Rosie O'Donald gets a small lesson in Gov't healthcare.

[tmma 467]

I'm happy VT has great health facilities and we are planning to move to Stowe once we win the Dream Home

[MSR 6]

In order to understand why French is being spoken at your local airports etc, you need to understand the history of Vermont and Quebec. During the mid 18th century, Canadians born in "French Canada" colonized in other parts of North America (and vice versa), more notably the New England States. (Vermont being one of them). At this time it was a seamless border, so many people who are from Vermont/Quebec recognize their French Canadian ancestry as many of their Friends, or family hold historical ties to Vermont/Quebec. Vermont is one of the largest French speaking populations in the United States so it's not surprising to hear of French being spoken. (Hillary Clinton has French Canadian ancestry for example)

There are a number of border towns that share services with each other; for example some have mutual-aid fire agreements, aiding each other on both sides of the border if need be, some share a water system, sewers, and other such facilities as well, some homes actually straddle the border itself. As a result of this, it is really not surprising to see Canadians going to Vermont for health care services. They are offered a 30 % discount on any medical procedures they do acquire while there and furthermore as a result of the Deals between U.S Hospitals and Canadian hospitals, they can pass the remainder of the bill back to the Canadian government. This is not to say that Canadian Health care is bad, because it is not in the least, and I’m sure most Canadians would rather have Canadian health care, than any other health care. I would much rather have the peace of mind in knowing that if I was diagnosed with a potentially life threatening illness, that my insurance company couldn't drop me because of the cost involved in treating me. It shouldn't matter if I may live or die, health care is a right not a privilege and if I pay into it, I should receive the treatment I need.The point is, there are close ties there, on both sides of the border, so to offer reduced cost health services is not surprising especially considering what other services are shared across the border.

I know of people who have crossed the border for health care services and this was not because the health care was superior south of the border, it was because they were offered those services by their Canadian doctors, knowing they would not have to pay out of pocket for services rendered. My own mother was told she would be put on a waiting list for an MRI, (in the province of Ontario, which isn't any better than Quebec as far as waiting lists are concerned) but she chose, as was her right, to see another doctor, and received her MRI in a matter of days! The Key is to seek assistance from another doctor if you feel the diagnosis you receive is not one beneficial to your health.

I myself have lived in both the Province of Quebec and the province of Ontario. Ontario is one of the most expensive provinces to live in, and I’ve never had to pay a health premium tax on my income tax. I own my own business and made a six figure salary and still didn't have to pay a health premium tax on my income tax. The tax does exist but it has never affected me as it may have affected others. I won’t get into who pays more taxes because it is a myth when some say Canadians pay more in taxes.

I would gladly go to Vermont to go skiing rather than go to Mont Tremblant (no offense to my French Canadian friends) who wouldn't? It is cheaper so the choice becomes do you want to pay more or less to do something you enjoy. I think most would prefer to pay less. There is no disagreement with you there. To visit a local Museum in Ottawa you are paying $20 plus to get in the door. I'm currently 30 Minutes out from D.C and can visit one of the many museums there free of charge. Again who wouldn't? That's a mute point. When it comes to money, most want to save.

As for retiring and moving to Burlington, you can't just retire and move to another country, unless you have dual citizenship, which a lot of people on both sides of the border between Vermont and Quebec do. Again as a result of the historical ties between these two places it is not surprising to see many who have dual citizenship along this border. You can however, visit in either Canada or the United States for up to 6 months a year, minus a day.

My grandparents had a home in Florida, and spent six months of the year there. More notably in the winter months.Many Canadians do this. It's not unheard of; and most, at the highest most recommendation are URGED to get travel insurance to cover them during their period of stay.

Why would the Canadian citizens you see on Lake Champlain forego FREE health care and receive care in Vermont? Again 30% off of rendered services and reimbursement from the Canadian government is just cause. Why drive that hour when you don't have to when on vacation. I think it's possible that some even have travel insurance. I know if I was to go to another country for extended period of stay, I would want travel insurance to cover me.

I'm not really sure why you mention parking in the hospital garage and taking a bus downtown so I can say nothing in regards to that. Perhaps you misconstrued my words to suggest that Canadians are not receiving health care services in Vermont, who knows, what I said was it is important to know the CONTEXT in which they are receiving health care services in Vermont.

[Canadiandggal 49]

In order to understand why French is being spoken at your local airports etc, you need to understand the history of Vermont and Quebec. During the mid 18th century, Canadians born in "French Canada" colonized in other parts of North America (and vice versa), more notably the New England States. (Vermont being one of them). At this time it was a seamless border, so many people who are from Vermont/Quebec recognize their French Canadian ancestry as many of their Friends, or family hold historical ties to Vermont/Quebec. Vermont is one of the largest French speaking populations in the United States so it's not surprising to hear of French being spoken. (Hillary Clinton has French Canadian ancestry for example)

There are a number of border towns that share services with each other; for example some have mutual-aid fire agreements, aiding each other on both sides of the border if need be, some share a water system, sewers, and other such facilities as well, some homes actually straddle the border itself. As a result of this, it is really not surprising to see Canadians going to Vermont for health care services. They are offered a 30 % discount on any medical procedures they do acquire while there and furthermore as a result of the Deals between U.S Hospitals and Canadian hospitals, they can pass the remainder of the bill back to the Canadian government. This is not to say that Canadian Health care is bad, because it is not in the least, and I’m sure most Canadians would rather have Canadian health care, than any other health care. I would much rather have the peace of mind in knowing that if I was diagnosed with a potentially life threatening illness, that my insurance company couldn't drop me because of the cost involved in treating me. It shouldn't matter if I may live or die, health care is a right not a privilege and if I pay into it, I should receive the treatment I need.The point is, there are close ties there, on both sides of the border, so to offer reduced cost health services is not surprising especially considering what other services are shared across the border.

I know of people who have crossed the border for health care services and this was not because the health care was superior south of the border, it was because they were offered those services by their Canadian doctors, knowing they would not have to pay out of pocket for services rendered. My own mother was told she would be put on a waiting list for an MRI, (in the province of Ontario, which isn't any better than Quebec as far as waiting lists are concerned) but she chose, as was her right, to see another doctor, and received her MRI in a matter of days! The Key is to seek assistance from another doctor if you feel the diagnosis you receive is not one beneficial to your health.

I myself have lived in both the Province of Quebec and the province of Ontario. Ontario is one of the most expensive provinces to live in, and I’ve never had to pay a health premium tax on my income tax. I own my own business and made a six figure salary and still didn't have to pay a health premium tax on my income tax. The tax does exist but it has never affected me as it may have affected others. I won’t get into who pays more taxes because it is a myth when some say Canadians pay more in taxes.

I would gladly go to Vermont to go skiing rather than go to Mont Tremblant (no offense to my French Canadian friends) who wouldn't? It is cheaper so the choice becomes do you want to pay more or less to do something you enjoy. I think most would prefer to pay less. There is no disagreement with you there. To visit a local Museum in Ottawa you are paying $20 plus to get in the door. I'm currently 30 Minutes out from D.C and can visit one of the many museums there free of charge. Again who wouldn't? That's a mute point. When it comes to money, most want to save.

As for retiring and moving to Burlington, you can't just retire and move to another country, unless you have dual citizenship, which a lot of people on both sides of the border between Vermont and Quebec do. Again as a result of the historical ties between these two places it is not surprising to see many who have dual citizenship along this border. You can however, visit in either Canada or the United States for up to 6 months a year, minus a day.

My grandparents had a home in Florida, and spent six months of the year there. More notably in the winter months.Many Canadians do this. It's not unheard of; and most, at the highest most recommendation are URGED to get travel insurance to cover them during their period of stay.

Why would the Canadian citizens you see on Lake Champlain forego FREE health care and receive care in Vermont? Again 30% off of rendered services and reimbursement from the Canadian government is just cause. Why drive that hour when you don't have to when on vacation. I think it's possible that some even have travel insurance. I know if I was to go to another country for extended period of stay, I would want travel insurance to cover me.

I'm not really sure why you mention parking in the hospital garage and taking a bus downtown so I can say nothing in regards to that. Perhaps you misconstrued my words to suggest that Canadians are not receiving health care services in Vermont, who knows, what I said was it is important to know the CONTEXT in which they are receiving health care services in Vermont.

A++

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_transplant_coverage_death

2nd person denied Ariz. transplant coverage dies

By PAUL DAVENPORT, Associated Press – Wed Jan 5, 9:01 pm ET

PHOENIX – A second person denied transplant coverage by Arizona under a state budget cut has died, with this death "most likely" resulting from the coverage reduction, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday.

University Medical Center spokeswoman Jo Marie Gellerman said the patient died Dec. 28 at another medical facility after earlier being removed from UMC's list for a liver transplant needed because of hepatitis C.

Gellerman cited medical privacy requirements in declining to release any information about the patient.

Arizona reduced Medicaid coverage for transplants on Oct. 1 under cuts included to help close a shortfall in the state budget enacted last spring.

Officials at the Tucson, Ariz., hospital said the patient's death "most likely" resulted from Arizona's scaling back coverage for transplants, she said.

It's impossible to say with 100 percent certainty whether the patient would have died anyway, Gellerman said, "but we do know that his condition has gotten more severe since he was taken off the list."

The patient's worsening condition would have elevated his place on the list, she added.

A Phoenix-area man, Mark Price, died Nov. 28 of complications from preparation for a bone-marrow transplant that was to be privately funded. That funding was provided anonymously after The Associated Press and other media outlets reported that he was notified of two possible donors on Oct. 1, the same day the coverage was reduced.

The second person's death was reported by KOLD-TV in Tucson and the Arizona Guardian.

Democrats and other critics have slammed Republican Gov. Jan Brewer and the Republican-led Legislature for the transplant coverage reduction, and incoming Senate Minority Leader David Schapira called on them to restore the approximately $1.4 million of funding.

"Failure to restore this funding is a death sentence for people who have committed no crimes," he said.

Contacted for comment on the latest death, Brewer spokeswoman Paul Senseman said the governor's office didn't have confirmation that the person was enrolled in the state Medicaid program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.

Brewer earlier Wednesday renewed her defense of the transplant coverage reduction but expressed a willingness to have it reviewed.

"It's something that probably needs to be discussed," Brewer said. "Eveybody is concerned about it, as I am. The bottom line is ... that was one of those areas that we could cut and we moved forward on that."

Brewer commented when asked by a reporter about a legislative committee chairman's intention to review the transplant cutbacks during a future budget hearing.

Brewer and Republican lawmakers want to drop approximately 250,000 people from AHCCCS enrollment because of the state's continuing budget troubles and the impending loss of federal stimulus funding that has propped up spending on the Medicaid program.

Arizona faces a projected $1.4 billion shortfall in its next state budget.

Brewer has said she will ask President Barack Obama's administration for a waiver permitting the enrollment reduction. The federal health care overhaul otherwise bars the enrollment reduction.

Edited January 6, 2011 by Why_Me