A quick comment on Canadian health care. My Father was taken to the hospital on Saturday night,

it was thought that he had had a heart attack, he was admitted to the CCU and within 24 hours had an angiogram, echo cardiogram, MRI, and various blood tests that continue as of this time. I have no idea what this would cost in the US but it is covered by our health care and for that I am thankful. Still waiting to see what the problem is he was in atrial fibrillation but has now converted on is own but also has lung disease. The doctors have been attentive we are just waiting results of some tests. I can't imagine having to choose whether to pay for this.

:hug:

Hekate

For Going into Atrial Fibrillation. John also told me that you need to keep the rate controlled <100/min and use drugs like cardizem to keep from going back into it. John also told me that atrial fibrillation can lead to strokes because blood gets stagnant in the atrium of the heart and small clots can form that can shoot up into the brain... If you can't get back into sinus rythym the patient needs to be on anti-coagulation to prevent the clots from forming.

Nice reporting on the Canadian system which by most accounts works just fine.:)

We don't worry about how we're going to pay for it, whether it's "covered" or not or whether our coverage will continue AFTER the hospital visit.

And we can do it all with excellent doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.

After believe me, after spending time on DU, I appreciate it more.

Hope all goes well, buzzard.

I don't think that folks in the States realize how this would dramatically change their lives.

When a loved one is sick, you should be focusing on helping them to get better. Money shouldn't enter into it.

And if you realize that one illness could bankrupt you, you lead a life of desperation and fear. It's so utterly inhumane. But hey, that's corporatism for ya! Woo hoo!!!

No, you can't, and please don't take it for granted.

I feel strange after walking out of doctors offices in Canada without going to the billing desk to give them my credit card.

The first time we went to the hospital, we thought, "No way, we will probably get a bill in the mail. This can't be true!". We were nervous, and scared (we avoided hospitals in the US like the plague, even when, in retrospect, it was unwise). No bill ever arrived.

Can you imagine that? Getting in a car and turning the key, without thinking in the back of your mind that you can lose your home if you get in an accident? Can you imagine losing that pressure on your shoulders...the whispering, lingering thought that, insurance or not, you can lose it all--even your life. Losing that...is the feeling of freedom.

I cannot imagine how much the bill would of been for the last year of care we received here. I will never mind paying taxes again (while in the states, it tore my heat apart paying them and reading about the wars it funded).

The US needs single-payer, yesterday.

:dem:

-Laelth

The aggregate bill came to about seven thousand dollars-- note that I was NOT admitted to the hospital, that's just some care and tests in the emergency room. My insurance paid all but about one thousand dollars, which I paid myself. I was lucky I had the insurance and managed to pay "my share." Lots of folks are not that fortunate.

Best wishes for your dad's speedy recovery!

gotten. Sounds good to me.

and you are blessed that you do not have to think about this in money matters.

Suffice it to say... in the States, the ambulance alone, if it was JUST a BLS rig, would have run about 3K dollars.

Now ALS... easily to the 5K if the medics did the ALS they are trained to do.

That is for the rest, not you... don't even think about it.

Hopefully dad will be coming out of the hospital soon enough to recover from this

Come on, be honest. He had to stand in line outside of the ER for 3 weeks before he got in right? Right? :sarcasm:

Sorry to hear about your father's difficulty. We've been going through similar problems with my mother.

They see her immediately every time. She's been admitted overnight several times. After her hospital stays she gets home visits by nurses and therapists several times a week for several weeks. The last time they had her schedule an ultrasound study of her neck arteries and a 24 hour heart monitor halter study with her cardiologist, both of which were scheduled and completed several days later. This was all through Medicare. No bills. No money worries. Imagine that. All of that through a government health plan. Damned socialists.

response time was my major concern he was directed to the nearest hospital for cardiac problems. So far so good I am sleep deprived at this time so sorry for incoherent responses.

My father in law was having problems, very tired, retaining water, trouble breathing. Called the Dr., it was going to take about a week to see him. My wife flew out and got him in for a MRI on a Monday, they recommended a EKG, that took until Friday. The back up the entire time was to go to the emergency room. (as advised by the Dr.) The entire process took about two weeks to get through all the Doctors and finally a new pacemaker was scheduled as outpatient. He has top of the line insurance, basically the system seems to be set up for the Doctors to schedule as many patients as possible and Emergency Room visits used even for those with great insurance.

that you are in Foothill Ranch, CA. That CA must stand for Canada, Right? Not California. Because every freeper I know tells a story of some Canadian going though the exact same scenario that you describe. :sarcasm:

Seriously, I'm glad that your father was able to recover despite our crappy system. We need single payer now!

I know it wouldn't help (because our reps are owned by heath insurance lobbyists) but i they need to hear the aggregate of experiences from people living with a public option etc.

and america needs to hear it, it needs to be out there all the time about what we're being deprived of

I do see that we have a commercial supporting the Obama plan that talks about private insurance ceo profits and dropping of people etc. but I still would love to see an ad with a lot of people from other countries showing that universal health care works!

thoughts for your father

as to cost in December 07 I went to the ER with shortness of breath and dizziness I have a history of allergies the admitting RN decided I was having a heart attack based on 2 things my BP was high and I smoke from that point on I was treated as though I was a heart attack victim even though the ecg and blood tests showed I was not having a heart attack and in fact a blood count showed I was having an allergic reaction to something I was admitted to the cardiac unit of the hospital even after these tests came back I allowed it because the MD in the ER said that if I did not allow myself to be admitted he would write up the medical report in such a way that my insurer would not cover the ER visit needless to say I was admitted and released in about 4 hours but the cost to my insurance company was $10,000 that s right for what was about 6 hours grand total, most of it was for the bed in cardiac unit of the hospital

about the health of their fellow citizens than profit for a few greedy corporations. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your father.

And doctors???:sarcasm: Hope your father is better soon.

Debunking Canadian health care myths

http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_12523427

that you didn't have to endure what we USAians do. I hope he has a smooth recovery and is back on his feet in no time. :hug:

and a K&R from another Canuck.

Sid

rhythm on his own it was the result of the antiarrhythmics that were being given( my father contends that this may have happened on its own but he likes to argue that the body heals itself and I am sure it does in some cases) My main concern has been that he also has COPD and that as well as an arrhythmia could lead to a bad outcome. We brought him home tonight and he is feeling quite well but not thrilled with the prospect of taking rat poison and an antiarrythmic for life. I on the other hand am happy that he has been given a regime to follow that will prolong his life. He has numerous appointments in the next few weeks and I am trying to compile a list of questions that will help him understand the reasons for the various medications. Did I mention he is the best father a girl could have had in so many ways. Just happy right now that he is OK and argumentative a good sign for him.

I'm happy that all you have to worry about is his welfare and recovery and not how you will pay for what would have been at least $1,000 here and most likely a lot more.

I'm in Canada too, the Mr is diabetic and has had 3 heart attacks, numerous procedures... angioplasty's, eblations, a pacemaker defibrillator installed. If we lived in the US we'd be living out of our car or on the streets. Socialized medicine... single payer whatever the label of choice is the only answer.