Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Pick The Liar

Meanwhile in Canada...
When the pain in Christina Woodkey's legs became so severe that she could no long hike or cross-country ski, she went to her local health clinic. The Calgary, Canada, resident was told she'd need to see a hip specialist. Because the problem was not life-threatening, however, she'd have to wait about a year.

So wait she did.

In January, the hip doctor told her that a narrowing of the spine was compressing her nerves and causing the pain. She needed a back specialist. The appointment was set for Sept. 30.

"When I was given that date, I asked when could I expect to have surgery," said Woodkey, 72. "They said it would be a year and a half after I had seen this doctor."

So this month, she drove across the border into Montana and got the $50,000 surgery done in two days.

"I don't have insurance. We're not allowed to have private health insurance in Canada," Woodkey said. "It's not going to be easy to come up with the money. But I'm happy to say the pain is almost all gone."
NYT columnist Paul Krugman announced some weeks ago that such scare stories about healthcare being rationed in countries with single-payer systems are "false."

So somebody is lying. It's either Christina Woodkey or Paul Krugman. You decide.

9 Comments:

Anonymous Bob said...

Gil - I don't think she's lying, but here's the question. Are these isolated incidents,or are these the norm? You hear stories of people in this country who die because they don't have insurance.
Isolated incidents or the norm?
From what I understand, Canadians are pretty happy with their health care.

September 29, 2009 at 8:05 AM 
Blogger Pro Christ Pro Gun said...

Krugman and the loony left are lying. It will occur here just as it does everywhere else where it has been tried. By the way, the devil will be in the details of this health reform bill that not a single member of congress will read before it is passed.

The bill will create agencies that will be given broad rule making authority. You guessed it, the agencies using their rule making authority will provide the details and ration health care, create death panels, limit access to prescriptions, mandate health care for everyone even illegals, etc... It is coming unless people wake up.

C. Scott Shields, Esquire
www.cscottshields.com

September 29, 2009 at 9:45 AM 
Anonymous Bob said...

Scott - I dont know why the Canadian system keeps coming up. Obama says he's not looking to copy the single payer system. As for providing health care for illegals,that was passed back in 1986 with the Emergency medical treatment & active labor act. Ronald Reagan. And it was the right thing to do. If an illegal walked into an emergency room with a cracked skull, would you deny that person treatment? The Death Panel argument is nothing but a scare tactic. It was a dishonest spin on actual legislative proposals that would provide financing for optional consultations with doctors about hospice care and other “end of life” services. You tell me what's so bad about that?

BTW, it was a pleasure meeting you last week. Had a good time. Maybe we can drag old Spencerblog out some night.

September 29, 2009 at 11:28 AM 
Anonymous frank said...

you can find much worse cases of insurance companies denying coverage to paid members right here in the u.s.
right now the insurance companies are running death panels and limiting access to drugs.

what does it matter what goes on in canada, since the u.s. model being proposed is not the same?

the canadian system is still better than what we have here, especially when it comes to lower cost prescriptions.

so, you think that none of the republicans will bother reading the health care bill. shame on them.

September 29, 2009 at 11:34 AM 
Blogger Pro Christ Pro Gun said...

Bob:

Can you point me to an authoritative article/story or other documented source that sets forth what you claim; i.e. that people die in this country because of lack of insurance?

C. Scott Shields, Esquire
www.cscottshields.com

September 29, 2009 at 11:45 AM 
Blogger /mr said...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/18/deaths.health.insurance/index.html

September 29, 2009 at 1:29 PM 
Anonymous Bob said...

Scott - Thats easy. Just google the information. Its there. Here's a name to get you started. Delbert Davis. And I personally know someone. A co-worker who lost his job. He couldn't afford to care for his family and pay for his medication at the same time. He's dead as a result. His name was James Marcino. ABC did a report recently that claims you have a 40%greater chance of dying from a serious illnss if you are uninsured. I also remember watching a 60 minutes segment on HMO's and the administrators who's job it was to deny claims and coverage to meet the bottom line. People died as a result.

September 29, 2009 at 1:34 PM 
Anonymous Bob said...

Scott - Another thing to consider.
I've researched home foreclosures. Some of the research puts home foreclosures due to medical expenses at 49%. Even if the figures were half that, it would still be high.

September 29, 2009 at 9:57 PM 
Anonymous Bob said...

Scott - With almost 20 years inside the health insurance industry, Wendell Potter (Former Vice President for CIGNA, US 4th largest insurance company) saw for-profit insurers hijack our health care system and put profits before patients.

October 1, 2009 at 3:05 PM 

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