down here through the f*'n roof! We have doctors leaving town down here because they can not afford malpractice insurance. Not just the odd doc, a lot of small practices in small towns are closing the doors.

I was at a party on new years where a young lady got smushed when inadvertantly stepping onto the 'paying field' of a backyard two - am game of football. Her finger was very broken, like at a 90 degree angle broken. After my girlfriend set it strait, I offered to get her to a hospital. She looked at me like I was nuts and said "Like I have $75.00 for an emergency room visit!"

Being Canadian, that thought had just never occured to me. So off she went for home, finger the size of a sausage and looking kinda green...

Bet that hurt when she sobered up.

   

I have no reason not to believe him, Karra. Neither do you. By the way, do you even know what the Romanow Report is?

   

Ya mean THESE THINGS ? ? ? ? LMAo[color=#] [/color]

   

klarra why do you have to be so caustic in all your replies here???? Please explain why... apart from other memebrs complaining about the way you go out of your way to be a smart ass to a lot of folks here... Im starting to dislike it too, so now please try to be a bit more civil here ok?? Other wise your baiting tactics will be used some where else and not here any more...

   

the problem with all health care systems in the western world is that they aren't changing with the times fast enough, and we treat the disease, we don't prevent the disease. 1 exemple is obesity. While it's not a disease by definition (i think), it does provide side effects like heart problems, diabetes, diseases that are expensive to treat. People are geeting older so we have to treat them differently.
If excersice was much more important, we could save some costs. Granted, broken bones and sports sometimes go hand in hand, i'd much rather mend that than a heart attack in the future. There are also other pros with excerise. It helps wit a persons self esteem, you're outside mingling with people and not inside watching tv, or being Tone hawk on the computer. The romans said it a long time ago Sane body, sane mind, or something of the like.
And this is just with excercise. We could also give more money to the educational; system so schools don't need pop machines to amke ends meet. Maybe by decentralizing the whole process, our system could be more efficient. The beauty with decentralization is you take the politicos out of the system.

All i know is pouring money will not solve anything

Last thing. When thinking of a problem, think of the side effects that might happen through time.
Here's some food for thought: The butterfly effect. Think about it when politicians tell you how tey'll solve a problem

   

Our health care industry is suffering badly from many serious problems. Mostly neglect. First the system is hemorrhaging skilled labour to the US for higher wages and less hours. Next there is the archaic standards system imposed on foreign skilled labour that we need to maintain the system but we have Indian doctors driving cabs instead of mri's because their medical diplomas are not exactly the same as ours and there is no supplemental training test, rather the Indian doctor has to go through the whole thing again and usually has to be a cabbie to pay for it. Next our own skilled labour for LPN (Licensed practical Nursing) is throwing out 40 year old candidates for similar reasons, they have the training but can't upgrade without years of experience and schooling when they have the practical experience already and only need a refresher course. There is a huge educational investment on the medical system and when our students are done they are swamped from offers from US hospitals and usually have to go for them because the wages are so much higher there is no obligation for medical students to stay here and there must be.

Next we have the system itself, It runs fine but is frequently robbed of resources and the feds have cut back massively on the transfer payments leaving the ball squarely in the provinces court making standards a thing of the past. What is covered in one province may not be in another. There must be mandatory levels and standards set, something that can be and should be done. As for the money we should be using the Bank of Canada to make low interest (BONDS) loans of 2%. (SHAMELESS CAP PLUG) Then the system would be self sustaining and fiscally viable.

   

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