We are in Norway

[ecotourist]

Delays in urgent healthcare in Canada?

I got a pacemaker the day after my problem was identified. I was admitted to the hospital late in the day and got the procedure about 1:00 pm the next day. The booked cases took precedence but they kept my heart beating meanwhile with an IV drug.

I saw a neurologist a couple of years ago because I had begun having migraine auras - which shouldn't be happening at my age. The neurologist became quite worried about a strange dizzy spell that had hung on for many hours. I had a CT scan that afternoon and an MRI the next day. [The neurologist said I had a "perfect brain". I already knew that.]

My wife had a routine colonoscopy and cancer was discovered. She saw a surgeon within a week and had surgery 4 days later. There has been no recurrence or any sign of trouble in over 5 years. Rapid access to care probably saved her life.

Yes you could wait for a year or more for elective hip or knee replacement and that isn't good, but it isn't an urgent matter either.

In my experience care for urgent matters is actually pretty fast.

 

[goblin]

Drop mic.

 

[KrisZ]

Drop mic.

lol, you’re welcome to move there and experience the utopia yourself.

 

[CKN]

Not sure what you mean here. In US you can easily drive to another private hospital in another city or state, if the ones near you are fully booked. You have no such option in Canada. You're simply put on a waiting list and you can't travel out of province, because the gov will refuse the service. Since they're footing the bill, they can dictate the terms.
That's why many people choose to travel to US or even Europe to get their treatment immediately, instead of waiting for months.

You don't have that option to leave your state to go to another hospital with certain Medicare Advantage Plans. This would have a very negative impact on your wallet.

 

[KrisZ]

You don't have that option to leave your state to go to another hospital with certain Medicare Advantage Plans. This would have a very negative impact on your wallet.

But you have that choice, that’s the point.

 

[goblin]

The point is that someone should shut up first before the thread goes completely to the crappers, and I'll give the example by being the first one to do so .
I have only lived in two countries with free healthcare before coming to the US, so my knowledge can't measure with the throve of knowledge above. I now realize I'm so lucky I made it out of those alive. Whew !
Cheers

 

[KrisZ]

I have only lived in two countries with free healthcare before coming to the US, so my knowledge can't measure with the throve of knowledge above. I now realize I'm so lucky I made it out of those alive. Whew !
Cheers

So the awesome healthcare in those two countries wasn’t enough to keep you there?

 

[goblin]

So the awesome healthcare in those two countries wasn’t enough to keep you there?

The temptation of coming here to tease know it alls was stronger

 

[CKN]

But you have that choice, that’s the point.

We disagree-with financial considerations-you really don't have a choice-UNLESS money is no object.

 

[loneryder]

Ahead is subjective … also Norway is the size of a postage stamp compared to the USA both in population and geography.
One county on Long Island NY is almost the entire population of Norway for example and New Mexico is close to the same land mass of Norway.

Cannot be compared to the USA

That’s what I was saying.

 

[Olds394]

Not sure what you mean here. In US you can easily drive to another private hospital in another city or state, if the ones near you are fully booked. You have no such option in Canada. You're simply put on a waiting list and you can't travel out of province, because the gov will refuse the service. Since they're footing the bill, they can dictate the terms.
That's why many people choose to travel to US or even Europe to get their treatment immediately, instead of waiting for months.

I believe medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in the USA. Do you disagree or have any thoughts on that?
I agree it would be tough to wait for care but it would be worse to lose everything just because my wife or myself got sick.
Yes, I know in that scenario I should have planned ahead, but a lot of people should have. One of the latest examples would be, idk someone who plants soybeans.

 

[Sedin26]

Both medical systems have advantages and disadvantages.

In BC, my family doctor retired. I was very lucky to get one about a year later but he’s from Nigeria and doesn’t speak English well. He makes mistakes with medications. I cannot get another doctor so I keep him and am careful.

Going to a walk in clinic is almost impossible. You have to be in line VERY early and then it might happen. The emergency rooms are overrun by people who can’t see a doctor so have no choice.

On the other hand, my dad had a routine colonoscopy last year and bowel cancer was found. He got into a specialist and had surgery very quickly.

Again on the other side, my mom had her 2nd knee replacement early this year. It took about 4 years from when she got into the waiting list until both were done. It greatly affected her quality of life.

There are private surgical centres in Canada where you can get electives such as knee and hip replacements quickly, by paying for them. However, you cannot do this in your own province. Mom would have had to travel to Alberta to pay for a private surgery.

It’s a good system but is broken right now. Many more family doctors and surgeons are required for it to improve.

 

[WeyounDS9]

Specifically Oslo and now Bergen. Almost all taxi/Ubers are EV. Lots of Teslas, a few Toyota EVs. Norway gets about 97% of its electricity from hydroelectric plants.

This country is going GREEN.

Norway would be as poor as Moldova if it wasnt for the oil income from the North Sea fields.
Thats the sole reason Norwegians are so comfortable (for now).

PS: I pay approx 7 USD per gallon here in GE right now.

 

[97prizm]

That's a good incentive to go electric.

I'd be livid as Norway taxes the heck out of gas as from what I'm told most of their oil is exported.

 

[4WD]

Not sure what you mean here. In US you can easily drive to another private hospital in another city or state, if the ones near you are fully booked. You have no such option in Canada. You're simply put on a waiting list and you can't travel out of province, because the gov will refuse the service. Since they're footing the bill, they can dictate the terms.
That's why many people choose to travel to US or even Europe to get their treatment immediately, instead of waiting for months.

Many folks can only remember their own experiences - like it takes a long time to book their favorite doctor.
Well, I can go to my insurance website and surf through pages and pages of doctors - and check for next opening online.
I have done this and read reviews - never had a single one I regretted

 

[fdcg27]

You don't have that option to leave your state to go to another hospital with certain Medicare Advantage Plans. This would have a very negative impact on your wallet.

Yet another good reason to avoid the free lunch offer of a Medicare Advantage plan.

 

[E365]

Cool, we could talk cars and EVs and charging-infrastructure but this will probably get locked now…

 

[4WD]

Norway would be as poor as Moldova if it wasnt for the oil income from the North Sea fields.
Thats the sole reason Norwegians are so comfortable (for now).

PS: I pay approx 7 USD per gallon here in GE right now.

Both geologically and geographically fortunate … not magically different …

 

[CKN]

Yet another good reason to avoid the free lunch offer of a Medicare Advantage plan.

34 million have Medicare Advantage plan representing 54% of people eligible for Medicare. It's up form 19% in 2007. You are covered out of state for Emergency Rooms and Insta care. The issues come in with should you need EXTENDED hospitalization outside your home states under SOME plans.

Medicare is inadequate as well-that's why you need all the supplemental policies-that I am assuming you have.

 

[ecotourist]

There are private surgical centres in Canada where you can get electives such as knee and hip replacements quickly, by paying for them. However, you cannot do this in your own province. Mom would have had to travel to Alberta to pay for a private surgery.

That is correct. There are private clinics in Canada where you can get many procedures done. To access them you must be from out of province and pay the full freight.

In general they do "day procedures" but some will have post op patients stay in a nearby hotel where you're monitored by a nurse overnight or for a day or two. If there are complications you would be admitted to a local hospital - which (while logical) is actually an abuse of the public system.