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Should the provinces be funding trips to the United States for medical services you can’t get here?

When Barry Stein learned the cancer in his colon had spread to his liver, he knew there wasn’t a minute to spare. To save his life, the 41-year-old Montreal lawyer needed surgery—but it kept getting postponed. The reason? Operating rooms were booked solid.

Frustrated at waiting, Stein sought other options. Logging on to the Internet and talking with everyone he could think of who might be able to help, he quickly found what he was looking for: an expert in New York who could perform three treatments to save his liver that were not available together in Canada. Within a week he was lying on an operating table in New York.

That was seven years ago. Today Stein, 48, is still going strong in his law office. “There’s no question that going to the United States saved my life,” he says.

In Canada the average wait for procedures such as neurosurgery is more than four months; for cancer radiation treatment, over two months. The average wait for treatment after consulting a specialist for coronary bypass clocks in at up to 52 weeks, with four to 12 weeks for angioplasty. That’s the reality in our backlogged public health system, according to a recent survey by The Fraser Institute, a think tank based in Vancouver. In the United States, you can often be on an operating table within a week or two of referral to a surgeon.

Why is Canada’s health system in such a bad fix? “There’s simply not enough medical personnel to keep up with the demand,” says Dr. Hugh Scully, a senior cardiac surgeon at the University Health Network in Toronto and past president of the Canadian Medical Association. “Not enough doctors, not enough nurses, and not enough medical technicians.”

Politicians can debate the answer to the problem and editorial columnists can weigh the merits of allowing private health care, but once you understand the terrible reality of Canada’s medical waiting lists, it’s easy to see why people like Stein are seeking fast-track alternatives outside our conventional health-care system. It’s not a matter of being patriotic or unpatriotic. It is a matter, quite literally, of life and death.

Canadian patients who go south of the border report speedier, better service. And you don’t have to be a lawyer like Stein to get it—anybody can find the specialist he or she needs, or gain access to the most advanced technology available. Some strategies may require your ingenuity and persistence, while others will require you to dig deep for cash. Still, as Stein points out, “When your health is on the line, you stop worrying about saving money.” Should you go to the United States for care? Consider these options before deciding.

Work the Canadian system first. Fast-tracking doesn’t always mean going to the United States. Sometimes, getting the care you need is as simple as being more assertive. That’s what Toronto resident Lori Newman discovered. Married to a man with end-stage kidney disease, Newman would refuse to leave emergency rooms until a specialist arrived, and she has walked into doctors’ offices unannounced, convincing them to see her ailing husband right away.

Newman brings no special qualifications to her self-styled job of patient advocate. She’s just a regular person who, fuelled by love for her husband and anger over the care he wasn’t receiving, overcame her reluctance to speak up. Newman insists that anyone can do the same. “Pick up the phone, again and again if you have to,” she advises. “Be respectful, but be insistent, too.” In other words, don’t take no as your final answer.

Like Newman, Fraser Institute Executive Director Michael Walker finds that “the squeaky wheel does get the grease.” You might ask your doctor, for example, if he or she can communicate with hospital personnel to expedite your care. In a recent survey, says Walker, some hospital CEOs and internists admitted to helping people jump queues.

While you’re at it, do some research. If you’re facing a long wait for diagnosis or treatment, says Dr. Cecil Rorabeck, chief surgeon at Ontario’s London Health Sciences Centre, contact your provincial Health Ministry or medical specialists to find out where the queues might be shorter. “It could be the next town or the next province,” he says. Be aware, though, that if you go out of province, you may have to pay for part or all of your treatment.

Being flexible may also shorten your wait. For instance, agreeing to a late-night appointment could get you a
diagnostic CT scan in two weeks instead of six. Similarly, ask about facilities that offer after-hours treatment, such as Canadian Radiation Oncology Services in Toronto for prostate- and breast-cancer radiotherapy.

Before you start packing your bags for the United States, find out whether jockeying for faster treatment will
actually benefit your health or con-
dition. Dr. Ivo Olivotto, a radiation oncologist at the B.C. Cancer Agency, points out that a study of about 2,000 women who had lumpectomies to remove malignant breast tumours found it was equally effective to begin radiation at any point up to 20 weeks after surgery.

To find out about your own prognosis, speak with your own doctor or seek out a timely second opinion if you can. You can then decide whether to stick out the wait for treatment at home or make a beeline for the border.

Should You Go…
Here’s what to expect: Most Canadian patients assume it’s too expensive to go to the States. While the costs may vary widely and seem hefty to Canadians accustomed to free medical care, some may be within the reach of most middle-class families. For instance, at the Erie County Medical Centre in Buffalo, N.Y., a coronary bypass costs around $26,000, about the price of a new Toyota sedan. When you consider that an Ontario study found that 141 cardiac patients in the province died between 1991 and 1995 while waiting for surgery, the fee may seem like money well spent.

One reason the American system is much faster than Canada’s is that there is greater access to facilities for diagnosis and treatment. Family physician Bill Strang, originally from Canada, now practises in Chattanooga, Tenn. Having seen the health-care situation on both sides of the border, Strang has some good things to say about the American way of doing things. “Investigation and diagnosis are done in a much timelier manner here, partly because so many doctors are willing to work long hours,” he says. The result is that many hospital departments “are able to run almost 24 hours a day.”

For their money, patients in the States get not only faster treatment but more personalized attention. To-ronto resident Eleanor Ward sustained multiple fractures in a skiing accident while on vacation in Vail, Colo. She describes the medical treatment she received at a nearby facility as “Rolls-Royce care.” At $60,000, that care did not come cheap. Ward was fortunate to have travel insurance that paid the tab, but not everyone is so lucky.

Still, there are financial options available to ease the blow of a huge medical bill. If you take out critical-illness insurance while you’re still healthy, the policy will pay out a lump sum if you are later diagnosed with a critical condition, such as a heart attack, stroke or cancer, covered by the policy. The payout is yours to do with as you wish: to recoup lost employment income, to invest or to cover private medical treatment anywhere you choose.

What if you’ve already been diagnosed with a critical illness and it’s too late to take out a critical-care policy? Check with your doctor and your provincial Ministry of Health to find out about special programs or subsidies.

For example, when waits for breast-cancer radiation treatment after a lumpectomy started to exceed 12 weeks, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care gave patients the option of travelling to U.S. facilities, on the ministry’s dime, for timelier treatment. Over 1,000 patients took up the offer between 1999 and 2001. Arranging treatment in the States on their own would have cost each of them $15,000 or more, including travel.

Another cost-saving measure is to verify how long your hospital stay would be. Some hospital fees may be higher for certain procedures—and less predictable—than the physician’s fee. For example, while the surgery required to remove a prostate tumour costs only about $1,500 at the Erie County Medical Centre, the related hospital fee will cost you almost $8,000 more. The best medical “deals” south of the border are typically those procedures involving relatively short hospital stays, such as for cataract surgery or the removal of a colon tumour.

For the health of his finances, Barry Stein might have suffered through the ever expanding waiting list for his liver surgery at home since the costs would have been covered by Quebec medi-care. He might also have died waiting. For his physical health, Stein is convinced he did the right thing by taking the fast track to treatment in the States. And, in the end, the government had to agree with him. In August 1999 Stein won a court case against the government of Quebec, resulting in his being reimbursed for most of the $250,000 he had paid out to U.S. hospitals.

Stein’s winning verdict is good news for anyone who can’t get critical-illness insurance but could benefit from treatment abroad: It means you might be able to get the government to cover health-care bills you rack up outside Canada. “The government was legally bound to pay for the procedure since the equivalent standard of care wasn’t available in Canada,” Stein explains.

“We were able to prove that it wasn’t.”

Should the provinces be funding trips to the United States for medical services you can’t get here?

Date: September 22, 2003
Name: Marty Thomas

Comments:
Yes, If you needed treatment and it can't be gotten in our country by all means send them where they can get help. When you or your loved ones lives are on the line you could care less who gets the almighty dollar for performing the work you just want it done. Grow up Canada and stop messing with people's lives.

Date: June 28, 2003
Name: Lynn Unrau

Comments:
Yes! the province should pay the funds for people
to go to the states if their not going to make it possible for people to get the treatment here!

Date: June 24, 2003
Name: Lynda Quinn

Comments:
I can not believe it would take about 4 months to get a cat scan in Sarnia. I am going over to the States where I got an appt. the next day. OHIP says they won't cover a penny. Something is so so wrong with our system.

Date: June 21, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Of course, we pay into the plan and if the required treatment is not available in Canada or the waiting list long our medical plan should cover the treatment elsewhere.

Date: June 19, 2003
Name: Carole Smythe

Comments:
If it is critical life saving surgery, they should definitely pay for a trip to the States. It is time Canadians had a choice, the option to pay for treatment if they wish. We need more private clinics.

Date: June 12, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
My reply is both YES and No

YES - because in some cases it is life saving and we are in need of good medical skills we can not get in Canada

NO - because in doing so we are letting our own doctors away with murder because they lack the skills to do the same kind of a job/jobs done in the US because our laws or goverment won't pass different med's or the knowhow sorry guys a family relation goes to the US for treatment
Karole

Date: May 15, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
No. Rather than spending money to send people to the U.S. the government should use it to improve health care at home. Use the money to train more doctors, nurses and other health care workers.
We should have universal health care provided by the Federal Government and health care in all provinces would be the same.

Date: May 13, 2003
Name: Linda Ames

Comments:
I think that if the provinces aren't going to provide the medical services that people require, in order to get cured or get better, when they have something wrong with them, then the provinces should fund the trips to the United States, so that people can get the medical services they require in order to get cured or get better. If the provincial governments don't want people going to the United States for these various types of medical services then they should provide the medical services that people need to get cured or better, instead of spending money on things that are not needed.

Date: May 13, 2003
Name: Kathy Coatham

Comments:
Absolutely...if the treatment is excessively delayed or unavailable here, we should not be denied access. My generation has never known anything but tax funded health care, and for many of us, the knowledge that our system is not able to deliver on its promises comes too late for us to qualify for private insurance. This is the worst kind of betrayal. I have a rare condition that could be treated successfully in the US, (others have been), but I have been unable to find my way thru all the red tape. We only have 1/10th their population so it only stands to reason that there will always be Dr's there whose' areas of expertise are rarely even seen here. Occasionally we get patients here from the US because we happen to have a specific doctor or team that specializes in a very specific area. We accept that and even take pride in it! These are peoples' lives we're talking about here, whether it's a fatal condition or simply robbing them of a reasonable quality of life. The gov't wastes enormous amounts of money in ridiculous ways. I struggle that we even have to debate this.

Date: May 12, 2003
Name: S. Essig

Comments:
Yes untill our leaders smarten up and realize that they are killing their voters with long waiting lists, while sending our hard earned tax dallars to the U.S. for those willing and able to go for treatments, which would be cheaper and less stressfull to provide in our own comunities.

Date: May 09, 2003
Name: Chris E

Comments:
I have to say I am a little surprised (and impressed) that this magazine published such an un-politically correct article. I have wondered often why it is that it is "ok" to rant endlessly to and about any smoker one comes in contact with(smell, their habits, etc), yet to recognize offence being near a co-worker(or anyone nearby) who stinks of perfume, or has a personal hygeine lack is considered so bad.

I saw a person, not long ago who in waiting for an elevator loudly protested (waving her hand about) about the disgusting cigarette smell - the smell was very minor, now if this had been an unwashed person smell, I have no doubt she would have said nothing - bottom line - it is politically correct to slam smokers.

It has gone too far and appears to be more of an opportunity for those who want a righteous voice to speak out than a sensible message to our youngsters not to adopt the habit.

Date: April 30, 2003
Name: Pat Manahan

Comments:
Before funding travel to the U.S., our government should be making the funding to travel within Canada reflect reality. At the moment, people in northern regions do not have proper facilities under the Northern Travel Grant to travel to larger areas like Toronto for treatments. Going out of province is even more problematical. We need better care made available here. More doctors and other medical staffs for more timely treatment, more up-to-date equipment, better diagnosis techniques and fully covered travel for treatments not available in the home towns. Then coverage should be made available for necessary travel elsewhere.

If the government starts paying for travel out of the country, our country's medical services will suffer even more. It still won't make U.S. services much more accessible to the majority of people. We need Canada's health system to be available for all Canadians, especially the poor and those living in remote areas.

Date: April 21, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I am coming around to thinking it's a good idea.

That way Canada can have the best of both worlds. The option to keep socialized medicine - plus the added value of the choice to get urgent or unavailable treatment, in the States.

Paying for patients to get treatmnt in the States is probably cheaper than opening new, fully-staffed hospitals in Canada.

Do we even have enough nurses in Canada?

Date: April 20, 2003
Name: Vic Bailey

Comments:
YES!! Politicians already do this.

Date: April 20, 2003
Name: Marion Pearson

Comments:
Yes I think the Government should be covering the cost because we were all forced to join this Government controlled health care. I had perfectly good private coverage for the same premium as the public system but was forced to switch.

Date: April 20, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
My husband had a heart attack in Fl. was admitted to East Pasco Hospital in Zephryhills Feb.21st/03
in 4 days he had all the necessary tests but one which was to be done the 5th day,our Blue Cross Travel Plan would not authorize this test, they ordered him to fly home, they sent a Dr. from Montreal to Tampa,Fl. to accompany him home, we are still waiting for the reading of one test, it is now April 21/03,the ironic part is if surgery is needed it is not done in Moncton, but he will have to go to St. John, N.B. and that could be a wait of up to 8 months.
Our Medical System is so badly in need of a complete restructing it is scary.
We have waited 2 months since our return to Canada
for the tests and readings which were completed in Florida in 4 days.
GO FIGURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Date: April 18, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Yes I think the Government should be funding the
critical patients who cannot get assistance here in Canada & have to go to the United States. Better still I think our government should be getting on the band wagon to get MORE Drs. & boost more $ for health.I just had a friend that travelled to Rochester for care he cudnt get here for 6 mo. & the Specialist was from a town in Northwestern On, TOWN not CITY.Why wud you think he wud go there, as the work load here is just too
much & do NOT have proper equipment to work with in Canada.

Date: April 16, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I do not agree with this for non-urgent issues, but I do believe that they provinces should fund people who have to go elsewhere for urgent treatment that they cannot get here in Canada.

We've allowed our health care system to slip to the point where waiting in line for urgent procedures in pretty common.

Date: April 14, 2003
Name: Jillian

Comments:
I cannot imagine knowing that I (or one of my loved ones) was dying of an illness that might have been avoided had our medical system not been overworked. We live very close to the US border and know of many individuals who have gone to the states to receive medical care that was either not available in Manitoba at all or had a very long waiting list. It is inexcusable that our government does notmake this a priority. They seem to have money for other things in this country, but what could be more important than health care?? I would not hesitate to drain all of my savings to save my life or that of a loved one. If more people (who could afford to) did this than the waiting lists in Canada woould be shorter for those people who cannot afford to go elsewhaere for medical services. It is awful to think that people die in this great country of ours because they do not have the funds to receive the care they need.

Date: April 13, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Yes, they should. I have a brain tumor that is not treatable here in Canada. If I had been allowed to go the U.S. for a clinical trial about 5 years ago, it might be gone but my oncologist did not allow me to go so I could not as it would not be covered by OHIP. Many middle- class Canadians cannot afford the cost of a new Toyota- I know I can't. I would have appreciated some help here. But I also feel we should not go without physician approval as they are the ones who know what treatment is avaiable where. I don't believe we should be allowed to go off on our own without referral.

Date: April 09, 2003
Name: Sandra Collie

Comments:
Yes. I think the Government should pay for medical services that you cannot get in Canada on a timely basis but can receive them elsewhere, albeit the United States or any other country.
They should only pay for the medical procedure, the hospital stay and any drugs or re-habilitation afterwards. Your accomodation before and after your stay in the hospital, your transportation to and from this medical help and your meals should be covered by the patient.

I also feel that you should be able to go to any Province in Canada, receive medical care and not have to pay up front for any costs. Provinces should be billing each other without the taxpaying patient getting involved. I also feel that Health Care should come under the Federal Governments Jurisdiction and than it would be a Universal Health Care System.

Date: April 09, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I suffered a severe shoulder separation while on vacation last August. The emergency room was so busy the doctor didn't even ask me to remove my shirt.(I couldn't anyway.)I was told I may have torn a ligament and was sold a clavicle splint and given a prescrition for a pain killer. It then took two weeks to get in to see my doctor who sent me for X-rays and said the same as the first doctor and said I needed to go to physiotherapy. After six weeks I still had not heard from physio, contacted my doctor and was then told I should make my own appointment with physio. Three weeks later I got to see the physiotherapist who immediately knew that something was very wrong and asked me to remove my shirt. She contacted my doctor, who then contacted a surgeon. I got in to see the surgeon in December and he ordered more X-rays, an ultra sound and an MRI. He re-attached three muscles in my shoulder in mid-January.
We do not need to the U.S. We need to get the right diagnosis the first time.

Date: April 06, 2003
Name: Therese Siemers

Comments:
Yes. Klein has cut health care back so far in Alberta, that waiting lists are horrific. We watched our neighbour die 1 1/2 years ago while waiting to get in for cancer tests. Staffing has been cut back so far that you don't dare leave a loved one in a hospital without staying there yourself just to see that they are properly cared for - especially a child or someone who is very incapacitated.

Date: April 06, 2003
Name: NELSON F. CARIASO

Comments:
Instead of the government thinking if it should or should not fund medical trips to the United States, I think it is more convenient & practical just to use these funds to IMPROVE a great deal the kind of medical services they give to the people. In this way, not only a number of people will be benefited, but every patient who needs the same treatment. If we lack medical people, or medical facilities, then determine the root cause and develop applicable solutions without sacrificing the quality of services accorded to every patient. These should where the funding goes, not to individual cases who still need to go out of the country. We might all agree, that medical attention should be within everybody's reach without sacrificing some precious time to be going far places just for quality medical treatment when we can make it happen just within our place.

Date: April 04, 2003
Name: Sharon Barnden

Comments:
We have been promised medical coverage in this country. We have paid into the plans for this purpose. Therefore all critical medical services should be paid for by the government plans, whether they are available here or if we have to go outside the country to get them.

Date: April 03, 2003
Name: Diane Gagnon

Comments:
Where will the money come from to pay for these trips to the USA if we are presently waiting for the services now?

Date: April 02, 2003
Name: Judy Campbell

Comments:
For years I sat on small hospital boards and then a Regional Health Authority, I know the extent of how far funding can go in todays world of high technology. People have higher and higher expectations and there just isn't funding nor staff to meet all the demands. It truly is up to us to look after our needs the best way we can, lst through our existing system and if timely care cannot be found, seek it where ever you can. I feel that our country as a whole is not meeting the critical time frames for medical intervention in cancer treatment and that is sad. If care is not available in a reasonable time frame, I too feel they should have to pay for the piper if we are forced to seek care in the States. I feel privileged to live in Alberta where health care is a prime concern of our government caucus.

Date: April 01, 2003
Name: Roxi Lee Smith

Comments:
No,no,no.The Canadian Government should get their heads out of the sand and take a look around at the sorry state of affairs that their so called 'leadership' has created for Canada.We should not have to go down to the States for treatments that can just as easily be created up here.The sad fact is that our Government does not give a damn about us.We are simply a means to help them line their pockets with our hard earned money.For the average and lower income Canadian family,the Government has made it impossible for us to get ahead.It is just one tax after another.For years now the Government as slowly been creeping it's way toward a two tier health care system.They spend millions of our tax dollars trying to convince us that this is a good thing.Of course they are partly right,it is a good thing,for them.The only thing that we will get out of it is, the bottom-of-the-barrel doctors and equipment that the big private facilities have already turned down.The sad fact is, that we as Canadians just continue to allow our Government to do whatever they like.WE ELECTED THESE PEOPLE AND THEY WORK FOR US.If you want to effect a change then you have to be willing to get off your butt and do something about it.I have written ,emailed and faxed the Federal,Provincial and local Government to state my concerns and fears,but I am only one voice..If all Canadians over the age of 18,took a few minutes to let the Government know how we feel,then just maybe we could affect some sort of change in this Country.But remember,if you chose to do nothing,then you do not have the right to complain about it.
Have a nice day!!!

Date: March 30, 2003
Name: Robert A FArrington

Comments:
The government should not be funding trips to any country for medical services that should be provided in this country. The government should be acting quickly toclean up the rapidly detiorating state of our medical care.
Imagine the good that could have been done with the One Billion dollars that has been spent to date on the Gun Registry system.

Date: March 27, 2003
Name: Bob O\'Connor

Comments:
The answer to you question is a resounding YES! The federal, provincial and territorial governments should automatically be obliged to pay for health care services when such specific care is unavailable in Canada. Unavailable should also be interpreted as referring to inordinately long waiting time for a medical procedure to be performed or to life saving treatment or to surgical procedures proven effective but unavailable in Canada. In short, since the aforementioned levels of government have claimed responsibility for this specific jurisdiction, they should be prepared to carry out their self imposed obligation in full.

However, the issure of health care in Canada is directly entwined with all levels of goverance including federal, provincial and municipal. Regardless of governmental pronouncements, health care is not a major national priority. The survival of individual politicians and the political party(s) whom they represent is the major priority in Canadain politics. This simple fundamental fact guides the provision of all governmental services in Canada including health care, an aging population notwithstanding.

Until there is a major change in the philosophy of goverance and economics away from the atrophied socialistic model currently extant in Canada, then we may expect our health care system to remain without the thousands of health care workers and hundreds of well-equipped facilities our country and people so desperately need. Regardless of the Romanow Report and the supposed millions of new/old dollars it proposes to throw at the problem.

Date: March 27, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
My husband was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma at 39. He was 5'11" tall and a successful business man. He is now 5'1" and coping with the ongoing twists and turns that this form of cancer throws his way.
Recently we learned that the historical Thalidomide that caused so much deformity in newborns back in the 60's and 70's now has the Potential to assist MM sufferers. Oh, but there's a catch - come up with at least $1,000+ for 'a' treatment because it's not covered in Canada.
Of course we all value life,
(despite the inferrence made in your article) but after more than a decade of dealing with this painful form of cancer, unemployment, one income and two children who struggled their way through university, money IS a significant part of the equation for many Canadians. The two-tiered system is already alive and well in this country and if going south is our only answer, God help us all.
P.S. When Thalidomide was handed out to expectant moms I don't think it was worth $1,000+, funny how the price went up.

Date: March 26, 2003
Name: Frances Knight

Comments:
Canadians should beware of thinking that medical care standards are higher in the US. We spend winters in Florida and have occasion to speak with many older Americans. These conversations, as well as the reports of malpractice incidents in the newspapers and on TV have convinced me that Canada is a much safer place to seek medical care, as well as being less expensive.
In the case of a lifesaving procedure not available after a waiting period at home, perhaps it would be worth the risk. In general, I don't believe that waiting times are excessive. This has never been my personal experience of the Canada health care system, nor of any friends or family members. Perhaps it's time we realized that those of us who have jeopardized our health over the course of many years through bad habits and lack of concern are just going to have to bite the bullet and wait our time.

Date: March 25, 2003
Name: Darlene Corey

Comments:
The Provinces certainly should pay for any care that patients must acquire in the US - it is absolutely unthinkable that innocent people and children are dying because of lack of service. I submit, however, that services are not being used to their full extent as I have many times seen depts. in Moncton hosp. empty - i.e. x-ray dept, mamogram dept., and yet some of us have to go to another facility to get a mammogram. They are NOT USING the facilities in order to save money !

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: Louise

Comments:
Weight loss surgery! the waiting list is 3-4 years and the waiting time is increasing. Suggestion for this life-saving procedure: go south after one year waiting at health care expenses. After all, us obese people pay taxes and in the long run, our health care system will save money and gain and will free the line up as all co-morbidities associated to obesity will disappear most the time as soon as one month after having had surgery. Both, the obese person and the health care are winners.

Thank you
Louise Loyer

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I don't think the goverment should be funding the trip to us for people to get treatment. Canada has the highest educated people ratio amounts its own people, and yet we don't have enough medical professionals to get the job done. Why? We have to start to think about why the US system works and ours is failing. Because it is free, so a lot of people abuse it, I am a health care profession myself, so I have seen it. I think the goverment should start letting the public and private system exites the sametime, and give health care professionals more incentive to stay in Canada to work rather for them to move south as a lot of them do.

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: Diane

Comments:
If our family practitioner &/or medical specialist determines that we require surgery (or special treatments) and if it takes longer than 3 months to receive life saving surgery/treatments or 12 months to receive life enhancing surgery/treatments in Canada, than our Provincial Healthcare System should be required to re-imburse us once the surgery/treatment has been performed in the United States or in any other acceptable country where this surgery/treatment can be readily performed!

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: Sick of this whining!

Comments:
Would you people like some cheese with your whine?

If a surgery is both necessary AND not available AT ALL in Canada, then I believe the government pays.

If a surgery is available here, but the waiting list is long, then you can either wait, or you may CHOOSE to go to the US and spend your own money to get it quicker.

And don't complain that only the 'rich' can do this. I am far from rich, but I know that I will have this option, due to the critical illness insurance I have. Instead having car payments for a new car, I chose to drive a 8yr old Chevy, in order to have adequate insurance.

What is this critical illness insurance? I will get a TAX-FREE LUMP SUM OF CASH if I become diagnosed with a critical illness. Then I can CHOOSE to go down to the US or take time off work, or whatever. This is by far, the most affordable alternative for anyone.

Don't penalize me by increasing my taxes to pay for the schmucks that CHOOSE to purchase a new SUV instead of getting their financial house in order.

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: julie crowe

Comments:
I believe that the provinces should fund trips to the United States for medical treatment, emergency and elective. I work in the health care field and I am getting sick and tired of hearing that the problem is a shortage in nurses, doctors and OR times. If the government put more emphasism into its health care then us nurses and doctors maybe more willing to continue in the field of our choice or perhaps the governments might be able to recruit and retain new medical professionals and keep them here in Canada. Movie stars and athletes are paid for more then they are worth. All we are asking for is to be paid what we are worth.
By the way I am patiently waiting to have surgery and I am looking at 2-3 year wait.

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: A.G.

Comments:
In situations where the required healthcare is not avaiable in Canada, unknown in Canada or cannot be accessed in a timely manner, the provinces should provide some level of assistance to send patients to private facilities in the United States.

My wife was diagnosed last May with metastitic renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer). Treatment for this disease required surgery, not available in Canada, but which was available in Houston, Texas at the Texas Medical Center. The lack of surgery options in Canada also meant that follow-up drug treatments were not available either, but were available in Houston.

Due to the terminal nature of my wife's illness, and the fact that Houston doctors were offering hope for a longer and better life, whereas the Canadians were not, we opted to go to Houston for kidney surgery and cancer treatment. We would pay the medical and related costs as best we could from our own resources with assistance from family and friends.

As parents, family members and responsible Canadian citizens, we felt that no other choice could be made. Saskatchewan Health has refused to pay any of the American surgery or cancer treatment costs to date.

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: Bill Morrison

Comments:
I strongly feel that the provinces should be funding medical services for Canadians when the waiting time for specialists exceed two months.
I have active Crohns disease and have to wait over a year to get into the nearest specialist four hours away in Winnipeg Manitoba. I've waited months to see a surgeon in Winnipeg and had to have bowel resection surgery here in Fort Frances, as surgeries were being cancelled in Winnipeg. I had an excellent surgeon here, but without a pathologist not enough intestine was taken out. If I could have had surgery sooner in a large center I probably wouldn't be dealing with all the problems I have right now.
Because of our poor health care system I am losing money for each week that I am unable to work at my job, just because I can't get into a specialist in a timely manner. That is unacceptable and when I heard Kenora MP and Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault brag about our health care system last week, I actually choked on the food I was eating at the time.
Something has to be done.

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I am a Canadian nurse that works in the United States by choice. Although each system has it's good points and bad points, I do think that Gabrellle's statement that you receive personalized attention in the United States is not a true statement nation wide. The people that I care for and come in contact with each and everyday here in Florida, would not agree with that statement. If you have connections within the health care facility then you do get personal attention if you use those connecton, but if not then you do not get that personalized attention. So I don't think it is fair to make a blanket statement like that and there for give readers an incorrect pictureof health care nation wide within the United States.

Date: March 24, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
When the children or wife of a Premier or Minister
require emergency treatment. Do they have to wait that long? They get access right away! Why should we be treated as a second class citizen of this great country Canada!

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Angelo

Comments:
It never ceases to amaze me that in a typical conversation with someone, you can hear them say that we need the government to provide us with better health care, and then complain that our taxes are so high. We get the basic service that we pay for, in fact, the service we receive is a deal compared the amount of tax money the public is willing to spend. What ever happened to people taking some responsibility for their own lives? This article only briefly mentioned Critical Illness insurance - a cheap alternative instead of having to re-mortgage your house, or waiting many months for coronary bypass surgery. Why don't more people get this? Are they too afraid to talk about the 'what-ifs'? The problem is not that the government does not pay for 'Rolls Royce' service, the problem is that people refuse to have a plan in place if something goes wrong. Wake up people, and take responsibility for yourselves.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Yes, the provinces should be funding trips to the States for the health care we cannot get here in time to save lives........our system in BC has been destroyed by the Campbell covernment.....I am sure Mr.Campbell and his family do not wait in lines for any care. I thought God created us all egual.........not in BC .

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Mike Heidt

Comments:
Of cousre it should. Communism doesn't work and that was proved in Russia. If we can't get the services in Canada that we pay so dearly for the government should pay for it wherever it is avaliable. No matter what the cost is. If they want complete control of our lives there should be no reason why they won't pay for it

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
The Federal government and the Provincial governments should be investing more money into the medical system in Canada and then there wouldn't be the need to send people south of the border where health care is primarily done for profit.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I'm,at present, a healthy 64 year old. If I should be diagnosed with, for example, prostate cancer, I wouldn't hesitiate to seek help in the states...probably in Seattle. I would find the money, even mortgage my house if I had to line up for an operation in Canada. Some medical conditions have to be treated right away...not weeks or months in the future.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name:

Comments:
In this age of data collection and fast access thro computers it should be easy to determine a medical concensus on max wait times for treatment/tests before a situation will deteriorate. While not everyone will fit the general pattern of the data it should be possible to say that once a patient has suffered thro the predicted wait time, the Govt should pay for US treatment/tests if these are not available locally

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Brian Jasperson

Comments:
In April 2002 I suffered a herniated lumbar disc. I was referred for an MRI. If I was to have the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan to pay for it, the wait would be 4 months. Since I paid myself I had the MRI in two weeks. I was then referred to 4 neurosurgeons in Alberta. I have yet to hear anything from any of them and they don't return my phone calls. My savings were being depleted by the wait and in November I found a hospital in Billings Montana that was ready to take me in with less than 1 week of wait time. I had the surgery and was very happy with the care I received at the Deaconess Billings Hospital. I was forced to look outside of Canada because I was missing out on $10000.00/month of income. Cost of surgery - $9800.00 US dollars(Close to $17000.00 Can). Of this amount, the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan was willing to pay $1700.00. Obviously, we don't have enough health care professionals because our mismanaged socialist system doesn't pay them enough. We need to get rid of the Canada Health Act, all of the appointed directors that go along with it and introduce measures that will make it attractive for health professionals to come back to Canada. Pumping money into a flawed system (ala the Romanow Report) will simply cause more inefficiency and result in more administration.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Sue Rankin

Comments:
I do beleive that provices should provide funding for care that you can not receive here in Canada. My mother-in-law was in Florida and was having chest pains. She was taken to the hospital and was amazed by the treatment she received. She was diagnosed of having a kidney infection; but was kept in for further tests. She had had a heart attack a couple of years ago so they wanted to be sure. She said that the rooms were better than most hotels and the staff was great. Luckily she had out of provice coverage. I am happy they took such good care of her.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Congatulations to Barry Stein.

Canadian medical system really needs an urgent review. Those who are in the medical field itself must present to the government the worsening situation of the medical system... If we cannot really get that medical help here and we are already in that stage of urgently needing medical help and despite all our efforts... and it is readily available in the United States, where the doctors spend more time studying the cases of their patients to improve the patients conditions and to save more lives, why wait for the Canadian doctors for eternity... The queues are getting longer and more people are waiting, must we wait forever...until it's to late?

Going to a family doctor is equivalent to going to a corner store. The expected medical attention needed is not met. On October 2002 to January 2003, I had a recurring infection and the family doctor was always giving me an anitbiotic after a few minutes of just saying, uh. He doesn't even seem t be listening and writing down in my chart the symptoms I was telling him. Ultimately I was rushed by my husband to the emergency where I got the proper medication. But to date, I have not been seen by a specialist despite my persistent call to the family doctor. I was told that over here in Canada, one has to be in critical condition first before a family doctor would listen to the patient and for a specialist to look at the patient, and that is not even a guarantee.

It is therefore necessary for the Canadian government to improve the health care system and provide incentives for its citizens to be encouraged to enter the medical field. I believe that it is also important that foreign medical practioners be allowed to practice here to alleviate the situation. Yes, they are far better than what we have here in Canada (it is a shame!) At present, family doctors, including specialists, I heard "are collecting from the government without really taking care of the medical conditions of the patients...patients are trated like customers in a corner store..."

If I would be in the same situation as Barry Stein, I will seek medical help south of the border...

P.S. do not display my name. Thank you.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Definitely YES. The government has destroyed our health care system in Canada. We pay a lot for medicare services which we do not receive and our waiting time is too long.
If they cannot provide the services required within a reasonable time, then they should pay for the services if it can be received without delay. People should not die because of a shortage of doctors and nurses. The government is to be blamed for this tragedy.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I view our system as a big funnel that has a distinct purpose of slowing procedures which in turn reduces the number of claims on the system. In Burlington we have an MRI machine that only runs one 8 hour shift and has a huge backup. The cost of running it for 3 - 8 hour shifts would be minimal as compared to dealing with the results of the MRI scans. The real question is whether the government will or can put more money into healthcare.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: B. Salter

Comments:
While we'd like to think that the weight of our medical service bills from the United States should fall on the shoulders of the respective province we live in, this wishful hope is totally unrealistic. Canada should not have to dish out money to its citizens who choose to seek healthcare out of country. If our provinces could afford to do that, they could certainly afford to hire more healthcare professionals. The sad truth is, heathcare isn't as important to politicians as they claim it to be and if you don't want to "wait in line" then you have to pay to "butt".

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
My mother age 78 was diagnosed with lung cancer in Dec.2002, at this point we still do not know if it is operable or not, and I believe that the possibility of losing her before anything can be done, will fall directly on the Gary Doer, I believe that we should be sent to the states for any operation or help that Manitoba is unable to give us in a timly fashion.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Too bad the article did nothing but sing the praises of the USA's health care system. It is excellent, but only if you have the money, or health insurance, to pay for it. When I lived and worked in the US, my insurance premiums were US$1000.00 per year, with a $250.00 deductible. The very poor have access to Medicare, but the lower middle class do not. Families' entire savings are routinely wiped out by one member's catastrophic illness. Women postpone pregnancy until they have the $3000.00 or so at hand for the cost of a hospital delivery, because their insurance doesn't cover childbirth (it isn't an illness). Treatment of cancer and heart disease is very expensive and complex, so those very unfortunate Canadian individuals so affected probably are better off going to the USA for treatment, if they are fortunate enough to have the cash to do it. By the way, my cousin was successfully treated for leukemia here in Canada. Her medical care was delivered to her promptly and expertly. Ditto for my father, who became seriously ill last year, and is now recovering. Going south of the border for treatment would have caused serious financial problems for either of their families. Canada's health care system isn't perfect, but it is accessible for the vast majority of patients, rich and poor. This is not the case in the States, where millions do not receive even basic care, because they cannot pay for it. I don't have a problem with the provinces paying for part of the cost of a treatment in the US, but I don't think they should be on the hook for medical care costs that are sky high because of the profit-driven system there. Maybe there should be a world wide resolution that health care should be not for profit. What a concept! Any profit would be put back into the system to hire more doctor's, pay for equipment, subsidize poor patients' care, instead of going to the shareholders of the HMO's.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Justin Feeney

Comments:
Apart from the war, this topic is and will remain to be a heated conflict in this country until either (a) The health care system improves (b) Private sectors become available. The question at hand is, "Should the provinces be funding trips to the United States for medical services you can’t get here?" The answer to this question is "NO!" This question is more ridiculous than private health care.

The entire purpose of going to the United States for medical treatment is to expedite care or try out new technology not yet introduced to the Canadian health care system. Why in the world should our tax dollars go towards reimbursing impatience? If we ever started such system, our health care system would rot even quicker.

Canada and its provinces must restructure the health care system, whereas our tax dollars are used efficiently and additional funding (i.e. the 10 billion dollars) would truly make a difference. This is the obvious and most effective path to take.

If provinces venture into paying for out-of-country treatment, it will be the end of what is one of Canada's most regarded programs; as all the reimbursement money could go towards new equipment and staff.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
OF COURSE THEY SHOULD, ESPECIALLY IF IT CAN SAVE LIVES!!!

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Robert A. Matalis

Comments:
The concentration should be to ensure that the very best possible treatments are available in Canada in a responsive manner. However, if this can not be implemented and better or faster treatment is available in another country then I believe that the government should fund a person who avails of this treatment . To qualify my statement I believe that the criteria for government funding assistance should be based on the illness being life threatening

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Jeremy L

Comments:
Should the provinces be funding trips to the United States for medical services you can't get here? What kind of question is that. The provincial governments should be giving up money for the formation of these services within our provinces. Why goto the United States, and spend money there, when we could use that money to advance our medical technologies here in Canada? With an increased potential to take care of our patients, all Canadians will receive the proper care they are entitled too.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I am currently attending school in the Unitied States for radiological technology and will graduate June 2004. Though I am Canadian, I would love to come back to my hometown in Vancouver, but I know I will make more money working in the United States. I have planned to start off as a traveling tech which is an incredible amount of money i will be making.
During clinical rotations anyone can come to a clinic or ER or imaging center that same day and get a CT, MRI, Nuclear Med. scan, X-ray... It is sad that we Canadians have to come to the US to get this kind of treatment. I do realize that there is a decrease in people who are certified to do these procedures therefore making it very difficult for patients to get the treatment that they need. As for me, i would like to be financially stable and if that is working in the United States to do so then that is what i have to do. Of course, i am in this field to help people but in all reality it is the "dead presidents" that will help me chose to where i want to go!
In all, the answer to the question, i do think the provinces should fund trips to the US if i doubt it is a life or death situation.
But my goal in five years is to come back to Vancouver and open up a private MRI Clinic, 24 hours.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Yes, I think the provinces should be responsible for providing the best treatment for critically ill patients in a timely fashion even if that means sending the patients to the United States.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Vito DiBlasi

Comments:
I think the government should be subsidizing terminally ill patients who need medical attention in the States. However, I feel the real issue here is to take care of our own medical system, instead of paying out money for the patients who had to go elsewhere. Why is it that doctors here in Canada can't provide the same services? Shouldn't the government be doing more to help young people becoming medical practitioners to raise the level of care here? You become a Doctor to help the sick and dying no matter what the costs - even if that means having to pull a 24 hour shift. It's time to smarten up and give Canadians the level of care we deserve, and give a damn about our envied health care system.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Senga Lapointe

Comments:
The Government should fund trips to the States until we get our own health care system back on track. It is ridiculous that we pay so much in taxes and get so little in return. We need to build more hospitals and pay staff what they are worth, rather than losing them to the States. The breaking point is coming as Baby Boomers become geriatric patients. There should be more incentives to get people into the health care fields. Tuition breaks and streamlined classes would be a good start. We had a great health cares system until the governments of late started cutting funding from the bottom up, instead of the top down. Let's keep all our citizens healthy. It doesn't help Canada's overall image to see statistics of people dying on waiting lists, rather than living from prompt health care.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: M. Keddy

Comments:
I really do not understand why a person in Canada is not covered for medical attention anywhere in Canada.

Health care should be available to any Canadian, anywhere in Canada. It is unbelievable that we must purchase extra travel insurance etc. to travel in our own country.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Reyna Zhang

Comments:
When a person is facing a critical illness that requires immediate medical attention, then I believe that the provinces should take care of the medical costs for that person to seek medical treatment in another country...that is if the medical treatment in Canada would require the person to be on a wait-list, or the medical treatment would not be available in Canada. After all folks, this is life and death we are talking about. If people are dying while waiting for treatment or surgery than the provinces have a responsibility to help these people out! Now, if the surgery is not an emergency and it is not deemed as a life and death situation such as knee surgery than I think that the person should cover the costs themselves to seek treatment elsewhere. But I think it is totally unacceptable for Canada to have people waiting for such critical surgeries and treatments. I wish the government would start taking the lack of medical staff in Canada more seriously. In B.C., I think the government should be making tuition fees available to everyone, and they should be setting up campaigns to recruit young people into these positions. There are so many baby boomers in the health care industry about to retire, that we are going to be very short on medical personnel in the future. Our government should be trying to get as many people as they can into colleges and universities so we have people entering these critical job sectors.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name:

Comments:
Yes, I definitely feel that the provinces should be funding for medical treatment in the USA that is not available in Canada, especially in serious situations.

Having one's condition worsen during a long wait for treatment in Canada, or worse, dying while waiting, is inexcusable.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Mark L:ake

Comments:
Socialism doesn't work. History has proven it over and over again. Intially it seems to succeed but always breaks down because it is contrary to human nature. We have a socialist system that isn't working. I'm not the least bit surprised. After all I have history on my side.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: kandeep

Comments:

Canada it self has free health care while the States don't. There are three dissimilar things, which influence the fact that Canadians have to wait in a long-term list to get their medical needs.

1) Doctors and nurses desire to go to States
2) Canada's free Health care system
3) Gratis mean great to the public

First of all Doctors and nurses prefer to go to the States because they know that they possibly will make a lot of money with their occupation. Not only that but also the fact US weather suits for them and as matter of fact a lot of people wouldn’t stay in Canada if it's not for the money they make and if it's not the education they obtain! The truth is that a lot of Canadians aren't devoted to Canada nor like to live here.

Second of all just like welfare Canada has free health care system. Although this assist individuals in a lot of ways. This makes Canadian Government to contribute a lot of money into this system. Thus make it very hard to improve facilities nor to advance the payment for nurses and doctors, which create a big concern where nurses and doctors get lured to the states! If Canada can somehow keep or find a way to prevent these specialists and nurses going to the states it will help the progress for the patients who necessitate such special treatments and will diminish the waiting list for such treatments! As far as I know no one is trying but informing that they will.

Gratis (free) mean public feel great! Yet this increases the list for seeing specialists. The fact is that in the states it cost a lot of money and there are lot of doctors while here in Canada health care is free and also we have less specialists than there in the states. Hence increase the people on the list and also place people on a long-term wait.

Canada should do something about it and all individuals should too! Until then we will continue to have such issue which mean a lot of middle class families and those who don't have enough money to even afford their daily living will have to face a deprived cause on getting treatments!

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Nikolaos P. Kokkas

Comments:
Yes... our federal and provincial government should be legally obligated to pay for the healthcare of our citizens, if Canadians are given no choice but to travel to the United States for treatment. It is not an excuse for the politicians, or the private citizen to answer that our system is simply too slow, underbudget, or understaff to provide adequate medical attention.

Remember, Canadians pay for healthcare through taxes, or even in premiums to some provincial governments. That means that the government has our money... that means that the funds are allocated anyway to pay for the treatment... whether the treatment is immediate or in a couple of years due to a waiting list. The overall cost to the government for the treatment is still relatively the same, whether through public or private institution, or whether it be in a Canadian or in an American institution. Perhaps, the cost of $26,000.00 USD for a cardiac bypass operation in the United States might still be a cost of $32,000.00 in tax payers money in Canada... I don'tknow... it would be interesting to research the "market". Perhaps the treatment would even cost less in the United States because of the larger American "medical" consumer market and availability of services. If it is the government's money to spend, and it will be eventually be spent for the impending treatment, it shouldn't matter in the end if a Canadian doctor or an American doctor gets the cash.

Of course, our system should be fixed to ensure that Canadian money stays in Canada. If the government was under some legal obligation, I am certain that they would find a way to better administer better services that would prevent patients from seeking American care.

Nikolaos Kokkas

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Robert Nunn

Comments:
I fully believe the provinces "at the moment" should be funding the medical procedures outside their areas.
However, is it not time for the Canadian government to wake up to the fact that more and more of these procedures are being done outside this country? Why can we not have facilities and staff to look after these very important matters right here at home?
This sending people away for the surgical and other procedures adds to the anxiety of not only the patient but the family too. The costs are not only for the patient but the family must bear costs of extra travel and accomodation. Something most of us can ill afford in todays economy.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Saskia Zeegen

Comments:
When delays are detrimental to the patient's physical and mental well-being and faster and/or better treatment is available in the U.S., the government should pay for the costs. Most patients who are in this kind of predicament already don't qualify for medical insurance to cover out-of-country expenses.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
We all pay for our health care through our many taxes. When we cannot be taken care of in a reasonable amount of time taking into account the seriousness of our medical problem it should be called "unhealthy care". No one in Canada should be put at risk because of poorly managed health care dollars and if we are then the government must pay for us to get treatment whereever and whenever it assists a patient. Please feel free to reduce my salary and those of the decision makers to save a life and you have my permission.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: gregory Y.C. lee

Comments:
Well, I find this kind of predicament totally appalling. It sounds like a sorry case of "don't repair the your own house but once it leakes go to hotel"

Government with this kind of mentality, I should say, deserves to pay all of it and more. This not out-sourcing but out-squandering
I just hope I won't have to self-test depth of the water later. God help us ,Amen

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Leigh Frohwerk

Comments:
With Canada's health care they are are trying to help it's citizens when in in poor health. Therefore in essence I think health care should cover out of country care if it is not available. We are counting on our country to help us in times of need, this should be no different. Everyone is just as important as the person ahead of them on the list.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Gisele Lamarche

Comments:
The provinces should be funding a Portion of medical services not available here, but only for those who can't afford to pay. I believe a better approach would be for the government to either fund ( or at least stop taxing!) complimentary care & supplements, as well as reducing coverage for those people who refuse to take responsibility for their own health. I worry that my childrens future will involve the vast majority of their taxes going towards taking care of the junk-food gorging -totally sedentary sloths that become (Through their poor lifestyle habits) incapable of taking care of themselves!! Why should people who work hard at being well be forced to carry those who shovel big macs and pop & processed-chemical laden food into their always open mouths????

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Regan Hart-Mitchell

Comments:
The issue is not whether provinces should fund trips to the US for medical services not readily available here. The issue is how can we improve our health care system so that services are acessible in a timely manner? The simple reality is that with an aging population, there is going to be an unprecedented need for all types of health care services. Canadians need to face that fact that our current system of "free" medical care can no longer sustain itself. I for one am willing to pay user fees or insurance premiums in order to have better access to services. I am currently on a waiting list for a necessary surgical procedure and was told I would have to wait up to a year and a half. I am tired of my tax dollars being invested into a system that is clearly not working, and - even worse - is abused by many.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Eleanor Carrara

Comments:
The Canadian medical system is shameful, especially when millions of dollars are being spent on federal and provinicial so "civil servants" who are grossly unproductive, overpaid with hefty pensions, and inefficient.
A removal of 50% of the civil servants and their salaries could be shifted into medical care and would not result in any impact on federal or provincial services.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Doug Muro

Comments:
In undertaking a national health care program and eliminating all privately run care the federal and provincial governments are obligated to provide the service. It is no excuse to say tha costs are prohibitive or trained personal are in short supply. The Canadian taxpayer has seen a huge increase in their taxes since the introduction of health care and yet the service itself is loosing ground. It is a discrace that people are relying on and dying waiting for system who they have put their trust in. As Canadians we shake our heads at the fact that in some countries people die from lack of water or food. Yet we let Canadians die for lack a cardiac bypass that can be purchased for a meager $26,000. In perspective, when compared to how government money is spent this is a token sum. Yes, the government should pay for Canadians to recieve American heath care if our own system can not provide it.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: C F Carriere

Comments:
YES YES YES
The government should be required to pay for critical health care and surgery wherever a Canadian citizen obtains it. No ones life should be jeopardized because they can't afford to wait; and the poor should not be penalized (effectively euthanized) because they can't afford the option of foreign health care.
Its time our government stopped wasting time and money on meaningless studies and proposals. Use our resources to fast track foreign trained doctors so they can practice here, offer more spaces and scholarships to students in the medical field who are willing to stay and practice here in Canada (and in underserviced areas.) Remove the ridiculous salary caps for doctors, its only harming patients because the doctors just shut down for extended vacations when they reach their caps.With more medical staff available our waits will be shorter. I could go on and on but you get the picture.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Neta Braun

Comments:
Dear Editor at Reader's Digest:

I would like to comment on Gabrielle Bauer's article on Should Canadians go south for medical care. ------- In my opinion, yes they should. And I also believe that Ontario's Ministry of Health should pay for it. One of the reasons I strongly believe this is, because I have Endometriosis and have suffered for more than 18 years. I have had 9 surgeries for this disease, and am scheduled for surgery #10 in 11 days. If I had been able to go to the world's most recognized surgeon in this field in Oregon, I believe I would have gotten a lot better a long time ago, with a lot less surgeries. This surgeon in Oregon uses a pair of electric scissors to excise the disease, where as here in Canada it's mostly being lasered. As far as I know, there is no surgeon in all of Canada who uses the electric scissors. I have probably the best and most knowledgeable surgeon in Canada, and certainly the best in Ontario, but I have to travel from Kitchener to Ottawa all the time to see him, and I'm having all my surgeries with him. The first time he operated on me, he almost lost me on the operating table due to the previous surgeon having done such a sloppy job. A friend of mine went to this surgeon in Oregon more than 10 years ago, and she's still doing fine. I've had this surgeon in Oregon go over my file to see if he could offer me help that wasn't available to me here, and I had to pay him $100.00 US just to go over my file. Then he responded and said he believed that he would be able to give me major relief from pain, but it could cost as much as $30,000.00 US. I'm on disability, I can never afford to go and have surgery with him; but if it was covered by OHIP, I would have gone years ago.

Thanks for allowing me to share my story. If you wish to put it in the Digest, please feel free to edit it to fit it in; I know it's a long story.

Yours truly,

Neta Braun

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Alan Mutch

Comments:
We are paying taxes, both Federal and Provincial, for the best treatments in the shortest time frame possible. Without a doubt any trips to a recognized treatment facility outside of this province into another province or the US should be covered. The problem may be shared between the Federal and/or Provincial goverment. AS above, since we pay both Federal and Provincial taxes any and all additional expenses including surgeries, transportation, etc should be fully covered.

To pay for these additional costs get rid of useless feel good social / immigration programs that we can not afford. Health care and education come are the first two priorities for this province!

We need immediate action now, not just finger pointing.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: lori anton

Comments:
I believe all provinces should fund trips to the u.s. for medical services. It should work on whether if it's life threatening or not. We have to remember also that medical staff of the u.s. are paid well. I feel that this could be another reason for doctors and nurses going abroad, along with the " up to date " medical equipment that the u.s. can provide.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I am a retired Ontario physician, so I know a bit about this topic.
I was in practice before Medicare as well as recently, so believe me, there is one big difference now - one that is seldom mentioned.
That is the HUGE volume of patents who clog doctors' offices and hospital outpatient departments with utterly trivial complaints. It costs them nothing and some even make these warm places convenient for social get-togethers.
The doctor is bound to waste time on them just IN CASE there might be a genuine illness. They don't dare risk a malpractice suit.
In the USA this frivolity would cost them money;
here it is all free. No wonder it's quicker to get medical care down there.
The aim and success of our Medicare is so that
genuinely sick people can get help without the worry of a financial burden. Unfortunately it is
abused to a large extent.
We MUST preserve Medicare to relieve that burden.
So what is the answer? To charge the frivolous "patients" of course! This could be done at the doctor's discression - he/she would be happy to never see them again, so no worry there! Waiting times would be drasticly reduced -even surgical waits as the surgeon is equally concerned that he MIGHT have missed a serious condition. A few early cancers might be missed if this happened, but not nearly as many as the ones that progress to incurability because of the long waiting times now.
As things stand now, "rich" people can afford quick care by going to the USA, while the less affluent have to undergo possibly fatal delays.
This is totally contradictory to the principles under which Medicare was adopted many years ago -
principles which are still valid today.
There is no need for Medicare bureaucrats to decide who is "frivolous" and who is not. Just leave it to the individual doctors and don't penalize them if they make the occasional genuine mistake. It would be cheaper for Medicare to pay the malpractice insurance of these rare instances
than to shell out millions of dollars for totally unnecassary medical and surgical care!
Pre-Medicare principles should still apply now.
We have a unique system - let's not throw it out because of a bunch of unscrupulous "patents"!

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
I have insurance which is called "First Defence" that covers USA medical services,travel,etc cost up to $350,000 (Cdn) life time for medical service which you are unable to get in a timely manner in Canada. It is up to my Doctor to say that a medical service that I require cannot be performed in Canada equal to the wait time in the USA for a person who is cover by an American Insurance plan. First Defence is through an American company that has an Canadian office. If you would like additional information, I could forward a contact name who could better explain this insurance plan.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Roy Jones

Comments:
I don't know if I have been extremely lucky but I have nothing but praise for our healthcare system. I have had a heart attack, tripple bypass and related problems and have been treated promtly and professionally.

I don't understand the reference to waiting 52 weeks for bypass surgery, I waited a few weeks. Urgent bypass cases are treated almost immediately.

If I go to emergency with a non-life treatening problem I can understand the long wait while other, more urgent, cases are treated.
Too many people use the hospital emergency facilities as a replacement for going to a Doctor or walk in clinic.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name:

Comments:
yes this is crazy. We can't provide the same care the US can. We can't even keep our medical professionals because of our gov't taxes. Everyone leaves to work in the US. We need to do something

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Mary Ann

Comments:
I have been waiting for over 2 years for a surgery that is medically necessary for me. If I went to the US for it, I would have been all finished and in much better health in less than 6 months. The cost to me would have been around 20,000 US$. I just don't have that kind of money. There is proof that the type of surgery that I need is not readily available here in Canada since it has been over a year of waiting. If it takes more than a year to get surgery here in Canada, then the government should pay for the same treatment in the US if we choose to go there.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Mark Sherman

Comments:
Absolutely! Perhaps in this way it will become more cost-efficient for our governments to provide the proper standard of care for Canadians within Canada.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: keith sherk

Comments:
Why is our federal government wasting millions of dollars on bilingualism when there are such obvious problems with our health care system?
In A recent anouncement by our prime minister,he boasted about spending millions on bilingualism,like it was so important. NOT. Canadians who are dying because of a lack of funding for health care,could care less about what language who can speak. Lets get our prioritys straight. Keith Sherk Parry Sound Ont.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Don. Paterson

Comments:
The Canadian Constition gives equal rights to ALL Canadians.
ln my opinion this includes health care, whether in Canada, or not.
Out of country health care payments should be in accordance with what would have been paid in the area where you live in Canada, with the excess being covered by private insurance.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Steve Frellick

Comments:
People dying to get medical treatment are some sort of a bad joke. If the provinces can't provide the care needed on a timely basis then what wrong with private health care? Keep the money and doctors in Canada. Could be the answer, ever see a brink’s truck going to a funeral?

Steve

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Name withheld

Comments:
Yes, the Province should fund medical treastment in the U.S. IF it is found that the time delay could jeapordize the life/health of the patient.
We have paid into and supported an Insurance program here, and after all it is an Insurance program. If the Insurance program can't provide the benefits here for us as it was designed to provide, then pay for us to have them performed elsewhere. Makes sense to us!

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Stevan Jovanovich

Comments:
Yes the Canadian government should fund trips to the US for medical services that we can't get in Canada. If our system can't afford the personnel and research to provide these procedures in a timely manner in Canada, then we should be able to take advantage of them where the expertise is available. It's simply another form of outsourcing which is often cheaper than having a government body set up the infrastructure to provide it in the first place.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: len ully

Comments:
I have been waiting for a c-scan since mid february with a scan date of april 30. I have a very severe back problem and have been tempted to go to the US. I certainly agree that if immediate care is not available here we should be able to go to the US and have our Canadian health care pick up the tab.

Date: March 23, 2003
Name: Michel Lacasse

Comments:
Yes, but it is unfortunate. For one thing it's money leaving our economy. Canada's loosing here on jobs and income. Secondly, there is no acceptable reason why these services shouldn't be available in Canada within a reasonable and safe period of time. Our country and assets have been mismanged for far too long.

Date: March 22, 2003
Name: Wilson Hare

Comments:
It would make no sense at all to pay the doctors in the U.S. to look after Canadians. The many millions that would be paid to U.S. doctors would pay to bring a lot of extra doctors and nurses to the Canadian workforce, and that is, obviously, what we need to eliminate delays. If a service is just not available in Canada at any time, then yes, the province should pay for it, but if it is available, with delays, the money should go to hiring extra medical staff to eliminate these delays. It would be much less expensive to the provinces (us!)this way. Wilson R. Hare