Originally posted by Omega Vision
Mind you this is something I've heard second hand.I'm sure [b]I
nimalist could better confirm or deny its veracity. biscuits [/B]
who?
so, thankfully I've never had to get an organ transplant, so I can't speak from first hand knowledge. However, if we are simply talking about the availability of treatments and waiting lines/etc, that isn't the type of stuff where the most obvious differences are going to show up.
Its more things like expensive medical technology or the immediate availability of specialists. So like, if you showed up to a Canadian ER needing immediate specialist neuro-surgery, it is less likely that there would be a doctor available to you. Or if you needed an MRI scan for something, there would be a much longer wait than if you were an American (of course, this isn't taking cost into account, where I'd argue that even the waiting list in Canada isn't as prohibitive as the cost of these treatments in America if you aren't wealthy).
Most interesting though, given almost all of Canada's major cities are a short drive from the American border, these services are essentially available immediately to most Canadians. If a specialist or technology isn't available in Canada, and a person's life is at risk, our government will pay to have the treatment done in America.
Its not a perfect system by any means, but for routine operations and the like, I'd be surprised if our waiting lists were all that much longer than yours. Especially in the case of organ transplants, I don't see how a private system would increase the availability of organs unless the American system has a robust black market for them. Like, if we want to make this a pissing match about which system serves its citizens best, I'd go with Canada's in a heartbeat. However, if you are wealthy, America is obviously the better choice... iirc you guys also have more doctors, so it isn't as hard to find like a family doctor or that type of thing.
Actually, maybe you can clear something up... If I make an appointment to see an endocrinologist, there is a 3-4 month wait but the appointment is entirely covered by my public insurance. Would there be any wait in America if I had the funds?
Originally posted by Bouboumaster
Alberta. This is not a nation, but it's full of morons.
I found this very interesting:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Alberta+redneck+image+more+myth+than+truth/5672349/story.html
Calgary has traditionally elected liberal mayors and the PC party has been drifting left for years. Furthermore, a new poll shows Albertans are more socially liberal than many suspected, and probably have been all along.Researchers at Lethbridge College surveyed 1,237 of them on six key social issues. They found overwhelming support for same-sex marriage (72.1%), abortion choice (83.8%), medical marijuana (76.5%) and doctor-assisted suicide (72.7%).
However, Albertans still support capital punishment by a slim majority (53.9%) and only a third agree with legalizing pot for recreational use. The data also suggest they have become somewhat more socially liberal since 2009.
There are two possible explanations for these findings. The first is the electorate has been diluted by an influx of newcomers, who have not been assimilated into the province's conservative political culture.
Or, perhaps the poll shows a sizeable libertarian constituency, which has traditionally expressed itself through the Conservative party. Indeed, a major turning point in Ralph Klein's bid to become PC leader in 1992 was his statement that abortion is "a matter between a woman, her doctor and her God."
Originally posted by inimalist
I don't see how a private system would increase the availability of organs unless the American system has a robust black market for them.
Actually, maybe you can clear something up... If I make an appointment to see an endocrinologist, there is a 3-4 month wait but the appointment is entirely covered by my public insurance. Would there be any wait in America if I had the funds?
I'm no expert by any means, but what little I've seen about American medicine tells me that rich people rarely need worry about their health.
There is one exception, I recall seeing a video of Glenn Beck (a wealthy, influential person) in a hospital complaining about the deplorable conditions and alleging that the CEO of GE was just a few rooms down in similar dire straits. Of course being Glenn Beck just a year later he acted like he never said anything like that and said that American medical care was a-mazing.
Originally posted by Fishy
Which I really can't understand, what's so bad about France?
They don't like the US very much, or so said my French teacher in high school, and she grew up there. They're much more liberal when it comes to thinks like work, for instance, women get something like nine months off maternity leave - and that's AFTER the baby is born. I think in general they just think of Americans as loud, hurried, uncultured, and at too fast a pace. Which, I gotta say, are all fair points.
Anyway, I gotta say North Korea. Although it's not the fault of the general people. Oh no, I believe there's a special circle in Hell for dictators like Kim Jong-il [I've probably mispelled his name...] and the select few who are near the top beside him.
Originally posted by siriuswriter
They don't like the US very much, or so said my French teacher in high school, and she grew up there. They're much more liberal when it comes to thinks like work, for instance, women get something like nine months off maternity leave - and that's AFTER the baby is born. I think in general they just think of Americans as loud, hurried, uncultured, and at too fast a pace. Which, I gotta say, are all fair points.
And in the case of single fathers (Alleinerziehender Vater) it can also apply for men.
And having just been to France I can say that's utter crap. French people are no more polite or cultured on average than Americans and in fact there's a much poorer work ethic and notion of customer courtesy, especially among restauranteurs. I know French people who came to America and were shocked at how polite waiters, Walmart Salesmen, and even fast food employees were to them.
Generally speaking, as a culture and a nation the French are and always have been arrogant, though Americans aren't really any better when you get right down to it.