Brickbat: Take a Number

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Dr. Joy Hataley, an Ontario physician, says she was stunned when she referred one of her patients to a neurologist at Kingston General Hospital and was told it would be 4.5 years before the patient could get an appointment. She was told if that was unacceptable she could send the patient to a neurologist in another city.

Comments

[Libertarian]

Health care delayed is health care denied.

[Telcontar the Wanderer]

If only Comrade Trudeau knew!

[Libertarian]

Thank goodness it was only an appointment with a neurologist and not something important.

[Rebel Scum]

4.5 years before the patient could get an appointment

Healthcare is a right, just not right now.

[Longtobefree]

But it is FREE!!

[Fist of Etiquette]

The letter says that if Hataley deems the time frame "unacceptable," she could opt to refer her patient to specialists in other cities.

If she doesn't like it, she can GET OUT.

[cgr2727]

The letter?

Dear Sir/Madam/Xe/Monsieur/Madame (it is Candada after all): we regret to inform you that we discovered a massive hemorrhage during your last emergency room visit. Please be advised that the next available appointment to correct this situation is in three weeks, unless everyone in line before you bleeds out (read as "bleeds oot").

[loveconstitution1789]

Socialized health care is the best in the World!

Best...in...the...World.

[Leo Kovalensky]

Yes but that is not the socialized healthcare we want. We want the kind that doesn't lead to a shortage of healthcare.

[loveconstitution1789]

So, you want free market healthcare then?

Because that's the only way to get health care that has the lowest prices, best care, and least amount of shortages.

[frankania]

Like here in Mexico where we get medical and dental "tourists" by the thousands, who pay 15 or 20% of USA and Canada rates...and receive immediate services. Come on down!

[Fuck you, Shikha (Nunya)]

What would Alex Jones do with information like this if it were to happen in the US?

[Quo Usque Tandem]

Another developed nation with universal health care that we should emulate. Fuck the details, it's the right thing to do.

[buddhastalin]

She directed her tweet at Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Kingston MPP Sophie Kiwala, simply asking: "Please explain."

Easy. Government inevitably underprovides goods and services. The problem is compounded when users do not directly pay, if at all, and hence dissociate costs from benefits. Hence in healthcare, you get long wait times. In infrastructure, you get congested roads. In the legal system, you get court cases that span years.

[Brandybuck]

This is our future. Welcome to it.

[Feminist Killjoy]

I lived in Ottawa for nearly ten years (the things I do for love) and had a doctor for nearly 8 months out of that entire time. I'd periodically call around to see if anyone was accepting patients while I kept going to the rude, awful clinic near me because I had to renew a prescription every 3 months for something I should have been able to get over the counter (low dose BC). I once accidentally pulled my grocery list out of my purse when I was there and the clinic doctor nearly fled out of the room because you're only allowed one issue per visit.

Anyway, finally lucked out and met a great, friendly doctor. His wife was also from the states and a specialist in something that I do not recall. Months later they move to another province because although her speciality was in demand in the area, the province wasn't hiring for it. And they were warned it could be years for a job to open up.

I've since moved to another province and I love it here, but I'm on a waitlist with like thirty thousand others (this is a lot in a population of less than a million) and it could be years before I get a doctor - any doctor, even one I don't like.

[GroundTruth]

A local bumper sticker reads "Single Payer: It's Fair, It works!".

Yeah, sure.

[cgr2727]

Are we to take this story as a hint that Rufus needs his head examined?