Riggins with little brother Charlie and little sister Sadie.

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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Wednesday Musings.

Up early with my bride, so I had a glass of juice. I am abstaining from coffee until after I run out of my antibiotic just to try and keep ahead of gastric distress. Donna was off to the truck company and then the restaurant. Being a Wednesday it was wash day, and dumper day today, so I did about 5 loads and cleaned out all the hampers and then took the dumper down to the end of the drive for tomorrows morning pickup.

That was the extant of my chores, not a bad day at all.

Read a few blogs about Canadian Health care issues, one commenter lives in one province in western Canada and the other is on the eastern seaboard side. It appears that instead of a National Coverage, each province administers it’s own system, so there must be great differences with the richer provinces providing better service. I don’t know that such a system would work here since about half of our states are on the verge of bankruptcy or not meeting their bills now. Just like Washington. Don’t know what the answer would be. Ever wish we could start over and not have as many grandiose politicians to waste the money. Oops there it is the word politics, don’t want to be in the bear pit so I will back away from this one. I know this though it sure has impacted OUR (Donna & I ) plans as far as full timing and when we can start and she can retire. Oh well unless we can find a miracle plan that is affordable it will be almost 3 years before were eligible for Medicare so a lot of younger and luckier people will be leaving before us.

No use ranting or ravin , life is what it is, and we have to thank God for what we do have, Healthy family, great Grandkids and enough to eat with a roof over our heads. even enough for two families to eat so we are Blessed and a lot of times don’t know it.

Hope all of our blog friends are having a good week out there and enjoying their families and travels. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna…

11 comments:

  1. Great attitude Sam. You're right, life is what it is and no amount of despairing will change that. There are LOTS of problems in our government and I wish we could turn back the clock to a simpler time but we can't. Taken in its entirety, I still would rather live here than anywhere else on earth. Now if we could just get rid of about half of the politicians..... haha

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  2. Politics and religion...I pass commenting on both as a rule..However, I do think they need to take the big money out of our elections...There..I just broke my own rule. That's just the way I roll.

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  3. Sam, each province in Canada administers its own health care but under the direction and conditions and requirements of the Canada Health Act passed by the Parliament of Canada. Universal Health Care in Canada IS a national program.

    Also, it doesn't necessarily follow that rich provinces have better outcomes than poorer ones - it just depends on how well they manage the money they get from the federal government.

    For instance, recent studies show that Ontario emerges as the clear winner, leading the provinces by a large margin in the successful provision of primary care, and placing first with regard to the level of service provided.

    British Columbia and Nova Scotia place second and third respectively, with only a slim margin separating them. British Columbia tied for first place with Nova Scotia in the ranking of medical outcomes - the most important set of indicators - and tied for second in the establishment of a climate respectful of patients’ rights.

    Nova Scotia owes its strong finish to excellent outcomes and also to the generosity of its healthcare offering, second only to Ontario.

    Nova Scotia is by no means a 'rich province' in Canada. It is, in fact, one of the have-not provinces. Still, despite this, they have managed to provide top level health care. They just seem to know what they're doing!

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  4. p.s. Alberta, the rich 'oil province' isn't in the top 3 either.

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  5. Hi Sam, just thought of a question I've been meaning to ask for some time.

    Why is it that so many Americans who decry a national government run health care system for under 65 folks as socialist, have absolutely no problem or concern about going on Medicare which is a government run health care system for those over 65? If the Affordable Health Care Act is socialist then Medicare certainly is too, isn't it?

    Just curious!

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  6. Hey Rick ,I certainly don't think a National health care system here in the US as being socialist, I think like Social Security we have paid our way all our lives and now in the twilight years we should be able to reap the benefits and not have to wait like in our case. I would love to see someone steal you ideas and implement them right here in our country.But it will never happen. Good question though. Sam & Donna..

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  7. I'm not going to get into any politics, so I'm just happy the first line of your blog is different. Let's hear it for juice! :)

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  8. Yep....what Judy said!! :-)
    I do appreciate Rick explaining how Canada does their health program..thanks Rick!

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  9. Thanks for the response, Sam! I sure hope you and Donna are able to get on Medicare asap!! I agree completely with what you said too. I'm happy to see you feel that way - it just makes a lot of sense.

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  10. the medical system really stinks for the two of you at this time in your lives...hope the time passes quickly and you will be able to be on medicare before you know it and still be healthy enough to enjoy the rv lifestyle!!

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  11. A little reality about Canada's "great" health care...

    The waiting list for an MRI at the Ottawa Hospital stretches for six months. (Ottawa is the capitol of Canada, and is in the province of Ontario. You know, the province that Rick lists as the clear frontrunner in services!)

    Ministry of Health statistics show the average wait time at the Ottawa Hospital in the June, July and August period was 166 days. The wait for an MRI averaged 139 days at the Ottawa Hospital in the April, May and June period.

    The provincial target for an MRI is 28 days, while the average over the summer in Ontario was 94 days.

    Patients waited an average of 93 days at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital, and 51 days at the Montfort Hospital.

    Wait times for a CT Scan ranged from 71 days at the Ottawa Hospital to 44 days at the Montfort Hospital and 22 days at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital.

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