Video: Crowder’s magnum opus on CanadaCare
posted at 8:47 am on July 14, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
The big lesson from Steven Crowder’s undercover look at the single-payer health-care system in Canada? “Don’t get sick on Sunday.” Actually, we can probably narrow that to, “Don’t get sick,” because Steven demonstrates that the only thing reliably covered in CanadaCare is the bill. Long waits and service rationing are the norm, as his PJTV episode shows:
It starts off with an ironic moment. Haven’t we been told that a single-payer, government-run health care system will save money by having clinics handle normal care for everyone rather than hospital emergency rooms treating those without insurance for routine issues? Guess where Steven and his friend have to go on a Sunday — and check out the wait just to see the triage nurse.
Of course, getting into a clinic — even when it’s open — takes some time. You have to get a primary-care physician assignment first, and that can take two to three years. “But don’t worry,” a nurse tells Steven. “You’re young, you have plenty of time.” Does she know that for certain? She doesn’t ask why Steven wants a blood test, after all.
And what is the solution on the lips of the health-care providers? Watch the video to find the answer, but suffice it to say that it wouldn’t make Barack Obama very happy.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2
I have a friend who voted for Obama, primarily because of this so called “free” health care. She really thought it would be “free”. lol
We know the costs are going to be enormously high. The care….enormously low. So why on Gods green earth, do some believe Obama can do it better than countries who already have it, and have less of a populace than we do? More people on this, more costs to taxpayers.
And always keep in mind, that Obama, nor anyone working for government, and UAW workers, will not be required to go into this type of health care system. Then ask yourself….why?
capejasmine on July 14, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Just wait until your xray is read in India because of the low reimbursement that makes all second tier healthcare be outsourced.
workingforpigs on July 14, 2009 at 1:33 PM
If Medicare and Medicaid does not tell you how poorly the government can manage healthcare you need to wake up.
The medicare system was ruined with the Kennedy Kassebaum Act and has been in a death spiral since.
workingforpigs on July 14, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Here is a thought for all, why not remove the regulations that were placed in the Kennedy Kassebaum bill and things will go back to normal. Why do we always pile more crap on top of crap.
workingforpigs on July 14, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Because we are indoctrinated into believing the myth that ‘taking away’ government is always a bad thing.
In 100 years, how many laws will we have? How will it be possible for anyone to understand it all? ‘Mens rea’ will be a formidable defense!
LimeyGeek on July 14, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Don’t worry about this too much folks. Be assured that your congress critters will NOT be subject to this law and will still be able to get the best of care with their private coverage. So it’s all good, right?
TimothyJ on July 14, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Sort of. From your link (bolding mine):
Here in the Los Angeles area, there was a huge problem a while ago where a woman also died in the ER, waiting for treatment. That hospital, however, was not owned by the city. It was the county.
malclave on July 14, 2009 at 3:42 PM
Heres a new thought, why not build government hospitals to treat those that are not insured and companies could donate stuff to experiment on behalf of the FDA, etc. No shortage of lab rats to test on.
It is not a healthcare insurance problem, there just aren’t enough doctors in the country to treat people for free. The average debt is over $300 to train a doctor and they are expected to work for free? Not hardly. It seems that a high percentage of doctors that are trained in the US annually are not citizens and return to their home countries after training. Perhaps if we limited the number of new entries not from america the problem would subside. OR, require all doctors not from America, here on Visa to work for 5 years in a community sponsored hospital and accept no payment for services of uninsured.
workingforpigs on July 14, 2009 at 3:58 PM
This may have been covered in the comments already…but what the H E Double Hockey Sticks does all the waiting do to productivity?!? (rhetorical, I know, but it occured to me for the first time while watching this)
bikermailman on July 14, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Ah but no worries….Obey-me’s choice for Surgeon General has the belief that doctors should not make a profit so you just know that’s gonna fill the medical schools!!
Upnorthlurkin on July 14, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Great Job, Steven! Where’s your tip jar?
MichelleO on July 14, 2009 at 5:23 PM
I have an MRI scheduled for tomorrow (in South Carolina) and the imaging center called me today to verify insurance and info. It was approved immediately. For the past 8 years of back problems and 2 surgeries, I have never had anything diagnostic turned down or put off by my insurance company or any physician or specialist. The premiums paid have been a small price considering what they’ve covered.
This video goes on my facebook and hopefully people will see how lucky we are NOT to have socialized healthcare.
serpentineshel on July 14, 2009 at 6:00 PM
And you know when that started? About the time they socialized emergency rooms, when it became law that hospitals had to treat everyone that came to an emergency room, for free if necessary, no matter what the issue. As a result, we have people flooding emergency rooms to get treated for every little ache, pain and sniffle instead of visiting their doctor….many of them crossing the border illegally specifically to take advantage of the system.
That being the case, not quite sure how giving everyone “free” health coverage as national policy will make things better. It won’t. It will simply encourage more people to run to the medical system to get their fair share of all this “free” health care.
Just say no to nationalized health care.
xblade on July 14, 2009 at 6:21 PM
Crowder, you’re a genius. It’s nice to see that someone on the “Right” side of the fence has a decent sense of humor and can still deliver solid content.
And on another note, I love how something which is heavily taxed can still be considered “free” by much of the public.
FedFarmer on July 14, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Although I think the video was good, and I do agree that Obamacare is very BAD, I think Crowder should have made one thing more clear in order to make sure people could get the full picture. When talking about the prices for Subway and all that, and trying to show how much more expensive things are in Canada, it would have been nice if he had mentioned if it was all US dollar comparisons or what effect the exchange rate has on the prices, etc. I completely agree with everything else he said, its just a factor I would like to see accounted for. I know rightsideupinthegwn mentioned the beer price differences with exchange rates taken into consideration and if Crowder did that as well it would be nice to see it mentioned.
Katec on July 14, 2009 at 10:14 PM
This video should be a TOP PICK! I noticed this video in the morning, but I didn’t have time to watch it. By the time I had time this evening, the link wasn’t on the main page. This video is GOLD!!! GOLD I TELLS YA!!
El_Terrible on July 15, 2009 at 5:27 AM
I am from Canada and I take some offence to this video.
An EMERGENCY room is for EMERGENCIES. Not vague wrist numbness a few days after a skate boarding incident; nor is it meant for diagnostic services such as a “blood test.”
Triage is a normal medical proceedure: and let me put it to you this way – How happy would you be if YOUR loved one died from massive head trauma because of someone demanding a blood test for an unspecified ailment?
Secondly – in Ontario at least: walk in clinics are exactly that – there is no requirement of having a “primary care” physician. I do not have a family practitioner at the moment – I was not happy with the level of care I received (not because of any government interference – there are good doctors and bad, like any profession) so I am currently looking for a new one. Only once has my visit to the walk in clinic (which is typically a “wait in line and take your turn” scenario: as opposed to EMERGENCY rooms in hospitals) taken more than an hour.
Thirdly: my mother was diagnosed last october with a very rare agressive form of cancer. Within a week of diagnosis, she started her chemo: a month after chemo finished, her surgery: a month after surgery her radiation. (each wait between treatments was medically required, not government-mandated.) She has had daily visits at home from registered nurses, and generally her care has been top notch.
Canada has a blended system of government and private insurance. It works for us – but remember that we brought it in during the 1970’s – during a time of economic strength, and for less than 20 million people at the time.
I am very glad for our system. My mother’s cancer, my father’s pacemaker, my mother in law’s cancer, my father in laws various ailments. My own health issues and my husband’s motorcycle accident. All have received excellant care within a reasonable time period.
ANY system has failures that can be highlighted – no system is perfect. Canada’s system DOES work – imperfectly at times, but it does. It doesn’t mean it will work for the USA. I don’t have a crystal ball – but I give a thumbs down to Steven Crowder for a video that was rich in propaganda and quite short on facts.
Normally I’m quite a fan! Cheers and thanks to Steven for all the other great work he’s done – but this one I call foul.
sharkibark on July 21, 2009 at 7:32 PM
One more small thing: interestingly enough: Cracked.com’s “The 6 Most Terrifying Medical Malpractice Cases Ever” doesn’t feature a single case from Canada.
They are *all* from the USA.
http://www.cracked.com/article_17429_6-most-terrifying-medical-malpractice-cases-ever.html
sharkibark on July 22, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2