Saturday, June 03, 2006

God it really is Canada Bashing Day

From the Washington Post, this little gem:

It is pretty ridiculous that we spend twice as much per person on health care as citizens of other advanced countries -- the usual example is Canadians, because they are so nearby and so annoying about it -- yet we are less healthy, by standards such as longevity.

Annoying? Huh? Maybe it's just that we seem annoying when we know we're right. The scandal of this system is shocking. I think I've said before, I have, in theory, "excellent" healthcare. Yet I go to a doctor (I have POP) and I find out, oops, not in network, here's your bill.

A friend of mine - totally healthy, 29 year old, nonsmoker, etc - lost his healthcare (i.e. quit jobs), and now can't get insurance because of a MINOR pre-existing condition.

It's here in the US where some people, no matter what, CAN'T get healthcare. It's here where 25% of costs are based on administration and profit (mostly spent fighting claims), compared to 2% in Canada. It's here where 45% don't have healthcare, as opposed to exactly 0% in Canada.

So maybe it's right to be annoying.

(Oh, and for the record, I'm not pathetic and friendless. It's 1115 pm and I'm in my office working, just taking a break from the monotony of what I'm doing . . .)

2 comments:

noone said...

Yes we're annoying when we're right. The rest of the time, we are annoying because "supposedly" we're dumb. But we know we're not dumb. It's just that the USA can't stand neighbours who won't be pushed around.

That article was frightening. Good Lord, that man has a cold heart.

I know what you're saying about the U.S. system. I've got a friend in her early 20s who lives with a brain tumour. She can't get the care she needs except outside her HMO group. So she went in for treatment to UofM and was hit for $11,000 bill afterwards. She's a star economics grad, trying to have a life of some sort, while living with the effects of a brain tumour everyday. And telling no one, for fear it will cost her jobs etc. I keep telling her to apply to somewhere in Canada. She's an economics analyst, she should have no trouble. But she's one person. What about all the rest of Americans in similar situations?

Honestly, I don't know how the USA can call itself the land of freedom and opportunity when mostly, that translates to "we'll kick the crap out of you and then you're on your own".

Dean P said...

ExNdip: If my 45% figure is wrong, what is the number? It's only if I'm off by 30 or 40% that my premise is flawed.