Replies

I didn't read the article, but I will tell you the experiances of Canadian healthcare from my husband's family. They left Germany for Canada in the 50's. His family moved to the states, but all the siblings were old enough by that time that they all went back to Canada to live within 1 year of moving down here.

1. Cousins father in law in Canada diagnosed with prostate cancer. As per their regulations, he was told to wait a year and see what happens. Lucky for him, he is very successful (read rich) and came to the Mayo Clinic and paid cash. He had one of the most aggressive prostate cancers and would have been dead in a year.

2. Uncle in Canada had a heart attack. As per Canadian guidelines, heart attack victims do not just get to go to the cardiac wing and get (can't remember the name of the test, but it is standard procedure down here). In Canada you have to wait for a bed to open up in the cardiac unit. He died before he could get into the cardiac unit.

3. Cousin dislocated his shoulder down here white water rafting. Went to a local small hospital, had his shoulder looked at, x-ray taken and popped in in about 45 minutes. He could not believe it. He said he would have been on a waiting list for that in Canada for 2-4 weeks, and I think he meant just to have the darn thing popped back in.

4. My in laws are winter birds in TX and many of their neighbors are Canadian. There are several stories about health care from them. I cannot recall them exactly, but they are not very positive. I am positive though that if you have an ailment while travelling in the states, you need to return to Canada for treatment or you will be denied any and all follow up treatment from the original procedure you received elsewhere. This is different for emergency procedures, but I think you are the emergency is over and you are able to get back up there for continued care.

Doesn't that sound dreamy?