Oy Canada: CanuckCare© Strikes Again

Previously on CanuckCare© Today:

"[A] doctor can not only deny life-saving treatment for a person in their right mind who wants it, but actually have that patient, against the patient’s will and with their full mental faculties, outright executed by lethal injection."

And that's if the patient is "fortunate" enough to even get an appointment.

For many, that's quite the luxury:

"I actually thought I misread it’: Doctor ‘stunned’ over years-long wait for specialist appointment"

What the heck's she talking about?

Oh:

The joys of government-run health "care."

But hey: it's free!

[Hat Tip: FoIB Dr Gerard G]

Oy, Canada - Part 7,285

Previously on Oy, Canada:

"Patients also experience significant waiting times for various diagnostic technologies."

And that's just to be seen and treated. But what happens next? Often, the provider prescribes a med (or meds) to help treat the issue.

That's the easy part:

I'm Canadian. I have universal healthcare. My oncologist prescribed Xeloda, an oral chemotherapy, to try to extend my life. In Ontario, oral chemotherapy isn't covered.

My insurance has been dragging their heels and just today declined coverage. #ThisDoesntSeemUniversal

— Katie Davidson (@LovlyKatieLumps) July 19, 2018

That's right: in at least one province CanuckCare© doesn't cover oral cancer treatment.

And if one follows the comments, one is reminded of this dirty little CanuckCare© secret:

"[P]rivate insurance is responsible for oral chemo (different from province to province"

That's right, our Neighbors to the North© recognize the devastating limitations of "free" health care, and have developed (and market) supplements, much like our own government-run health care system (Medicare).

The more you know....

Oy Canada! Part #1,387

So CanuckCare© is superior to our own (soon-to-be-replaced) system? By one metric, at least, sure:

"Canada does guarantee its citizens ... access to a Web site to check on wait times for surgeries."

Well, that's helpful!

Of course here, we have no need for such a site, since we don't really have wait times for necessary surgery. Ooops.

As noted health policy wonk David Hogberg notes, "Ms. Gorsuch in fact had her surgery canceled twice and was waiting for her third one went she suffered a fatal heart attack ...On the upside, she’s no longer on the waiting list."

Now that's comforting!

It seems that the key difference between CanuckCare© and ObamaCare© is that the former is a reality, and the the latter is merely a probability.

Feel better now?

Another CanuckCare© success story

For certain values of "success," of course.

Friend of mine (Canadian ex-pat) just posted this on Twitter*:

"My cousin just called. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in March, was put on the urgent list for surgery. It’s mid-August. “Oh well I just have to wait”, she says. Every day untreated means progression of disease. #CanadaWaits #socializedmedicinekills"

Then:

"It’s “a good cancer to have”, in that typically they can just cut out the affected organ. But who knows if, in the ensuing time, it’s affection other systems?"

"I am so angry that people are treated like this. Six months almost with no surgery date. In a first-world, technologically advanced country."

From another friend in response:

"I’ve had arguments online w/Canadians about how this kind of thing doesn’t happen & I’m a stupid American & don’t know what I’m talking about. A friend of a friend came to the US for hernia surgery because he was in excruciating pain & the wait was 1.5 years."

And finally, from my ex-pat pal:

"My father’s first oncologist appointment was scheduled for after he died."

But hey: Free.

(*Anonymized to protect her identity)

Let's talk Gummint-Care

Last month, we reported on the latest CanuckCare news, and it wasn't pretty:

"Waiting for treatment has become a defining characteristic of Canadian health care ... waiting times for medically necessary treatment have in-creased since last year."

Turns out, it's even worse than we'd thought:

Canadian Health Care is "Free" But Rationed by Long Wait Times, e.g., a 4.5 YEAR estimated wait time to see a neurologist in Ontario! #Insanity pic.twitter.com/UHljzjvhNX

— Mark J. Perry (@Mark_J_Perry) January 21, 2018

That's right, a four-and-a-half year wait to see the neurologist. But hey: it's free!

To which Britain's Much Vaunted National Health System© says "Hold my pint:"

"NHS 'haemorrhaging' nurses as 33,000 leave each year ... one in 10 now leaving the NHS in England each year, figures show."

This represents a pretty significant problem, since it means the service is now "upside-down" with regard to nurses:

"[T]here are now more leavers than joiners."

Sustainability, indeed.

But hey, free health "care."

CanuckCare© FTW

Surprise!

This woman spent 47 hours waiting for surgery in the Sunnybrook ER, with shattered wrists, a broken elbow, cracked ribs and internal bleeding. An investigation into the overcrowding of Toronto ERs..https://t.co/by2dxBLjLO pic.twitter.com/5m0oyaDELC

— Dutch Rojas (@DutchRojas) October 28, 2018

Money quote:

"There was a curtain, but no switch to turn off the lights at night. That location would be Yerxa’s home for the next 19 hours—and her predicament would get worse from there."

But hey: Free!

Tuesday Linkage

In no particular order:

■ As we've long documented here, Britain's Much Vaunted National Health Service© has a fetish for offing innocent children:

"Coroner demands NHS 111 changes after six-year-old Sebastian Hibberd's death"

The poor 6 year old was another victim of free health "care."

Fortunately for Oliver Cameron, his parents were afforded a unique, lifesaving opportunity:

"[T]hanks to the tireless efforts of his parents and doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital, Oliver is alive and thriving today."

He had been born with a non-cancerous tumor, the likes of which British doc's were unable to treat.

#MedicalTourism tourism in action.

■ Meanwhile, on this side of The Pond, our northern neighbors, subject to whims and vagaries of CanuckCare©, seldom fare so fortuitously:

Canadian Medicare, our northern neighbor’s universal health care system, generally receives rave reviews from proponents of socialized health care, yet the Fraser Institute found that more than 63,000 Canadians left their country to have surgery in 2016. https://t.co/BnUwfDavYd

— Dutch Rojas (@DutchRojas) July 18, 2019

But hey: Free!

■ And finally, our friend Allison Bell alerts us to the latest Health Savings Account news:

IRS Notice 2019-45 will help HSA holders use high-deductible plans to pay for insulin, statins, etc. on a pre-deductible basis - and it shows that the IRS can tweak the HSA deductible rules by expanding the HDHP preventive services package. https://t.co/jRdhz8dd2j

— Allison Bell (@Think_Allison) July 18, 2019

Unfortunately, this will be of benefit only to those who own HSA-compliant plans, which of course means duplicate and unnecessarily expensive coverage for folks in ACA versions.

Once again I'll ask: why must one own a specific type of insurance plan (or, indeed, any plan) to have an HSA?

(Yeah, I know)

CanuckCare© Continues Swirling

But hey,it's free:

60 hour wait in ED for a hospital bed.

Even 90th percentile waits (which are bad) still miss waiting at the extremes. #CanadaWaits #cdnhealth #onhealth https://t.co/7BPKcDXQ0N

— Shawn D. Whatley (@shawn_whatley) January 9, 2019

[Hat Tip: Dr Michael B]

CanuckCare: Free, and Deadly

^^^Warning: this is a truly disturbing story.^^^

We've written before that euthanasia seems to be the newest form of health care rationing, specifically in those countries with national health care schemes. It appears, though, that our Neighbors to the North© have decided to up the ante:

"Euthanasia became legal in Canada in June and by December Quebec bioethicists had already published an article in the Journal of Medical Ethics calling for organ donation after euthanasia."

This is a truly chilling development. There's an inherent, and insurmountable, conflict of interest when the state both controls access to health care and sets the law about who lives and who dies.

To be fair, both Belgium and Britain have become (in)famous for euthanasia availability; just a few months ago we noted "[t]he first child to be killed by “assisted suicide” since Belgium legalized the practice for minors has had his life snuffed out." But even in that horrific case, harvesting the victim's child's organs wasn't mentioned (or even implied).

Oh brave new world...

But hey, Free: A Critical Look

An oft-repeated theme here at IB is that Coverage ≠ Care. That is, having insurance (or Medicaid) is no guarantee that one will successfully obtain the care one needs. To wit:

"Twenty percent of Ohio adults reported that they or a household member go without medical care because of the cost even though more than 90 percent of them have health insurance"

So that's half of the puzzle.

We also know that all of the current crop of Democrat-party Presidential contenders favor some form of "universal" health care (be it Single Payer, a Public Option, or some other variation on that theme), often citing CanuckCare© as a model.

And of course, we've demonstrated any number of ways that the Canadian model does not, in fact, actually deliver on its health "care" promise:

"Rationing—in the form of waiting lists—has left hundreds or even thousands of Canadians to die without surgeries."

So we can safely put that little gem to bed.

But what about the idea that our Northern neighbor's health care scheme saves money? This claim, by the way, has been made by several of the aforementioned front-runners (at least as regards to nationalized health care schemes in general).

Well, as it turns out, not so much:

"Canadians spend less on health care than Americans mostly because they are not allowed to use as much — not because they are getting a better deal."

But that was then (last Spring). Surely this is a one-off?

Um....no. As co-blogger Bob V informs us:

"[I]n Ontario, the country’s largest province, the cost of nationalized health care took up 46% of its entire budget in 2010. By 2030, that number is projected to be 80%."

But hey: Canadian moolah.

Sew what?!

While we're quite hard on the MVNHS© and CanuckCare©, we would be remiss not to point out that these socialized medical schemes aren't the only ones with major issues. A major problem with goovernment control of health care is that government really controls access to health care. And as it turns out, Sweden's much-vaunted bikini team doesn't hold exclusive rights to the term "skimpy:"

"A 32-year-old took the needle into his hands when he tired of the wait at Sundsvall hospital in northern Sweden and sewed up the cut in his leg himself."

The victim, er, patient had cut himself while renovating his kitchen, and was directed to the local health clinic. After being ignored for an hour, he looked around, found a needle and thread, and proceeded to stictch himself up, thereby saving time and money for the obviously over-burdened "health care" facility.

No harm, no foul, right?

Um, not so much:

"The man was later reported to the police for his impromptu handiwork."

Yes, you read that correctly: he was actually accused of "criminal dispossession ... for having used hospital equipment without authorization."

Welcome, by the way, to the brave new world of ObamaCare©. Think that can't or won't happen here? Given that the gummint can force you to buy insurance or face criminal penalties (including jail time!), why would you believe that self-help would be condoned?

[Hat Tip: PowerLine]

Compare & Contrast: CanuckCare vs MVNHS©

Our Neighbors to the North©'s latest offering:

As of today, prescription medication for anyone under 25 in Ontario is free.

Parents living in poverty can already take their kids to the doctor for free. Now they can get their kids’ medicine for free, too.

Makes me proud to pay my taxes. And proud to be 🇨🇦.

— Jessica Langer, PhD (@DrJessicaLanger) January 2, 2018

Interesting self-correction by Dr Langer:

"Yes, it’s not ‘free’, it’s no-cost at purchase. People like me pay for it through our taxes. As it should be" [emphasis added]

To which the only rational response is: Why?

But it gets better (for certain values of "better"):

"N.H.S. Overwhelmed in Britain, Leaving Patients to Wait ... At some U.K. emergency wards, patients are waiting more than 12 hours to be cared for."

Again free health "care." But as we keep asking, what good is "free" health care if one can't actually, you know, receive it?

We already see that happening here as a result of ObamaCare's narrow networks and sky-high out-of-pocket costs (even leaving premiums aside).

/sigh

[Hat Tip: FoIB Holly R]

Privatizing CanuckCare©

We've written about the Canadian health care system many times over the years. It's "free," which means that one gets what one pays for. As with all such schemes, actual care is rationed, most often by the use of long wait times that work on the basis of attrition.

That's changing, however, at least in one Province:

"Wait times ... dropped significantly in the Saskatchewan province after private, for-profit clinics were introduced to the area."

On the one hand, this would seem blindingly obvious to anyone with even the most remote grasp of how markets work. But it's a hopeful sign that, at least for now, some government bureauweenie(s) "get" it.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time our Neighbors to the North© have considered privatizing at least a part of the health care sector.

From 2009:

"Hoping to capitalize on patients who might otherwise go to the U.S. for speedier care, a network of technically illegal private clinics and surgical centers has sprung up in British Columbia, echoing a trend in Quebec."

What's Canadian for "What took you so long?"

[Hat Tip: FoIB Holly R]

CanuckCare©/Medicare4All: A study

Shot:

My discussion with a friend who grew up in Canada, cautioning about single payer healthcare. There those who think Canda’s socialized healthcare works well, this will dissuade you. pic.twitter.com/qeKH5LIKoa

— Naomi Levin (@NaomiLevinNY) October 10, 2018

Chaser:

"On a Slippery Slope, Canadian Hospital Unveils Physician-Assisted Suicide Plan for ‘Sick Kids’"

Hat Tip: FoIB The Political Hat

MVNHS© and CanuckCare Update

Speaking of socialized medicine, here are two items from systems upon which The ObamaTax is modeled, in case you were wondering what our own health care will work:

"A premature baby who was given little chance of survival when he was born at 23 weeks has celebrated his first birthday."

That's the good news. His parents had been advised that he most likely wouldn't survive birth. And there's where things went sideways:

"The couple also claim that they were told they would receive no medical support if the baby weighed less than 1lb."

Such is life under government-run healthcare.

Another great feature of socialized medicine is the shortage of timely care. We're seeing this already under O'Care; it's only going to get worse from here.

But all is not necessarily lost - perhaps we can take a lesson from our Neighbors to the North©. Having to live with their own version, they've developed some interesting work-arounds. For example:

"Since 2003, Timely Medical Alternatives has been developing a network of over 20 facilities throughout Canada & the U.S., to help our clients access timely surgery at affordable prices."

Basically a medical tourism travel agency. No word yet on when they're opening their US branch(es).

[Hat Tip: FoIB Peter K]

Singer Quits, Medical Tourism Wins

Longtime entertainer and 4-time Grammy Award winner Michael Buble, whose hits include "Haven't Met You Yet" and "It's a Beautiful Day" has put his career on hold to care for his liver cancer-stricken son, Noah:

"Going through this with Noah, I didn’t question who I was, I just questioned everything else. Why are we here? 'Is this all there is? Because if this is all there is, there has to be something bigger."

A selfless act by a successful musician. Yasher koach, and may Noah experience a full recovery.

Which is all very noble, Henry, but what the heck does it have to do with insurance, let alone medical tourism?"

Well, as regular readers know, we have pointed out many times over the years that CanuckCare© may be free, but that doesn't mean it's terribly good. And how do we know this? Because folks with the resources to do so choose American health care when lives are at stake:

"Both he and Luisana put their careers on hold to be there for their son - they jetted to the US so Noah could undergo treatment for hepatoblastoma." [emphasis added]

Of course, with a $46 million a year income, he and his family can afford to do so. But what about average Joe Poutine?

Gives one pause, no?

[Hat Tip: FoIB Michael Bertaut]

Oh, Nuts!

From time to time, readers ask why we constantly refer to the MVNHS© or CanuckCare as exemplars of socialized medicine. After all, we're told, other countries also employ such schemes, to no ill effect. Perhaps they're right.

On a tip from Bob, we have this story from the land of meatballs:

"A Swedish man was forced to have his penis amputated after waiting more than a year to learn he had cancer."

Ooops.

Maybe that's not what our critics had in mind. But the cat's out of the bag, so to speak, and the details demonstrate that it's not just the British and Canadian systems that fall short. In this case, an otherwise healthy 60-year-old man had what appeared to be a urinary tract infection, but was instead diagnosed with "a simple case of inflammation" (and not the good kind, either). When the medication for that condition failed to make headway, he was directed to another facility.

Unfortunately, that fine establishment put him on a waiting list, so he went almost another half year before being seen. Problem is, it turned out that the "inflammation" was, in fact, cancer. Because he'd been denied treatment for so long, the only option left was amputation.

So much for the "heads above the rest" Swedish medical system.

But wait, there's more!

Lest we become too complacent about our own socialized medical scheme, aka Medicare, it's worth noting that "Medicare officials are debating whether the agency should cover a new prostate-cancer treatment."

At $93,000 a pop, one can understand why, but again, this smacks of rationing. One supposes that it's only fair, since Avastin, a treatment for women with breast cancer, is also under review. All of which makes sense, of course, if one presumes (as is only reasonable), that the Death Panels are real, and we're seeing their initial roll-out.

Life and Death, Back and Forth

Back and forth across The Pond, that is.

The ever outstanding folks at CanuckCare© continue as a credit to the medical profession:

"Despite their demands and pleadings, the doctor would not budge from his decision. In fact he deliberately hastened H’s end ... In less than 24 hours, H was dead."

At age 63, still in chemo, apparently responding to it.

But as with all government-run health "care" schemes, who pays the piper calls the tune. Best part? No recourse or accountability.

#Winning

And the "across" part? Well, that would be the heroes of the Much Vaunted National Health System©. In what certainly appears to be a replay of the Baby Charlie tragedy, "Lottie Woods-John was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma on June 30, 2016. She was just 2 years old."

The good news is that she received chemo and then surgery that removed 95% of the tumor, and is currently "undergoing immunotherapy to zap the rest of the cancerous cells in her body, but desperately needs an innovative vaccine treatment only available in the US."

The cost of this, which is of course not covered by the MVNHS©, is on the order of a quarter of a million dollars.

Ouch.

But there are still heroes in Jolly Old:

"A former Royal Marine who served in the Iraq War is selling his war medals to help pay for a little girl's ... cancer treatment."

His motivation is pretty remarkable, please read the whole thing.

But also remember why it's necessary.

[Hat Tip: Ace of Spades]

CanuckCare in Crisis

Last we looked, our Neighbors to the North© had some serious problems with their national health "care" scheme:

"Euthanasia became legal in Canada in June and by December Quebec bioethicists had already published an article in the Journal of Medical Ethics calling for organ donation after euthanasia."

How lovely. But certainly things have progressed and they're no longer in such a bind, right?

Um:

[Hat Tip: IP4PI‏]

Scary Health "Care" Tricks

And for once, it's not about The MVNHS© or CanuckCare©, but in our own Golden State:

"A California woman is accused of posing as a pharmacist and handling out nearly a million prescriptions before she was caught"

Turns out, she'd fraudulently claimed to have graduated from pharmacy school, and then "borrowed" the licenses of two other actual pharmacists with names similar to her own.

Yikes.

And Ms Le isn't the only one in trouble:

"The [California Board of Pharmacy] is looking at revoking Walgreens’s pharmacy license at the stores where Le worked. Walgreens couldn’t tell the Board if they’d requested or reviewed Le’s pharmacist license and couldn’t furnish her employment application during the agency’s investigation."

Ooops.

Seems like maybe they should be working on their employment screening process (although one wonders if there's a bit of a PC angle there, as well).

One wonders how much actual damage she might have done, though: there's no mention in the article of any pending civil litigation from her "patients."

Still my absolute favorite take-away is this:

"During questioning, Le told the Board “me and my son would be very grateful if you could just forget about this.”

I bet.