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0 pointsjasonlotito13y ago0 comments

> Why is it that when I suggest we emulate Canada's system

No. I left the country because of their health care system, and came to the US because of the health care my son would have access to.

In the first 2 weeks here, he had more care for autism then the entire length of time we were up in Canada (which included the more than year long struggle to get him diagnosed properly and get him help.

And he suffered for it. All because of Canada's, as well as Quebec's, health care policies.

I will not allow my son to suffer the way he suffered up there. That system, and the participants were, in short, abusive (and yes, I mean exactly that word).

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4 comments · 1 top-level

larrywright13y ago· 3 in thread

I don't know why more people don't talk about this. People rave about Canadian health care, but seem to ignore the fact that many, many people with serious illnesses come to the US for treatment because they can get care here that they are apparently unable to get in Canada. Of course, this is going to be limited to the very wealthy or people with private insurance (assuming it covers treatment abroad - I really have no idea).

I don't doubt that Canadian health care is fine for everyday needs, but pretending it will solve everyone's problems is ignoring reality.

einhverfr13y ago

I am not saying the Canadian system is perfect. However it's worth noting that they cover everyone for the equivalent of what we pay in the US for Medicare and Medicaid alone. We can afford to do better. Unfortunately often we don't.

If we block-granted the money for Medicare and Medicaid to states, they could choose to mimic the Canadian system with no tax increases, or they could choose to do something different. But what I really like about the Canadian system is that the control is localized. This is what gets me labelled as a right-winger for proposing it.

jasonlotitoOP13y ago

Edit: I want to apologize if I come across as harsh. This topic is near and dear to my heart. So, please understand that my tone is not directed at you.

> However it's worth noting that they cover everyone for the equivalent of what we pay in the US for Medicare and Medicaid alone.

Everyone is covered, but not all medical conditions are covered. Yeah, if you break your leg, it's great. Having a child? Peace of cake. You don't even see a bill. Things just happen. In that way, it's nice. But when it's serious? No. Serious conditions that require years of effort, or major surgery? It falls down.

And the quality of care is below what we've found in the US.

It looks pretty on paper. My wife was a big fan of the Canadian Health Care system, before she had to rely on it. She feared the US system, until she experienced first hand how it could help.

No system is perfect, but do not imagine for a moment that the Canadian system is in any way a better way. I am serious when I equate what Quebec did to my son as nothing other than pure abuse.

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jasonlotitoOP13y ago

> I don't know why more people don't talk about this.

They do. People dismiss it, calling them the exceptions. The problem is, a lot of people in Canada can't simply come to the US to get care, nor do they realize they could.

Every time someone proposes Canada as a model, I trot out my story in the hopes someone will realize that their is a dark side.

No. Never again. It was no better than child abuse.

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4 comments · 1 top-level

larrywright13y ago· 3 in thread

I don't doubt that Canadian health care is fine for everyday needs, but pretending it will solve everyone's problems is ignoring reality.

einhverfr13y ago

jasonlotitoOP13y ago

Edit: I want to apologize if I come across as harsh. This topic is near and dear to my heart. So, please understand that my tone is not directed at you.

> However it's worth noting that they cover everyone for the equivalent of what we pay in the US for Medicare and Medicaid alone.

And the quality of care is below what we've found in the US.

It looks pretty on paper. My wife was a big fan of the Canadian Health Care system, before she had to rely on it. She feared the US system, until she experienced first hand how it could help.

No system is perfect, but do not imagine for a moment that the Canadian system is in any way a better way. I am serious when I equate what Quebec did to my son as nothing other than pure abuse.

1 more reply

jasonlotitoOP13y ago

> I don't know why more people don't talk about this.

They do. People dismiss it, calling them the exceptions. The problem is, a lot of people in Canada can't simply come to the US to get care, nor do they realize they could.

Every time someone proposes Canada as a model, I trot out my story in the hopes someone will realize that their is a dark side.

No. Never again. It was no better than child abuse.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse