I am a Canadian, with friends in the U.S. and a strong interest in political issues in your country. I have been watching President Obama’s efforts to bring health care to everyone in your nation. I have also been watching CNN and advertisements which describe Canadians as dying from lack of care because of our single payor, free health care system. I’ve also listened to reports of the number of senators who will be voting on President Obama’s health bill who receive money from health industry lobbyists and have large portfolios of health related stocks.
It will be interesting to see whose interests come first—yours or theirs.
I am a 60-year-old woman who has had breast cancer twice. Related procedures were two surgeries, six months of chemotherapy, two rounds of radiation treatment and many diagnostic and routine follow-ups for the past 18 years. All at no cost to me. Recently, my husband had a total knee replacement, with no undue waiting, follow-up physiotherapy, and paid absolutely nothing. Two years ago, his son had a minor heart attack, was rushed to the hospital, received emergency treatment and was flown to a southern Ontario hospital specializing in cardiac care. He and his wife returned two days later, having received the treatment, with a little extra money in his pocket due to reimbursement of travel costs. Our situation is not unique. Canadians do not go bankrupt from health care costs and we all get the care we require.
Canadians are happy to pay a very small portion of income tax to ensure that every one of us has free health care. No one comes between us and our physicians – not the government and definitely not insurance companies. If our doctors believe we need procedures or treatments – they are the ones who make those decisions. There are no
death panels. If you need to see your doctor, you phone and make an appointment. Emergency health conditions are treated immediately. We do have short wait times for elective procedures – such as knee replacements – perhaps up to two months, but often patients postpone elective surgery themselves. We do not have any co-payments.
For the sake of my U.S. friends, I hope that Obama’s bill passes – with at least the public option if there is no hope for a single payor system. The public option will ensure that everyone is covered and low-income families will not need to apply, pay premiums, make co-payments or fear visits to the doctor for themselves or their children because of financial circumstances.
Pauline Shesnicky
Thunder Bay ONT
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