Comments on: Hawaii Ending Universal Child Health Care

Citing Budget Shortfalls, Only State With Universal Coverage Eliminates Funding After 7 Months

[jc9567]

We are able to find billions of dollars to bail out banks, international corporations, and other bribers of politicians.
But when it comes to services to the general population it becomes too expensive.
The basic services of health care should be provided to all.
"Those who can afford it" are paying for their own health care and paying for the health care of "those who cannot afford it." Along with college educations for those who cannot.
If we are to have a society where all are equal under the law and we consider certain basic needs to be necessities then those basic needs should be equally available to all.
Those expenses can be distributed across the whole of the society with more benefit than the welfare we are giving to the rich and politically elite.

[erasmus81]

Any Canadian with a brain, would not go to the U.S. for surgery. The chances of them dying in your hospitals, because of uncleanliness and infections, is too great.

[erasmus81]

"I find it incredible, no impossible that anyone other than the wealthy would come to the US for healthcare- or the very poor taking advantage of our emergency rooms."

Posted by presjfk at 10:23 AM : Oct 18, 2008

It would only be the rich. There would be no reason for the poor to come there, because they don''t have to pay here.

"A hospital bed per day $600+."

WHAT? Wow! It''s been awhile but I think a hospital bed here is $14 a day.

[erasmus81]

Posted by Xlib at 08:29 AM : Oct 18, 2008

The ONLY people that go to the U.S. for health care are the RICH. And that is only because they think that they are better than everyone else and don''t want to wait for a week. And if they just want to see a doctor, they wouldn''t have to wait at all here.

"She was told by her Canadian MD that it would be at least 8 months before she could have corrective and life saving surgery."

There is no way that she would be having to wait 8 months for life saving surgery. My mom has had 3 surgeries in the last couple of years and she never waited any longer than a month. And they were not "life saving" surgeries. When I had surgery, which was a number of years ago, I was in within 2 weeks.

If you go to the hospital with problems, you don''t leave the hospital, until those problems are fixed.

You have to remember that there is always someone with a b*tch about something. These people will exaggerate and lie. The problem is that other people believe them. And if they hear something from one person, then all of a sudden it becomes MANY.

"Is it still illegal for you to pay for your own health care?????"

Why would it be illegal for us to pay for our own health care? That doesn''t even make sense.

Only an idiot or a very rich person would go to the U.S. for their health care.

[xlib]

presjfk-you may find it hard to believe but the FACT is, I see it all the time. Perhaps you aren''t aware that here in WEstern New YOrk we recognize OHIP, the Ontario Province health insurance. Canada does not recognize any of our insurances. So, a Canadian need not be rich, that''s a fact.
As a nurse I have taken care of Canadians who come here for care. As for coronary bypass, I believe they go to Cleveland Clinic for that. However, we have a rather good hospital here that is quite good in cardiac care that Candadians use. In fact, there is a motel attached to the hospital for such patrons.
Choose to believe me or not, I don''t really care.

[presjfk]

erasmus81-I live on the border with Canada and MANY Canadians come here for health care, primarily cancer treatment. "
Many Canadians come to the US for healthcare? How many Canadians? What are they coming for? What is the average bill and what are these Canadians income? Are they paying the bill?

I find it incredible, no impossible that anyone other than the wealthy would come to the US for healthcare- or the very poor taking advantage of our emergency rooms. The cost of a coronary bypass runs more than $120,000 (that is cheap for the USA). An outpatient umbilical hernia, $12,000. A hospital bed per day $600+. A single tylenol, $15.00. A relative had her shoulder replaced, total time in the hospital was 2 days. The hospital bill was $85,000 and the surgeons bill is not even in that figure. Having a baby, minimum cost $10,000. I know of a mother and her newborn, the baby was premature and in intensive care for 3 weeks. The total bill was $370,000 Now tell me people are coming tot he US for health care as a reasonable measure to get quality care. No they are coming because they have money and don''t want to wait for their own health care system to get to them. Ask any American if they would trade no insurance for the Canadian system and they would say yes. Ask any American if they would trade their US health care for Canadian and most would.

[xlib]

middleman-I hear Venezuela is nice this time of year. How about Cuba? Don''t like it here, don''t live here, simple as that.

[xlib]

toolmangler-are you saying that the messiah would/should give his campaign funds AWAY?? Are you serious??
And, I love the way you blame mccain for the messiah spending millions upon millions buying the election. So typical.
stlouisman-as for "food for families needing help" guess you didn''t hear about the feast sweet michele ordered up in their ny hotel suite when they were there for the Al Smith dinner. Seems she ordered up lobster, caviar, champagne, etc. THis while the messiah was lecturing everyone about the "poor and hungry just outside his hotel". Now, I don''t begrudge anyone who has done well and can live well, I just don''t like the double standard constantly employed by your side.

[xlib]

erasmus81-I live on the border with Canada and MANY Canadians come here for health care, primarily cancer treatment. I was speaking to one of your citizens in our grocery store the other day (seems CAnadians like our groceries better). This woman, Audrey, is married to an AMerican (not unusual at all)and she was found to have 98% blockage in her left external carotid artery (delivers blood supply to the brain). She was told by her Canadian MD that it would be at least 8 months before she could have corrective and life saving surgery. She went down to Queens, NY, and had the surgery within 3 weeks. She also had a complete cardiac work-up in the US.She told me she could have had it sooner but had personal matters to settle in Canada.
Our system is by no means perfect but I know many, many CAndadias who think of your system as rationing.
Audrey also told me that there is a shortage of MD''s in CAnada. So, there appears to be two sides to the matter.
Also, there is a mobile MRI sitting on the border just off the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge that is primarily used by CAnadians.
Is it still illegal for you to pay for your own health care????? Last I heard you were moving away from that.

[ShamusMac]

Say, xlib, that's all fine and dandy to pay out of pocket for an MRI, but most people can't afford that. I'm a Canadian and my wife is American. Her entire family envies the health care she gets up here. When you can't afford health care it really doesn't matter how available it is. My mother in law's medical bills in Colorado are so high she is bankrupt now. Great system eh?

[erasmus81]

erasmus81, Thank you for your pleasant, well informed answer! I appreciate it greatly/ Posted by

StLouisMan3 at 06:55 PM : Oct 17, 2008

You''re welcome!:)