Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by RGA (A) on July 14, 2007 at 15:42:38

In Reply to: RE: From the previews I see he makes the point that the UN ranks the USA at #37, just above Slovenia, in health care. posted by clarkjohnsen on July 13, 2007 at 08:19:16

It is CNN who said that Michael Moore Ignored that and did not tell us. I guess you did not see Gupta the next day apologize to Moore about misquoting the numbers - He also apologized to Moore.

Gupta and CNN also agreed with Moore that on the whole the film is correct and that the US health care system is clearly broken. Gupta argued that wait times were better in the US especially elective surgery - Moore replied that that's easy to do when unlike in socialized countries they don't ignore 1/4 the population. The line is faster when 47 million people are removed from the line. Gupta had to sheepishly agree.

As a Canadian I don't have to worry about a single medical cost save some drugs (but only if I am earning enough to pay for them).

The argument is that Canada is taxed to death. Well that depends on what one views as taxed to death. Each Province is slightly different. There is a 7% tax on all Goods and Services (but not food or clothes and supplies for children). Then there is an additional 7 or 8% provincial tax on most goods. There is no provincial tax in the oil rich province of Alberta.

Federal Income tax is 15.25% on people earning less than $37,000.00 but the first ~$9,000.00 is tax exempt. From $37k - $73k the tax rate is around 22%. From $72-$120k is 26%, more than $118k it is 29%

Speaking to an American from Montana the rates are very similar except that he gets no medical.

When a man who loses two fingers has to choose which finger to sew back on "I'm sorry sir but your index finger will cost you $12,000.00 and your middle finger will cost $60,000.00 shall we do the operation?" "he could only afford the $12,000 so they threw the other finger in the trash bin."

Sorry but that is appalling to me. I can't imagine how a doctor can live with himself/herself in such an idiotic system.

And even Americans must know how morally and ethically bankrupt the drug industry is. I mean in Canada and American can come across the border and buy the same drugs at pennies on the dollar. Meanwhile George W and his cronies will say that those Drugs are not FDA or AMA approved. Since the drugs were made in the States to start with that is a ludicrous LIE. And even if the drug was made in Canada - we have some of the finest technology and research centers in the world - so if the drug was made in Canada they would be every bit as safe and probably more-so than ones made in the U.S. because they would be made as curatives not as dependent life long symptom reducers to increase profits for the big drug companies.