Obamacare success stories please

[chobie]

Being from Ohio and living close to Cleveland Clinic and Canada.

I have always wondered if health care in Canada is so great then why do Canadians that can afford to come to the Cleveland clinic for just basic care?

I really know nothing about Canada health care system, just what Canadians and the stupid talking heads on the news tell me.

Maybe a fellow diser from Canada can explain this?????

How often does this happen?

 

[lauradis]

Come again?

Btw, I'm all for taxing unhealthy food if it would make healthcare free for all.

Smoking is horrible it will slowly kill you and cost a ton to do and health care cost of treating smoking related side effects is now less then treating health related cost of obesity.

Obesity related illnesses surpassed smoking illnesses about 5 years ago, but since it very non pc to talk about fat people being a bigger drain of resources of health care cost then evil smokers no one talks about it.

I call the new obesity syndrome "death by cheeseburger".

Goggle it there are tons of studies from all over the world if your interested.

 

[lauradis]

How often does this happen?

I have part time gig at hotel close to Cleveland clinic and i would say at least 2 times out of the week that im there we have guest that get treatments at clinic.

I don't know that's why I asked?

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

Being from Ohio and living close to Cleveland Clinic and Canada.

I have always wondered if health care in Canada is so great then why do Canadians that can afford to come to the Cleveland clinic for just basic care?

I really know nothing about Canada health care system, just what Canadians and the stupid talking heads on the news tell me.

Maybe a fellow diser from Canada can explain this?????

For the same reason that people travel from all over the USA (and the rest of the world) to the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Children's Hospital of Boston, etc. There are certain medical centers that truly ARE better than others, and to which it would be worth traveling, but that's not the majority of people or the majority of care (in Canada OR in the USA).

As for why they'd do it for routine care, as you know from working there, Cleveland Clinic is an integrated medical practice that is best at coordinating a patient's full spectrum of care, so while some may go there only for complex care, many people keep their primary care physician at the Cleveland or Mayo Clinic to serve as the quarterback of their medical team, so it makes sense to travel there for routine care.

By the way, if you call Cleveland Clinic today as a new patient and try to get a routine dermatology appointment, I'd wager the wait is 3-4 months, minimum. The good places in this country have major waiting lists, as well.

 

[chobie]

I have part time gig at hotel close to Cleveland clinic and i would say at least 2 times out of the week that im there we have guest that get treatments at clinic.

I don't know that's why I asked?

Really, so twice a week a hotel guest will tell you about their medical treatment?

 

[lauradis]

Really, so twice a week a hotel guest will tell you about their medical treatment?

yep and tons of other crazy things.

Best and most interesting job I have ever had. The travel benefits are great.

 

[chobie]

yep and tons of other crazy things.

Best and most interesting job I have ever had. The travel benefits are great.

So, why don't you ask them why they aren't at home getting their free healthcare?

 

[Colleen27]

Another solution would be to end the subsidies that allow "unhealthy" foods to be so much less expensive than "healthy" ones

This. And it wouldn't even involve additional bureaucracy or government spending - it would <gasp> shrink federal spending while having a trickle-down social and economic benefit. I wouldn't even think about moving subsidies; that would just net us a version of HFCS and other science-project additives made from apples or tomatoes or whatever is being subsidized. Corn didn't start out as junk food; much of the junk we have today is a direct consequence of corn being artificially cheap.

But since good health doesn't have a lobby we're going to get a farm bill that expands subsidies while cutting food stamps, which only ensures that "cheap" will win out over "healthy" at the grocery store even more often.

 

[dansamy]

This. And it wouldn't even involve additional bureaucracy or government spending - it would <gasp> shrink federal spending while having a trickle-down social and economic benefit. I wouldn't even think about moving subsidies; that would just net us a version of HFCS and other science-project additives made from apples or tomatoes or whatever is being subsidized. Corn didn't start out as junk food; much of the junk we have today is a direct consequence of corn being artificially cheap.

But since good health doesn't have a lobby we're going to get a farm bill that expands subsidies while cutting food stamps, which only ensures that "cheap" will win out over "healthy" at the grocery store even more often.

And it ensures that those on the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder continue to be perceived as slovenly, fat, lazy leeches attached to the government teat. It's really hard to eat healthy, fresh foods if your food stamps are your entire grocery budget and you have to make them stretch. It's even harder when you don't have extra funds or storage space to take advantage of sales cycles to stock up.

 

[chobie]

And it ensures that those on the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder continue to be perceived as slovenly, fat, lazy leeches attached to the government teat. It's really hard to eat healthy, fresh foods if your food stamps are your entire grocery budget and you have to make them stretch. It's even harder when you don't have extra funds or storage space to take advantage of sales cycles to stock up.

Of course if a food stamp recipient filled their cart with fish, skinless chicken breasts and fresh produce we would hear complaints about how the working person behind then in line had to buy dented canned veggies and week old hamburger discounted for quick sale.

 

[Muushka]

So what I gather is that food stamps can and should be used to buy junk food and everyone is OK with that. Right?

I just want to understand the mindset.

 

[dansamy]

So what I gather is that food stamps can and should be used to buy junk food and everyone is OK with that. Right?

I just want to understand the mindset.

That's not what ANY of us said. At all. Certain foods are higher calorie and lower priced. Pasta is cheap. So are beans. Fish and chicken aren't. Beef and pork aren't. Fresh vegetables and fruits, which aren't necessarily even available in some urban areas, are expensive. Canned veggies and fruits are much lower value in nutrition, but they're cheaper & they'll keep. White sandwich bread & regular HFCS filled peanut butter are cheap. HFCS free wheat bread & natural peanut butter aren't.

 

[Muushka]

That's not what ANY of us said. At all. Certain foods are higher calorie and lower priced. Pasta is cheap. So are beans. Fish and chicken aren't. Beef and pork aren't. Fresh vegetables and fruits, which aren't necessarily even available in some urban areas, are expensive. Canned veggies and fruits are much lower value in nutrition, but they're cheaper & they'll keep. White sandwich bread & regular HFCS filled peanut butter are cheap. HFCS free wheat bread & natural peanut butter aren't.

OK, so if everyone is not saying that food stamps should be used for junk food, why is it that people don't get upset when food stamps are being used to purchase junk food ie; soda, chips, ice cream etc? Wouldn't that be one way to help the obesity epidemic? Also not be allowed to use them at fast food restaurants. What is wrong with that mentality?

 

[chobie]

So what I gather is that food stamps can and should be used to buy junk food and everyone is OK with that. Right?

I just want to understand the mindset.

You know what? I am ok with a kid getting a treat once in awhile, even if his parents are getting assistance.

 

[johde]

12-18 months! That is ludicrous.. That is far from being the norm in canada. Average wait time in Ontario is less then 60 days (less if urgent of course).

I am so happy to hear about those now being able to be insured. I have pre-existing medical conditions and in the past year have gone through cancer treatment and have had a high risk pregnancy/birth. I can only imagine how much in debt I would be without insurance.

That may be the case, but that's not the perception coming from the Canadian media. The link I referenced was from an article on Canadian website on deciding between a free public MRI and paying for a private MRI.

The same way you believe the Canadian media exaggerated things, the U.S. media is prone to exaggeration as well. The vast majority of American are satisfied with the quality of healthcare they receive. There are problems in the financing of it. But what country isn't having trouble with that.

 

[Muushka]

You know what? I am ok with a kid getting a treat once in awhile, even if his parents are getting assistance.

How about if they bought that treat with their own money?

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

And it ensures that those on the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder continue to be perceived as slovenly, fat, lazy leeches attached to the government teat. It's really hard to eat healthy, fresh foods if your food stamps are your entire grocery budget and you have to make them stretch. It's even harder when you don't have extra funds or storage space to take advantage of sales cycles to stock up.

Of course if a food stamp recipient filled their cart with fish, skinless chicken breasts and fresh produce we would hear complaints about how the working person behind then in line had to buy dented canned veggies and week old hamburger discounted for quick sale.

There is no way I can add more to support to these posts without getting into trouble, so I'll merely say

 

[chobie]

How about if they bought that treat with their own money?

I'm ok with them buying an occasional treat with MY tax money. Of course, the main reason I want them to eat healthy is because I want them to be healthy, not because of some self-righteous indignation that a person who can't afford to buy food should have every morsel they put in their mouths dictated by me,

But since we're on this subject, how is it anyone can know when someone is using an EBT card? I have never noticed what type of card the person in front of me pays with. One would have to be purposely looking over someone's shoulder trying to see what type of card a person was swiping to know that, and that's rude IMO.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm ok with them buying an occasional treat with MY tax money. Of course, the main reason I want them to eat healthy is because I want them to be healthy, not because of some self-righteous indignation that a person who can't afford to buy food should have every morsel they put in their mouths dictated by me,

But since we're on this subject, how is it anyone can know when someone is using an EBT card? I have never noticed what type of card the person in front of me pays with. One would have to be purposely looking over someone's shoulder trying to see what type of card a person was swiping to know that, and that's rude IMO.

You know what they can spend their entire EBT balance on junk just as long as they don't whine and complain that they aren't getting enough to feed their kids breakfast, lunch and dinner for the month

 

[chobie]

You know what they can spend their entire EBT balance on junk just as long as they don't whine and complain that they aren't getting enough to feed their kids breakfast, lunch and dinner for the month

I agree.