On Sun, 10 Apr 2016 07:42:41 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote:

> On Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 9:16:42 AM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
> > On 2016-04-10 8:35 AM, wrote:
> > > On Sun, 10 Apr 2016 22:09:42 +1000, Bruce > wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Anytime the USA tries to bring in universal health care the insurance
> > > companies spring into action. We watched that happen in 1968 when
> > > Canada switched to health care and again when Hillary Clinton was
> > > crossing the USA in Bills time trying to come up with a good plan
> > > everyone liked.
> > >
> > > One of the favourite insurance company ads was to show a Canadian
> > > woman who claimed she had a brain tumour and could not get it taken
> > > out here so she paid a ransom to have it done in the US. The truth
> > > was, her tumour was benign and her Ontario doctors felt it was best to
> > > leave it since it was no longer growing, rather than chance operating
> > > on her brain and possibly doing some damage in the process.
> > >
> > > There were plenty of others but I forget them now, they were so
> > > laughable. I am just thankful that no matter what health problems hit
> > > me, it won't cost me a dime, other than perhaps parking for the car.
> >
> > The insurance companies are lobbying hard to prevent them from losing a
> > very profitable business. There are lots of stories about wait times
> > and services that are unavailable. The only one that seems to have much
> > credibility is the shortage of MRI facilities.
> >
> > When I had my heart issue, which seemed to be no big deal when it
> > started, the delay was my fault for not contacting my doctor before he
> > went on vacation. I went to a walk in clinic and saw a doctor within 10
> > minutes. He sent me to the hospital because it was a weekend and they
> > could do the tests that day. I was seen by a doctor within 15 minutes
> > and spent a day there while they did tests and then repeated them. No
> > heart attack and no immediate concerns, but was told to follow up with
> > my doctor. When he got back from vacation I got in to see him. He
> > referred me to a cardiologist and saw him within a week, and he booked
> > be for angiography which happened within two weeks. They found a
> > blockage and ran into problems clearing it out so I had emergency
> > surgery. It took about an hour to get me prepped and a teach together.
> >
> > I spend 4 days in ICU and another 3 nights in the hospital. I was billed
> > nothing for all that.
>
> Of course, if you have good insurance, health care in the U.S. is quite
> reasonably priced. Four days in the hospital for my husband resulted in
> some trivial co-pays. It probably didn't amount to more than $200 all told.
> I have no idea how much the stay cost the insurance company, as we never
> saw a bill that didn't say "You own $50" or somesuch.
>
Fortunately we haven't had a need to hospital care in years, but our
medication bill tells us how much we've saved right on the receipt.
Hubby makes a small co-pay for one drug that is $400 a refill.

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sf