[DianneS]

The healthcare crisis in the US has sparked lots of debates. I am a third generation Californian, was born & raised in Calif. My husband & I came to Canada 13 years ago to build a home and vacation here and fell in love with the place - result: we became Canadian citizens after 4 years of lots of paperwork and hard work.

The reason I am writing this is to comment on the US healthcare system versus the Canadian system. I have, of course, relatives in the US who write me about what's going on, I listen to the news and not just Fox, and CNN, I hear the humorous stories by Fox and CNN about Canadians who are desperate for care and can't get it in Canada so they go to the States (I have yet to meet these people). My husband & I had what would be considered 'good' care while we lived in the States. We both worked for a school district. However, our coverage would be reduced every year, our premiums would increase, our co-pays would increase, etc. We ended up in an HMO which was a nightmare. It was expensive and we were limited as to which physicians we could see.

My daughter who lives in Calif is struggling with making medical insurance payments. I suspect a lot of 20 and 30 year olds are in this predicament. A lot of people can't afford ANY care.

I can choose whatever doctor I want. If big business chooses your doctors in the States, what is that called?

Having experienced BOTH medical systems, I must say I prefer the national healthcare we have here in Canada. It may not be perfect - nothing in life is - but at least everyone is covered. My husband and I pay a grand total of $96 PER MONTH for BOTH of us and that covers absolutely everything. We pay zero for x-rays, lab, doctor visits, specialist visits, hosp. care, ER visits - you name it. No deductibles. Our pharmacy bills are covered under Pharmacare which uses a sliding scale to determine costs. I never had anything this good in the States and I challenge anyone to say they can match this type of quality care for what I'm paying per month. Americans MUST get over the apparent fear that they have of the word 'socialized medicine', as if this implies some plot or something. America has already 'socialized' their schools, post offices, military and banks (with the recent bail outs). The AMA and pharmaceutical companies have a huge stake in keeping things the way they are, and making the average American pay big bucks for medical care. Medical care isn't a luxury, for God's sake - it's a necessity! The rest of the world has figured that out.

As for the long waiting periods you guys hear that we Canadians have to see a doctor I can tell you that's a falsehood. If someone has ELECTIVE surgery they may wait a few months, but if it is life threatening you get care ASAP. I know - I had an aneurysm fixed in this country before I was even a citizen at no cost, and I chose to have the surgery in a province I don't even live in. I didn't have to wait for care either.

I just want to say - sift through what you read about healthcare and don't believe everything you read about healthcare in other countries. 80% of Canadians are happy with our healthcare system and that says a lot. I hope the US figures it out because I have a daughter there and I don't want to see her waiting or being denied any necessary tests. I think that's criminal.

People going bankrupt trying to pay for their care is also a crime, in my mind. What else would you call it? It's a travesty. The last thing you want to worry about if you get a diagnosis such as cancer is worrying about how you're going to pay for it.

A member of the her2 site, margiemac, wrote to encourage everyone to write their congressmen. She is absolutely right! If you guys don't stand up for your rights your healthcare standards will stay right next to where they are now, next to the country of Slovenia. That's sad. Don't let the rich politicians decide your future.

Dianne