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In British Columbia, the “guarentee” includes contracts between hospitals in Seattle and the govt of BC for so many heart procedures, so many high risk births, so many neurological emergencies, etc per year.

Even with these contracts, British Columbians disparage the American system because it is ‘profit-based.’

They just do not get it that medical personnel are not slaves to the government, and will not always be present when needed in Canada.

Yes, I did know that the Canadian system contracts with the US for some care. The part of the sentence that struck me was that this couple supposedly was guaranteed care "up here." I don't know how many parents would sign on for a "guarantee" that means your critically ill newborn is going to be shipped off to another country for care, especially when they can't follow. If Obama went around touting his plan by saying, "If we run out of beds here, we are going to send you to hospital in another country," I don't think many Americans would be very enthusiastic.

I first read about this story in a Mark Steyn post on the NRO blog. He ended by asking where the Canadians will send their patients when the US system fills up-- he asked, Costa Rica? Then he concluded by saying "we now return to your 24/7 Michael Jackson coverage."