Allison Hunt: How I got my new hip

[crudhousefull]

You don't HAVE to go for the free treatment. You can pay to get your operation done faster. Having free healthcare is needed for people that don't have the money. What would she have done if she lived in a country that you needed to pay USD 20,000 for the hip? Canadians are awesome and their culture is awesome.

[boorens18]

That girl is genius

[jwoodswce]

More evidence that when the government uses force to control access to health care that political corruption and pull becomes essential to survival.

I would rather pay for health care, just like I do for other services, than trust my kids' lives to incompetent politicians.

[km6xz]

It's interesting that those who denounce natonal health care loudest are the ones who never saw it in action. There are waits in Canada solely because recent politicians plundered the funding, not because the system has some design flaw. People in Europe and particularly Scandinavia have better, happier and healthier lives partly because of vastly superior national health care systems. I now live in Russia and need a hip replacement. I am paying for it myself in a modern hospital. Cost: $6,000

[c6gunner]

I'm Canadian, living in Canada, and I'm more than happy to denounce national health care. Our doctors do a great job, but there's simply not enough resources to go around, too many inefficiencies in the system and way too many people abusing the system. A huge percentage of Canadians don't even have a family doctor. Preventative health care is non-existent for most people I know - the only time we see a doctor is when something goes wrong.

[km6xz]

Ok, now take those long delays, abuse of the resources, no preventive medicine, lack of family doctor and add the very great likelihood of family bankrupcy if any member of the family gets sick or injuried. Do you REALLY want to trade systems?

Add to that high infant mortality, high rates of hospital infections, one of the chief causes of death in hospitals, and high rates of misstakes in administering medications and you have a broken system called the US medical system.

[c6gunner]

"Do you REALLY want to trade systems?"

You bet.

"Add to that high infant mortality..."

Ah, well that explains everything. You must have gotten all your info from Michael Moore.

The reason the US has a "high infant mortality" is because they attempt to save more pre-term babies than any other nation. As a result they record them as a "live birth" followed by a death. You've taken a positive aspect of the US system and tried to present it as a negative. The rest of your claims are also wrong.

[km6xz]

Actually I got my information from the World Health Organization. Why do claim there are more attempts at delivering per-term babies the US than in Europe or other places that have civilized health care policies?

I've never heard a Canadian so down on the system so I think your strident arguments in favor of a system that is not held in high regard anywhere in the world suggests that you are a lobbiest for continuing the dismal system in the US and not Canadian at all.

[c6gunner]

"... got my information from the WHO"

Cite?

"Why do claim there are more attempts at delivering per-term babies the US ... "

Because it's true.

"I've never heard a Canadian so down on the system"

You seem to have your head wedged firmly up your ass. It must be pretty hard to hear anything at all.

"a system that is not held in high regard anywhere in the world"

The US system has the highest customer satisfaction rate in the world. That's a fact. Everything else is just window-dressing.

[oxxiox]

Youtube comments scrape the bottom of the barrel that is humanity.

[SaamAzargive]

haha nice

[cropperb]

That was disgusting and revolting. I can't believe she did the entire speech without ONCE denouncing socialized medicine. At first I thought this was going to be a personal story about rape and destruction at the hands of govermnent healthcare. But I guess it was just about how polite Canadians are, right?

[s0cialAnimal]

Well one would hope she isn't self-centred enough to denounce a system that treats everyone without forcing them into bankruptcy because of her personal pain and inconvenience. One would hope she realizes that the system that has caused her some suffering has alleviated it for thousands of others. One would hope.

[cropperb]

Socialized medicine has helped no one. No one at all. Everyone would be better of in a free nation. Socialized medicine is a travesty.

[tangospring]

Free nation is the nation in which citizens do not have to fear bancraptcy when they get sick on top of getting sick.

[tangospring]

You are mistaken. She has mentioned "free" medical care about five times. That's clearly the most disgusting and revolting aspect of the universal, single-provider health care for insurance companies PR flacks.

[vector000]

That was great

[neutrinoide]

Nothing is free. Sorry, I have to say it :)

[tangospring]

True. US citizens spend more than citizens of other countries on healthcare. Indeed they have to pay three times: first arm and leg to get insured, then another arm and leg once they get sick. Plus the intangibles: the anxiety, the time investment and the paperwork.

[cropperb]

"US citizens spend more than citizens of other countries on healthcare. "

Not only healthcare, but everything else, too. Americans are rich : D

(Its because of our freedom.)

[Lewismadmax]

not really Cropperb, Canadians pay 50% payroll and higher sales tax and higher manufacturing costs resulting in goods costing more. Most people in U.S., not only get ALL of their taxes back, but with tax cfredits, they recieve more than they put in. Verses an 80/20 plan that costs a family of 4, 400 a month, your statement is fallacious.

[cropperb]

"but with tax cfredits, they recieve more than they put in"

That would mean the government is manufaturing wealth and handing it out. That is just stupid. The government is an expense, not a producer.

[c6gunner]

"That would mean the government is manufaturing wealth and handing it out. That is just stupid."

No, it would mean that the rich 10% of society are paying enough in taxes to cover the national budget AND actually give money to the lowest income earners. So no, his comment wasn't stupid, only your interpretation of it was.

His comment is only slightly off - instead of "most people" he should have said "40%".

[muusashi01]

you obviousely havent seen sicko:michael moore

[sips87]

Americans are not free...

[SpringChatty]

Americans do not want nationalized health care.

[rd1999]

That was great

[burningice17]

That's funny. Although in the US you'd have a short wait but you'd have to file bankruptcy when you were done. For those not in the know, medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US. Kucinich is the only candidate promoting free universal healthcare (universal does not indicate free for those thinking of the leading candidates). Might be a good idea to vote Kucinich.

[dndn1011]

I would just on the basis of that if I were American. Luckily, I am not.

[1joecool1]

sweet...

[lordmetroid]

Free my lunch justr payed your free whatever. Thank you very much for the overly inflated prices that "free" gives you.

[dndn1011]

you sound bitter about something, not sure what though, can't decode your comment...

[lordmetroid]

Why aren't you bitter? Wouldn't you be bitter if people steal your money for their own purpose? You don't go and steal people's money. Why do people tell other people to steal for them and than think it is moral?

[cazssiew]

... I personally... still don't see what you're trying to get at...

[dndn1011]

You saying that she stole something? If so, have you considered that she may have in fact earned it? By volunteering? Life is about give and take. Nothing was stolen. Priorities were changed that's all. And the world is overall better off for it in all probability. Don't be bitter. Instead go do something constructive. Make someone smile. She made me smile.

[lordmetroid]

Life is only about giving and taking if it is done volountary. Taxes are not volountary!

[isselman2000]

He's talking about the those commey bastard taxes that he has to pay. He doesn't like it that students and people without means can go to a library and check out a book for free, or that everyone has access to the police, fire department and emergency medical services. He thinks that the homeless, the poor, and other people's kids and grandmothers are stealing from him and he doesn't like that. No sir.