Reply #82: I am Canadian and thankful I am not in the USA

[riverbendviewgal]

My son and husband were diagnosed with cancers, brain tumor and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two months apart in 1998. Son had 3 brain surgeries, radiation, chemo, home nurse visits, meds from cancer clinic, psychotherapy, group and solo, 4 weeks in intensive care, one week in palliative care in the hospital. Husband had 1 surgery, rad,stem cell transplant for chemo (month long stay in hospital, meds, and 3 months in the hospital's palliative care and home nursing care before entering into palliative care. We all had psychotherapy, as a family and individually, including our other son and my sick son's wife. Free.

Cost for us - zero, except for parking and the tv rental.

I didn't lose a cent of my husband's pension and earnings.
Our son died 10 years ago this past Wednesday. My husband died May 2001.

At same time I was being treated for fybromyalgia and depression. Cost - nothing.

I now am a retired widow. Don't pay anything except for the supplementary insurance of semi private, eye, hearing aid, and dental care. I deducted the extra expenses including the cost of the supplementary insurance from my income taxes last year. I paid less than 20 percent on my income taxes, Federal and Provincial last year. That covers more than health insurance....for all govt services. I had 5k of those extra expenses and got back 3 k on my income tax return.

Us Canadians don't understand Americans...why is the fight going on against one payer? Health care is a right up here. It is sickening to hear of all the sad stories from those denied coverage from the "for profit" insurance companies down in the USA.

It appears that in America only the richest and fittest survive. It's all about the almighty dollar. There is no compassion.
I feel so sorry for you all.