The American Spectator

Bob| 10.31.09 @ 2:48PM

Bandow, perhaps it might have been useful to read the entire study. Later in the study, it said this:

"The crucial difference between the two measures, however, is the inclusion of urgent surgeries. The SSCN website measures wait ing times for all non-emergent surgeries (i.e., urgent and elective surgery waits are measured), while Wait ing Your Turn measures waiting times for only elective surgeries (with the exception of cardiovascular surgery where emergent, urgent, and elective wait times are measured). This means that urgent wait times (which are significantly shorter than elective wait times) are included in the wait time measures avail able on the SSCN website but not in those measured by the Fraser Institute."

But of course, just like Fox News and MSNBC, you don't tell the whole story and slant the data so you can get red meat to the readership at AmSpec. Of course you realize that most of your readership is not intellectually curious and would not actually read the entire story.

For the most part, emergency and highly urgent procedures in Canada occur very quickly. This study also includes elective cosmetic surgeries in the numbers and I don't think breast enhancements or rhinoplasty should be in the numbers. I agree that in general, wait times are are too long for non-emergency procedures. That's why I've been proposing a system where you have government care for emergency and catastrophic cases and tiered insurance (in the private sector) for all other cases. The less you pay, the longer you wait as with any other service. But what most people want is to pay nothing and get everything. That is not capitalism -- that is socialism.

The other point here is that the cost of healthcare in Canada is HALF of the cost in the U.S. That means our system is highly inefficient and is costing us jobs. You can't lower healthcare costs without some form of rationing. In Canada, that is done by the government. I prefer self rationing by allowing people to buy the level of service they desire. But then, those who buy low end plans cannot gripe about waiting times, right?

Nick| 10.31.09 @ 8:50PM

Hey 3/5 Bob,

DID YOU HEAR?

Dede "RINO" Scozzafava dropped out of the NY-23rd race! TEE-HEE!
As I told you before, you RINOs need us more than we need you. Even Republicans in New York State aren't buying what you're peddling, 3/5 Bob.

Happy Halloween!

Also, don't waste your time with 3/5 Bob, folks.

In case you didn't know, until recently (last June), 3/5 Bob thought that blacks had 3/5 of a vote under the U.S. Constitution, as originally written.

He also doesn't know when biological HUMAN life begins because he is not sure when "ensoulment" takes place.

He is a pseudointellectual, ignore him.

Truth to Power| 10.31.09 @ 3:02PM

3/5 Bob is the worst kind of prevaricating scoundrel. He wastes his time proposing "systems" to people he hates when he should be giving all his good advice his man in the White House. He voted for all this corruption and all he can seem to do is nag at people he claims will never be in power again. Something is not right with this character. What a troll.

Liberal Reader| 10.31.09 @ 7:47PM

Bandow --

"Wait lists" in the Canada health system are for elective procedures.

If you're SICK and you need prompt care, you get it.

Oh, and you know what?

If you're sick, need care, and see a doctor, in Canada it doesn't BANKRUPT YOU!!!!!

So -- quit the lies, distortions, and propaganda. There's plenty of good information out there about what Canada is really like.

And, it's not exactly fair to compare Canada to what the Democrats are proposing; the closest analogue to bills being contemplated in Congress now is NOT Canada, or England, or France, but that horrible socialist hell known as Switzerland.

(All five of the countries mentioned in this post spend less on health care per capita and get much better results, by the way.)

Amor de Cosmos| 11.1.09 @ 7:19AM

Canadian healthcare is functional at the emergency and primary care end. However, on the long term care need end it is dysfunctional. The wait times outlined in the report are typical. If you have an auto accident, you will be waiting awhile to see an orthopaedic surgeon about your problems. If Granny needs a hip replacement, you will be waiting a long time.

As for going bankrupt, if you do not have LTD insurance and you are put out of work, you too can go bankrupt in a country that has "free" healthcare.

Moreover, on the cost containment end, socialized medicine countries are able to control costs because they dictate prices by fiat and have a monopoly on medical care payment.

Lastly, Obamacare looks nothing like what Switzerland provides. There is no such thing as a public option in Switzerland. The Swiss must purchase health insurance from private providers and those who cannot afford the minimum plan get subsidies to pay for it. This is not how Medicare/Medicaid is set up, but should be considering the generally large amount of fraud that eats up their budgets.

No one has the perfect healthcare system, but quality wise the US system is head of the class.

Liberal Reader| 10.31.09 @ 7:50PM

(Actually, throw in Germany for five. Or Japan, or Sweden, or Norway, or Taiwan.)