Coming Soon To America: A Two-Tiered, Canadian-Style Health Care System

Forbes ^ | 05/25/2013 | John Goodman

[SeekAndFind]

I believe we are moving toward two different health systems. In one, patients will be able to see doctors promptly. They will talk to physicians by phone and email. They will have no difficulty scheduling needed surgery. If they have to go into a hospital, a “hospitalist” (who reports to them and not to the hospital administration) will be there to make sure their interests are looked after. They may even have an independent agency that reviews their medical records, goes with them when they meet with specialists, and gives them advice on every aspect of their care.

In the other system, waiting times will grow for almost everything ― to get appointments with physicians, to get tests, to obtain elective surgery, etc. Patients may find that they don’t have access to the best doctors or the best hospitals. They may find that the facility where they are treated does not have the latest technology. In terms of waiting times and bureaucratic hassles, health care for these patients may come to resemble the Canadian system. It may become even worse than the Canadian system.

The evolution toward a two-tiered system was already under way before Barack Obama became president. But ironically, the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is accelerating the pace of change. It is doing so in four ways.

First, ObamaCare is supposed to insure 32 million additional people by this time next year. If the economic studies are correct, these newly insured will try to consume twice as much medical care as they have been. In addition, most of the rest of us will be forced to have more generous coverage than we previously had. There will be a long list of preventive services that all plans will be required to cover, with no deductible and no copayment ―

[combat_boots]

We are moving toward nobles and serfs.

1000 years of darkness, except for those of us who know what this all is. Magna Carta be dammed.

The Sheriff of Nottingham in real life, and the quisling usurper, King John, glad for it all.

[deadrock]

As Steyn stated many times, Canada has a no-tier healthcare system.

[Chode]

[catnipman]

Some pigs are more equal than other pigs.

[GraceG]

Idiocracy was a documentary......

Sadly.....

[Carry_Okie]

All ZeroCare accomplished is to increase the insurance rate base (mandated coverage for preexisting conditions, transgender operations, infertility treatment for homosexuals, etc.) and add an enormous Federal bureaucracy writing regulations, thus assuring that the insurance companies and hospitals add enormous bureaucracies to comply with them.

All of that means higher costs and poorer quality care for larger and indentured Democrat constituencies.

[Gay State Conservative]

I worked for 20+ years at one of the world's most famous hospitals (hint;it's in Boston).During that time I got a pretty fair idea of how American medicine works.Recently,having left the health care biz,I've done some research on Canada's health care system and have applied my findings to my knowledge of our system to make comparisons.Just a couple of examples of the differences.In Canada there's at least one category of heart surgery which,under their official government guidelines,can involve a wait of up to six months (this info confirmed on an official Canadian government website).In the US one waits no more than a few days for even the most non-urgent heart operation (not all heart operations require *immediate*...meaning within minutes...action).Another example...last year a Winnipeg (Canada) newspaper ran a piece analyzing recently released Canadian government data on their health care system.It showed that in Manitoba government guidelines allow for a wait of six months for a hip replacement and only 59% of those needing one in that province got it with that six month period.In this country one waits for a week or two,at most...the need of a hip replacement certainly not representing a threat to survival.I,an ordinary middle class,not powerful,not "connected" American,had my hip replaced a few years ago and eleven business days after having called for the initial consultation with the surgeon I was in the recovery room of a major Boston hospital sporting a new piece of titanium.

Basically,all Canadians are entitled to mediocre (at best) health care whereas here,most Americans receive outstanding care while the rest receive quite good care.

But there is a silver lining to that dark cloud called OsamaObamaCare....not one member of the Obama family,the Pelosi family,the Reid family,the Kennedy family,the Holder family or the Soros family will ever have to wait five minutes to have a hangnail treated,let alone for a heart operation.

God Help Canadians Needing A Hip Replacement

[Little Ray]

Y’know, if we get stuck with socialist medicine, I would support a two-tiered health care system. Those who pay for their insurance SHOULD get better care than those do not.

I pay a large sum to buy the best insurance my company offers for my family and myself. Why should someone who pays nothing get healthcare as good as what I try to provide for my family?

What worries me is that is going to be more a social system - if you work for the Government or its subsidiaries, you get get the best health care. Otherwise, peons who work for a living get share miserable health care with those who do not, AND pay for their health care to boot.

[grania]

The whole article is a good read. It addresses the issue of those who can afford to do so will have concierge doctors they pay an annual fee to and these doctors will have less patients, thus be more available.

What the article doesn't address is whether it will be better just to pay the fine and not sign up for Obamacare at all.

[BenLurkin]

The Lear Jet Leftists expect to form the core of the global ruling Party. They will continue to enjoy the finest foods and most advanced gadgets the world has to offer — while deciding your fate for you.

[cunning_fish]

To make things clear you have to admit that they can get any surgery immediately in Canada too, if they are willing to pay for it.

[rhubarbk]

You nailed it!

[Chode]

yup, sad but true...

[Standing Wolf]

Because the two tiers of health care will compete with each other for resources, the growth of the first tier will make rationing by waiting even more pronounced in the second tier. As a result, waiting times in the second tier could easily exceed those in Canada.

I also believe all this is going to happen much more rapidly than anybody suspects.

No, no, no, no, no! Yes, a two-tiered medical system will arise much more rapidly than most people suspect, but that's the plan. Socialism inevitably results in rigid social stratification. That's one of its primary purposes.

The first lesson history teaches is very few people ever learn the obvious lessons of history.

[riri]

I think this stuff is already starting.

A good friend's mother has what they believe is cancer. She (the mother) is over 60, overweight, housewife all her life, diabetes, etc.

The doctor tells her in no uncertain terms, after some testing, that she MUST go to the Mayo Clinic here in the Phoenix area. The insurance company says, "No we won't cover the Mayo Clinic, you need to find someone else who can do the same procedure, try this place".

She finds a second rate doctor and the place they said to go to. She goes back to get the pre-qual. They say "no, we won't cover that either".

I mean, time of of the essence here in this situation. Yet, they keep stringing her along.

I told my friend, "Well, she CAN go to the Mayo Clinic, she'll just have to pay for every cent of it"

Anyhow, I think she's been deemed obsolete.

[FreeReign]

No need to worry folks.

There will be one crappy level of service mandated by law for everybody. They will make it illegal to directly pay for medical care.

They were going to try that with Hillarycare. It's what they will do next.

[TArcher]

And remember - “NO SLEEPING IN BEDS!” err {edit} “WIF SHEETS!”

[Jack Hydrazine]

Steven Crowder talks about collectivist deathcare in Canada.

ObamaCare Yay Or Nay? The Truth About Canada!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2jijuj1ysw

ObamaCare, Canadian Healthcare: Steven Crowder talks with Hannity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTNV-wTnF28

DRUGS ARE AWESOME!! Socialized Healthcare Sucks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdARfegZDns

Canadian Doctor Agrees with Steve Crowder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n61yXtwl9-M

Steven Crowder talks Socialized Obamacare with Neil Cavuto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQx_Jt_U5h0

[OldNavyVet]

if you work for the Government or its subsidiaries, you get get the best health care

That FACT calls for action of the people, by the people, for the people.

That's why I like common sense folks like Sarah Palin.