Nov
07
Can’t Go Home
By
Description: What do you think of when you imagine an American living in exile, unable to return home? This is a profile of two Americans living in Canada who can’t return to the US because they’re unable to get health care. If you’ve seen the “Shona Holmes” video, watch this too. Health care reform now! … “health care” “health care reform” exile “canada health care” canada turtlebox “shona holmes” “canadian health care” “socialist health care” “universal health care” “non profits & Activism” …
25 Comments
November 7th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Absolutely. We need to take lesson from you guys and model our health care system after yours.
November 7th, 2009 at 1:48 am
USA is doomed for sure….I’m immigrating to Canada!
November 7th, 2009 at 2:14 am
Better than that, I was a northern Canadian for a couple of years and people were regularly flown out for medical treatment, my own father being one of them. The company had planes spefically for that purpose. There was no accessby road, so the only way to get people to medical treatment was fly them out and that was done on a regular basis.
November 7th, 2009 at 3:09 am
Perhaps you should talk to Northern Canadians additionally many individuals who live on settlements and reservations. I live in an urban area and recognize that many Canadians (Northern, aboriginal and remote peoples) do not get essential medical care in a timely fashion. There are so many cases even in urban settings that are cited on all major broadcasting systems. One must broaden their scope of what is known outside of their immediate family/community.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Canadians do, in fact, get essential care I’ve gotten essential care for which I wouldn’t be alive today and my mother got an essential bypass in 2 days. It is totally misleading to say that Canadians do not get essential care. It’s in the US where 45,000 people a year die from lack of medical care. Everyone I know, as well as myself and my family has gotten nnedd and essential care in Canada.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:46 am
Please read this more carefully. Character limitations forced deletion of words (i.e. from US was deleted and should be implied).
If residing elsewhere, there is a possibility that the benefactors may not be alive but more likely would not possess a normal life. The sense of entitlement and self-victimization is distasteful. If it was produced in an alternate perspective – capitalizing on the positive it would be less offensive. Many Canadians lack essential care – think about it people!
November 7th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Basically, US insurance companies profit based decisions about pre existing conditions make them exiles. This demonstrates the worst of a very bad insurance run US health care system, badly in need of reform.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:30 am
These people are not exiled by Canada, they are exiled by the insurance companies in the US because they and their families have pre-existing conditions.
November 7th, 2009 at 6:24 am
I don’t ever pay a cent for medical, Dental and I only pay pennies for all prescriptions. Same goes for my wife and kids. I have a government job and all of it is covered. I’m sure there are companies in the US that also have those same benefits.
November 7th, 2009 at 6:35 am
2795fallis, how are you able to talk with your head so far up your ass, quite impressive, you lying sack of shit
November 7th, 2009 at 7:16 am
In the US, we have choices. In Canada, you have none. Let’s turn to cancer treatment…just for fun! In Ontario, you have 12 drugs approved. In BC, 50 drugs are approved. In the US…over 200! There is a 20 % survival gap between the two countries. BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan pay for the drugs. Others pay only a portion. PEI residents pay $65 k out of pocket–or die.
Are PEI residents exiles? One tier =many tears. Grow a spine. Stand up for your rights. Demand health care choice. We are!
November 7th, 2009 at 7:27 am
I am a proud Canadian & find this segment bordering offensive. These individuals are not exiled. A lesson in graciousness is needed. If I was provided superb healthcare without worry of cost it would make me feel extremely grateful to the country & citizens.
Understandably, these individuals miss their friends & family. The Canadian system allows them a way of life they would not have otherwise no one prohibits them from moving home.
Count your blessings!
November 7th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Stopandthinkforamin: it is interesting you bring the point of Canadians travelling to the US up. The point that is often missed here is that for cases like this where someone cannot get treatment in time due to various factors the Canadian system actually pays for Canadians to get treatment in your country.
November 7th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Um. That’s sort of the point. It’s ironic. It’s a preposderous form of exile that exists for no reason other than the corporate greed of insurance companies.
We certainly feel for people living under oppressive governments like Zimbabwe.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:09 am
How lame. Only an affluent, educated person would equate living in a country with an incredible standard of living and outstanding medical care and public insurance would equate that will exile.
You don’t live in Zimbabwe; you live in British Columbia. Don’t insult real exiles and refugees.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:26 am
ugh! this entire piece is so misleading. You make it sound like you are forbidden from entering the US and compare yourself to a terrorist in the beginning. You ARE allowed back in the country, ou just have to pay for your healthcare. There is a HUGE difference. If you had millions of dollars you would be using much different terminology to refer to your situation. You should consider renaming this video “WON’T go home”, or “Can’t Go Home Because I Can’t Afford to”
November 7th, 2009 at 10:05 am
The problem is not pre-existing conditions. The problem is private health insurance.
November 7th, 2009 at 10:57 am
lame54, in the words of Senator Frank, stop, “arguing with the dining room table”, aka stopandthinkforamin. That is the problem with this country, individuals like him don’t believe universal healthcare is a “moral obligaion” or a “basic right.” It is obvious he does not care about your case, just review his comment, “when I turn 65-yes I intend to get medicare.” And more than likely he is a Christian, I wonder why Jesus would really say about your actions and thoughts stopandthingforamin?
November 7th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Listen- I do not want to pry into your personal life. I do not know what ins. co. you had or what treatment they denied your son. I believe that no matter what it was, they were wrong. I feel that you should have some kind of recourse against them. I still disagree about creating a Gov’t run HCS .
November 7th, 2009 at 11:33 am
I know he would have gotten the care cause gets his medication and treatment now on medicare with no wait. But hey if you want to continue having the uninsured receive very expensive care (that is only to stabilize, not treat) via the emergency room, that you and I pay for through taxes and higher prems. seems like the Insurance Industry is going to give you your wish.
November 7th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I repeat we regulated health insurance and they lobbied until that was done away with, we enacted tough laws and they paid their fines, because it was cheaper than paying actual claims. If you stated you wanted to put a few Ceo’s in jail or take away their yearly bonus for denying claims, than I might believe that you were in favor of real reform. So I will ask you again what reform would you suggest. btw we have the same amount of people seeing the docs just want to take the middle man out.
November 7th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
As I stated- We need Reform, but you are acting as if 300 million people on Gov’t ins is a good thing? Do you really think that your son would not have waited if he had to be on a waiting list with 300 million ppl?? Gov’t HC will ruin our country and I would rather other options. I saw a video of a man in Canada who had to wait for an MRI for a Brain Tumor..He came to the USA and got treated ASAP. If he would have waited for the ov’t- he would have died
November 7th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
so why not just make it available for all? Instead of paying into the Insurance Industry. They make enough from other types of policies, health care is too important to allow $ to be put into someone’s pocket for profit I have already paid into it for 40 years and would rather put what I pay for my private ins as well. HR676 is medicare for all. The compromise was HR3200. but the Insurance Co and Republicans are not willing to negotiate in good faith. You think they will allow HC reform?
patty
November 7th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
They want to cut waste not care. Hopefully they will start with plan D and get the Ins Co out of medicare. So what “true Reform” would you suggest. We tried regulating them (but they managed to change that), enacted tough laws (that mean nothing if there are no punitive penalties) .
November 7th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Govt. run health care made sure he got the medical attention he needed. My son is crippled because my Ins. Co. questioned everything his doctor said was needed. He was made to wait 6 months to see a specialist. Please do not insult me I live every day with what the Ins. Co stole from my son. Where in the above vid did you see that child wait, like mine was made to wait. I paid $400 a month for years for my Ins and when I needed it , they did everything they could to deny care.
patty