[liberallarry]

I couldn't read the whole article but it looks like Steyn conveniently neglects to mention that he had the money to see both a GP and a specialist.

If he had not he would have had to wait hours in an American big city emergency room (which are becoming harder and harder for poor people to find as the system breaks down)for the most basic service (forget about seeing a specialist).

Steyn goes for the cheap shot. He paints socialized medicine at its worst while showing ours at its best. The real choice is between socialized medicine which delivers mediocre care to all and ours which delivers the best care in the world to those who can afford it and - increasingly - none at all to the many who can't.

[binreadin]

Steyn as usual makes some good points, but yours are as valid. As someone who has worked in the healthcare system in this country for years I can guarantee you that any managed care system is all about denial of service, as much as they can get away with, in any case. The overhead administrative costs are also way out of line. I'm not a big fan of Canadian medicine, as it claimed an early death for both of my parents, but we can't pretend that we have a system that is working much better for many people in our society. Just spend some time in an inner-city hospital, and see what happens to people who cannot afford routine, preventive healthcare. Believe me, when they are diagnosed with advanced disease that could have been prevented if caught earlier on, someone pays, and it's us, in the form of higher taxes, higher healthcare premiums, and welfare for the family members deprived of their breadwinners. In the long run it costs us all more money to have these people uninsured. There has to be an answer somewhere between managed-for-profit care and the Canadian abyss. It is disingenuous to focus only on the worst of socialized medicine.

[Dog Gone]

The question is whether it is society's duty to provide you with health care at no (direct) cost to you.

If it is, does society owe you a car, too? Where does this end?

Is it the government's job to provide things to the people or is it the individual's duty to provide for himself? That is the defining question between liberals and conservatives, and I already know how you'd answer.

[Faraday]

Your "share-the-misery" socialism has never been all that popular in the US. Since the poor have to wait (according to you) in either system, would not the system that serves the "non-poor" better be the preferred method?

[expatpat]

It doesn't deliver mediocre care -- the Canuck system delivers terrible care (the poor in the US don't have to suffer 1-year waits). The big problem in Canada is that a parallel, pay-for-treatment system is illegal -- not even the UK is that leftist!

[Safetgiver]

and - increasingly - none at all to the many who can't. Hospitals cannot turn away patients even if they can't.. or won't...pay.

[jjmcgo]

Once again, the U.S. has health care for everyone. Get it through work or school, buy it yourself or go down to welfare and sign up.

[Gunrunner2]

Socialized medicine is hardly healthy.

Dumbing down care is not the way to ensure healthy people.

If you have no bucks and go to an emergency room in the states you WILL be seen based upon the severity of the wound/sickness. Chest pains? Straight in. Head cold? Few hours. Bleeding miscarriage? Right now.

Living in the UK, wife collapsed due to severe pain. Called ambulance. Arrived and took her to local hospital (Ipswitch). Was in deep, deep pain and no one, no one saw her for nearly an hour. I tried to get them to see her. Tried to explain she had suffered from cancer a few years back and thought it might have returned. . .but to no avail.

"Wait your turn in the que."

Finally, finally was seen by a doctor that could hardly speak english (Indian). They were trying to get a history from my wife while she was incoherent from the pain!

I could answer their questions but was pushed out and told to be quiet. Right, like my wife could answer their inane questions.

TV is the ONLY place you will see an American ER hold up someone is such pain. In the UK you can see it yourself.

Dolts.

Finally, after nearly three hours she was admitted.

I have no respect for socialized medicine.

None at all.

[oh8eleven]

The real choice is between socialized medicine which delivers mediocre care to all and ours which delivers the best care in the world to those who can afford it and - increasingly - none at all to the many who can't.
More left wing BS. Those who can't afford it get it free.
Go to any emergency room and read the signs posted all over the walls.
No one is ever turned away.

[Ditto]

and - increasingly - none at all to the many who can't.

Wild overstatement.

[mewzilla]

You ever spent any time in a country with socialized medicine? I have. It cured me of any desire to see it enacted over here.