[goldensrbest]

W HAT DO PEOPLE DO WITH NO COVERAGE,WE HAVE IT,SO ARE LUCKY,ONE SHOT MY HUSBAND HAS TO HAVE,IS SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS, A NEW MEDICINE TO HELP HIM, IS ALSO SIX THOUSAND,A WEEK!!! He is waiting to be approved for the drug, hoping .

 

[GinnyinPA]

When you have no coverage, you hope and pray you don't get sick. You never see a doctor, if at all possible, because he/she might tell you you are sick. (I went 11 years without seeing a doctor when I was in my 20's.) If you do need medical care, you either go in debt and pay it off slowly or you try to get free care from the State. You accept the cheapest generic medicine you can get that will address your problem instead of the latest and greatest. Some doctors will negotiate fees if you pay cash. Often the charge is actually much higher if you don't have insurance, since insurance companies negotiate treatment payments. Some pharmaceutical companies have low cost offers for people who can't pay and sometimes the doctor will give free samples. And sometimes you just live with whatever is wrong until you don't.

Given that Medicare will likely be bankrupt in a few years, chances are we'll all find out what it's like to live without insurance.

 

[A1Malinois]

My basic healthcare is covered. There are things that arent covered that I lack insurance for such as some medication. I have NO insurance for eye, dental or podistrist for my foot issue. Anything regarding those I pay out of pocket. Any specialized testing that goes beyond basic is not covered. I just hope and pray I never have eye or dental issues.

I believe Canada was thinking about switching over to a system much like the states. Not sure if thats true or not it was a rumour I heard. If thats the case I will be really screwed!

 

[Sasha'sDaddy]

Ontario, Canada had what they used to call O.H.I.P. Now its called OHP. It depends how much you earn as to what you pay for the insurance. If you make close to $100K/year, you will have to pay the max. ($750) through your income tax return. If you make less, the health premium is less.
Also it depends on what company you work for regarding extended heath benefits. Some companies have great coverage, ie. dental, eye, chiropody, physiotherapy, etc., and mine even reimburses the OHP which was negotiated in a past contract.
What scares me is that the Liberals are thinking of privatizing health care and hospitals. We will have to pay thru the nose if that happens.

 

[Megora]

If you don't have insurance you either make do, or find a way to take care of things.

My youngest sister was in the ER two years ago and had to have a lot of tests, through the ER. Which considering she had no insurance came out to be about $5000.

Working with the hospital, she had a good portion of that bill dismissed and she is making monthly payments for the rest.

The important thing is she got the care she needed when she needed it.

There are clinics around that are especially for low income people who do not have insurance. A coworker's wife works at one and apparently business is booming.

 

[newport]

They had a news show on recently just about this subject. One woman was in the middle of chemo for bone cancer. She was at home in a rented hospital bed. Her insurance ran out from the job she could not go to.. they came and took away her hospital bed- stopped the nurse help that was coming to the house and all the medicine was stopped. She is just home dying now.... no one will help her. It was so sad.:no:

 

[A1Malinois]

We still have OHIP. Not sure where you read we don't. I hope they dont privatize the system because there are lots of people who will be on the Liberals bad side. What I think should be done at least is setting a cut. If you make X amount of money your on the public system and if you make more then X amount of money you can pay your own way. That is something I could like with. A study (somewhere on google) I read a while back on the survey they did 91% of Canadians prefered our system to the one in the US.

To the person who posted about how the lady is just dying in her home because they cut services for her...thats not right at all and thats part of the reason I am glad I dont live in the US anymore

 

[Megora]

A study (somewhere on google) I read a while back on the survey they did 91% of Canadians prefered our system to the one in the US.

But of course they did. A lot of that very likely is a preference for a system that you know or are used to vs drastically changing to something else that may not work. That's human nature.

I personally know plenty of Canadians who cross the border to work over here, including working in our hospital system... and while they complain about the waiting lines and poor care they get back home, they would not want it changed to something different. They just want it fixed.

I think some of that is nationalism too and a political issue as well. And probably something that shouldn't be discussed here, probably because it is a touchy topic for a lot of people.

 

[goldensrbest]

When you get a serious illness, and have no coverage, any savings you have are gone very quickly, they would put a lean on your home, and make you sell it, then what?

 

[A1Malinois]

Its human nature. I know several Americans who think us Canadians should suffer along with them and myself I feel that the US should get a system similar to ours instead of letting people die outside the hospital just because they have no coverage.

 

[mrmooseman]

i have to pay for my medication and eye and dental myself.. everything else like if i need to go to emerg. is covered. i'm not caught on this whole canadian medical thing. i'd like to have coverage but i haven't been at my job long enough to get insurance by them.

 

[goldensrbest]

its human nature. I know several americans who think us canadians should suffer along with them and myself i feel that the us should get a system similar to ours instead of letting people die outside the hospital just because they have no coverage.

i think we should also.

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

When you get a serious illness, and have no coverage, any savings you have are gone very quickly, they would put a lean on your home, and make you sell it, then what?

A very large percentage of Americans, ( I don't have the actual figure in hand) that file bankruptcy is due to Medical Bills they can't pay.

We have what I call Bare Bones medical coverage-it does not pay for Office Visits and we each have a $20,000 deductible. No dental or eye coverage.

Needless to say, we go to the Dr. only when we absoultely have to and pray nothing serious happens to either one of us.

 

[coffenut]

As someone who desperately needs to have a need replaced, has asthma, and no health insurance since my COBRA ran out, I'm screwed. Luckily I was a paramedic for 20 years so I can usually tell what is life threatening. OTH, I don't go to the doctor when I need to because .... I have no health insurance. Just getting over a bout of walking pneumonia that was horrible. We desperately need a single payer plan in this country where EVERYONE is covered and no one has to bankrupt paying hospital bills.

 

[Wyatt's mommy]

Its human nature. I know several Americans who think us Canadians should suffer along with them and myself I feel that the US should get a system similar to ours instead of letting people die outside the hospital just because they have no coverage.

I am not sure what part of America does this......certainly not where I live.....if you don't have insurance here you are transferred to the county hospital....

 

[Megora]

Its human nature. I know several Americans who think us Canadians should suffer along with them and myself I feel that the US should get a system similar to ours instead of letting people die outside the hospital just because they have no coverage.

Nope. Americans think Canadians need to get with the program because of all the bad stories about people dying while waiting for health care in Canada.

There are a lot of hyped stories on both sides, I think... and a lot of it is driven by politicking by people, as well as a "we're better than you" nationalism junk.

The fears I have about the recent changes in health care is there are a lot of doctors who are retiring and getting out of the system now before chaos hits.... and that's causing a backlog to get in and see the other doctors. My dad has a painful back. He got a shock when he found out he is going to have to wait until next month to have it seen by a doctor. He was hoping for a "next week" type appointment.

 

[A1Malinois]

I just think the US needs a system like ours. No its not the best and has its flaws but here if I need a CT or MRI its covered. I don't have to worry about "Oh where will I get this $5,000 for the CT I need".

I was sick when I was 16 years old. My heart stopped 3 times. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks with tubes out of every hole in my body. I needed so many tests, medication etc. I didnt have to worry about the bill because it was all covered. The medication that I required when I went home werent covered so that was $500 out of pocket. Knowing I was covered was a HUGE relief for me.

I am not to sure what I would of done had I not of been covered, knowing I owe X amount of money etc. I am just thankful we have the system we have and wish the US would provide a similar system so no one over there would need to worry about it.

I dont think we are better then the US or the other way around. Here, its pretty well the same. You have to wait a while to see a specialist. The ER waiting time is 3-6 hours (I would only go there when I am half dead and would be by ambulance), each Doctor has about 5,000 patients. People tell me I should be great full that I have healthcare and that I dont have to worry about it etc when its not really my problem the US doesnt choose to put their citizens first and even cover BASIC health care like what is covered here. I actually would like to see the US get a similar system here. I HEARD Obama was talking about it, not sure how true that is though

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

There is Medicaid here in the U.S., but you have to meet certain financial qualifications to be eligible for it.

 

[A1Malinois]

There is Medicaid here in the U.S., but you have to meet certain financial qualifications to be eligible for it.

I am sure they have the qualifications set so high that very little people qualify. I dont know how you guys do it, I would lose my mind if Canada went to a system like you have. I would immediately sign a DNR

 

[Wyatt's mommy]

I just think the US needs a system like ours. No its not the best and has its flaws but here if I need a CT or MRI its covered. I don't have to worry about "Oh where will I get this $5,000 for the CT I need".

I was sick when I was 16 years old. My heart stopped 3 times. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks with tubes out of every hole in my body. I needed so many tests, medication etc. I didnt have to worry about the bill because it was all covered. The medication that I required when I went home werent covered so that was $500 out of pocket. Knowing I was covered was a HUGE relief for me.

I am not to sure what I would of done had I not of been covered, knowing I owe X amount of money etc. I am just thankful we have the system we have and wish the US would provide a similar system so no one over there would need to worry about it.

I dont think we are better then the US or the other way around. Here, its pretty well the same. You have to wait a while to see a specialist. The ER waiting time is 3-6 hours (I would only go there when I am half dead and would be by ambulance), each Doctor has about 5,000 patients. People tell me I should be great full that I have healthcare and that I dont have to worry about it etc when its not really my problem the US doesnt choose to put their citizens first and even cover BASIC health care like what is covered here. I actually would like to see the US get a similar system here. I HEARD Obama was talking about it, not sure how true that is though

Times are tough here in the U.S. with people losing their jobs which means most will lose their insurance. Hopefully the economy will pick again and people will get their coverage back. I would rather pay a small percentage like I do for med. insurance thru my employer which lets me pick any doctor, specialist etc. that I prefer. I don't need a referral for a specialist. And if I had a choice I would stick with what I have I will also keep my mouth shut about the Obama care.