US passes Health care reform Bill

[Xavior]

IMO you make some very good and PRACTICAL points here.

there will be no real noticeable increase in lineups.

if you had to wait 10 mins before, maybe now you will have to wait 11 mins.

or if you had to wait 10 weeks for a procedure maybe u will wait 11 now.

In Canada I have never had to wait more than 30 mins to see my doctor as long as I had an appointment, I did wait at the ER for 2 hours once, but if u are actually seriously injured obviously they will see u right away and leave the guy with a broken pinky finger to wait.

Z

Are you kidding me? Canada suffers from a server shortage of doctors and nurses. Trying to find a family doctor taking new patients is like winning the 649. Not to mention that nurses are overworked and underpaid. Anything classified as 'non life threatening' in the ER has to line up for 5-6 hours before being able to see a doctor.

The big problem in Canada is the strict medical school application standards. We've been complaining about doctor shortages for a decade now, yet the amount of med students haven't gone up accordingly in response to this problem.

Bottom line, increase med school enrollment in Canada.

[MAGGIO]

Are you kidding me? Canada suffers from a server shortage of doctors and nurses. Trying to find a family doctor taking new patients is like winning the 649. Not to mention that nurses are overworked and underpaid. Anything classified as 'non life threatening' in the ER has to line up for 5-6 hours before being able to see a doctor.

The big problem in Canada is the strict medical school application standards. We've been complaining about doctor shortages for a decade now, yet the amount of med students haven't gone up accordingly in response to this problem.

Bottom line, increase med school enrollment in Canada.

Dude, you know your describing what is like in the US currently right? And we are paying for private insurance!

In my state they have for profit medical centers called "right time medical" that compete directly with the emergency room because the lines are so long. There are 5 of them with in a 30 mile radius of some of the best hostitals in the country. Anne Arundle Medical, John Hopkins, and Washington Medical. Ive driven 30 miles before for stiches and was there and back home in less than two hours when the ER was a 6-8hr wait. The cool part is that if you do not have insurance at these places you have to pay upfront. Now with more people being covered the ER may become a more viable option as it once was. Honestly I would rather be there if they had the time for me since they have all the latest equiptment.

[-Z-]

Are you kidding me? Canada suffers from a server shortage of doctors and nurses. Trying to find a family doctor taking new patients is like winning the 649. Not to mention that nurses are overworked and underpaid. Anything classified as 'non life threatening' in the ER has to line up for 5-6 hours before being able to see a doctor.

The big problem in Canada is the strict medical school application standards. We've been complaining about doctor shortages for a decade now, yet the amount of med students haven't gone up accordingly in response to this problem.

Bottom line, increase med school enrollment in Canada.

hold on...

What part of Canada are you in Xav?

My family Doctor retied 2 years ago and I was able to find a new doctor within 3 months, before I needed an appointment, without any problem.

In my town (Hanover, ON) we have no shortage of doctors, and our nurses seem to be paid a fair wage. (I know 2 of them that work at the local hospital, they seem happy with their work and wage, although I have not grilled them on it)

My town is only 8k people, and we have a few factories, and lots of retail, but nursing at the hospital or either of the medical clinics here is looked upon as a good job.

again, Xav... where do you live? is your town impoverished?

Every time in my life that I have been to a hospital I have never waited more than 2 hours.

I have been to hospitals in:

London Ontario - London Health Sciences Centre, Children’s Hospital
- Victoria Hospital

Hanover Ontario - Hanover & District Hospital

Owen Sound - Grey Bruce Regional Health Centre


These are the only 4 hospitals I can specifically remember being in (all in ontario)

I visited a walk in medical clinic in Alberta, where I was looked after without an appointment in only 20 mins. (perhaps lucky)

Where is it you Live Xav? not in Ontario I assume?

what you are describing is terrible service...

I have had some grandparents that have been sick with Cancer and they were sent to specialists in the area in good time... my family has never had any major issues with the health care system in Ontario.

We have a lot of people here, and our federal and provincial governments seem to recognize this, and treat our citizens as if their health was important.

I seem to hear on the radio often (quarterly it seems) about some sort of grants or improvements for medical services in the area.

Where do you live Xav?

Z

[-Z-]

Are you kidding me? Canada suffers from a server shortage of doctors and nurses. Trying to find a family doctor taking new patients is like winning the 649. Not to mention that nurses are overworked and underpaid. Anything classified as 'non life threatening' in the ER has to line up for 5-6 hours before being able to see a doctor.

The big problem in Canada is the strict medical school application standards. We've been complaining about doctor shortages for a decade now, yet the amount of med students haven't gone up accordingly in response to this problem.

Bottom line, increase med school enrollment in Canada.

7 months ago I went in with a Tooth ache to the ER to get some meds. I saw a doctor in 25-35 minutes and was out within 45 mins.

aprox 2 years ago I went in to the ER with a badly sprained ankle. I was seen IMMEDIATELY, given a shot or morphine, and sent home with some meds quickly.

There has been times where I acctually had to wait an hour or 2... but what you are describing Xav is terribly inaccurate, and it is these types of claims that lead those crazy GOP members in the USA to make statements that paint Canada as a pit of disease and malpractice.

Please narrow your scope and describe some conditions in your area...

My family and I have lived in Southern Ontario for many years, and we have had good experiences with the health care here, so when someone goes bashing it, I take concern with that, because health is my vitality, literally my life.

I can speak for at least south western ontario in saying that we have generally good health care.

Personally I would say we Have EXCELLENT health care, but that is my personal experience, and that of my family and friends.

I am sure there are those out there that have not had as good of experiences, but I can say with confidence that in my neck of the woods (which is a densely populated area) we have at least GOOD health care.

Z

[Xavior]

Well not everyone is so privilledged to live in Southern Ontario

I live(d) in Northern BC, town of 70k. I can attest due to personal circumstances, that the ER wait is hours and hours long, especially during weekends and during the morning hours. There was only 1 doctor on staff during the night and he was so incompetent we had to wait for him to call a more experienced doctor to come to the hospital. Doctor shortages and Nurse overworking has been talked about for years now. At least in our part of the country. Another Medical School was established in our community maybe 7-8 years ago exactly for that reason. The only problem is that the size of enrollment is so small, and its tied with UBC/UVIC so its not exactly producing a lot of doctors. I think the graduating class is like 12 students per year. Maybe send some of yours over to the ever neglected west?

[Piker]

No matter what Beeno your gonna pay 7.5% to fica EXCLUDING state and federal. Then you employer is also going to match that 7.5%. So as it stands you pay 7.5 and your employer pay 7.5 which is 15% of what you make goes towards SS, Medicare and Medicade. So already 15% of what I make is going to the non working and barely working. Now grant it older retired types did pay SS the whole time but mostly it was like when a 1960 $1 is now equal to a 2010 $20 due to inflation and such.

BeeNo to answer your question about taxes... A person who has 0 dependants can expect OVER 20% of their pay check to be with held for taxes, and that is at a very low tax bracket. The more you make the more they take. Unless your rich and can hire real good accountants so they can "hide" your money from the gov in various ways.

I made just a little under $20k last year combined between Michigan and New York. My taxes were roughly $6k for the year, including SSI and stuff. Quite ridiculous for a single guy who lives below the poverty level....

[-Z-]

i made only 16k canadian last year...

I paid under 1k of that to income tax...

in Canada if u make under 10k u pay no tax.

the 1st 10k u make is exempt from tax.

so i only paid tax on the 6k I made, which at 15% (lowest tax bracket) equates to aprox. 900$.

If i were to have made 20k Id have paid tax on the laster 10k, because the 1st 10k anyone makes is exempt.

We have a higher retail tax here in Canada I think.


Z

[Piker]

6% here in Michigan, 7% if you live in New York. orrr 11% if you are in NYC.

[-Z-]

6% here in Michigan, 7% if you live in New York. orrr 11% if you are in NYC.

is that retail tax?

in Ontario it is 13%. (this is federal and provincial combined)

I know in Alberta they do not pay any provincial tax, so I believe the tax is only 7 or 8% there, all federal.

Z

[totte]

in sweden the income tax starts at 30-32% depending on wich part of the country your in the value-added tax is for most things is 25% there are a few eceptions that are at 12 and 6% thou.

you can get to wait a fair bit of time at the ER in sweden if your injury is minor it all comes down to how severe your injury and how much they have going at the time... was waiting in an examination room for 5 hours once whith a hole i my head