Opponents of U.S. President Barack Obama’s proposed health care reforms have just been handed a powerful talking point by Ontario’s government.

Democrats cobbling together the U.S. plan want to include a “public option” — a taxpayer-funded health-care alternative that would enable Americans to choose between private medical insurance plans or a government-backed system similar to Canada’s. Opponents of the public option maintain that Canadian-style health care would entail rationing, caps on care, bureaucratic interference in medical decision-making and even “death panels” deciding when the ill become too expensive to save.

Most Canadians believe this is a gross exaggeration of reality. But then how to characterize Ontario’s decision to cut off funding for colorectal cancer patients taking a life-prolonging drug, in order to save $9-million a year?

Andre Marin, the province’s plain-speaking ombudsman, said the decision “verges on cruelty.” Marin said the “arbitrary” limit on the number of cycles of the drug Avastin that Ontario will fund forces patients to pay out of their own pockets or abandon treatment.

Avastin does not cure cancer, but prolongs life when taken in conjunction with chemotherapy treatment, adding, on average, nine months of survival.

“For patients whose cancer has already metastasized, it stops their tumours from growing and prolongs their lives, at least for a while. It is, without exaggeration, their lifeline,” Mr. Marin said.

Ontario Health Minister David Caplan rejected the suggestion that the cap on treatment was a financial decision alone, arguing it was based on clinical evidence. But it’s easy to reach the conclusion that the province decided nine extra months of life for a dying patient wasn’t worth the money. Which is pretty much the kind of decision a “death panel” would be confronted with.

Gold-plated insurance plans may eschew caps on coverage, but the cost of such plans necessarily limits them to the wealthy, and even fervent critics of Mr. Obama are unlikely to suggest the rich have a right to live longer than others. But at least the existence of such plans means Americans have a choice between trying to raise the money or accepting the inevitable. The only choice allowed Ontarians in the same situation is to seek treatment in the United States or move to another province, since Mr. Marin says Ontario is the only one of seven provinces funding Avastin that limits treatment.

How is this a blow? Private insurance companies here will just drop you like dead weight. All of it then will be out of pocket, not just some drug only a miniscule percentage will ever need. These are the “death panels” that exist today no one wants to talk about. What were the denial of coverage percentages for our great private insurance companies?

Ognib,

Democrats cobbling together the U.S. plan want to include a “public option” — a taxpayer-funded health-care alternative that would enable Americans to choose between private medical insurance plans or a government-backed system similar to Canada’s. Opponents of the public option maintain that Canadian-style health care would entail rationing, caps on care, bureaucratic interference in medical decision-making and even “death panels” deciding when the ill become too expensive to save.

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Are you this uninformed about what the “public option” is?

Or, are you this stupid to believe that this is what the “public option” goals are even after they have been thoroughly explained and written about and also being self funded?

Or, are you just a pathetic liar?

I for one as with so many others with any sense am so sick of the ignorance on your side along with all the purely stupid distortions and outright lies.

How can anything good be accomplished with all this non-sense on your side? This is nothing short of CRAZY and yes being so devious and hateful actually cause people to go crazy and that is, I think what is happening to many on your side.

You ones are being played like fiddlesd by lobbyists and all their pundits and politician whores playing on your ignorance.

Walker,
To say “your side” is a bit off the mark. It’s the Dem’s (your side) holding up the vote.

Glenn, While they’re at it, can I get some really neat-o springs for my shoes so I can bounce over the clouds?

No one is supporting any “Canadian style healthcare system” for America. Stop lying and drinking the Kool aid from Rush, Hannity, Beck and their racist ilk.

The folks who oppose healthcare reform now are the same folks (the Republicans and their corporate masters!)who opposed Social Security because it was “Communism!,” or “Socialism!” or some such other claptrap.

The folks who oppose healthcare reform now are the same folks (the Republicans and their corporate masters!)who opposed Medicare because it was “Communism!” or “Socialism!” or some such other claptrap.

Now, having seen that none of the feared “isms” of Social Security and Medicare have come to pass, we’re supposed to re-organize the village to suit the village idiots? I’ll pass!

We need to pass healthcare reform now. Just as Congress has in the past, if there are problems they can be fixed. The status quo means that some 40,000 Americans die each year because they didn’t have healthcare. We lost 55,000 in Vietnam and opposition to the war changed how we view ourselves as a nation. Support for healthcare reform is another such defining moment for America to show its character, and to do the right thing right now. The Congress should take immediate action to pass healthcare reform with a strong public option.

Okay Timbo, since no one is supporting any “Canadian style healthcare system” for America, what kind of health care system are you proposing? Your great leader Obama has publicly stated he wants a single payer health care system. That sounds like Canada to me.

Timmy fruitcake Hogan shows his arse everytime he posts.

This link should scare anyone with half a brain. Princess Nancy and Prince Harry fighting to keep the new “Messiahcare” bill off the internet. What are they afraid of? Trying to RAM it down our throats.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Congressional-leaders-fight-against-posting-bills-online-8340658-63557217.html#

Timbo says, “We need to pass healthcare reform now. Just as Congress has in the past, if there are problems they can be fixed.”

I’ve got a better idea. If were going to ignore the U.S. Constitution anyway, let’s get it right the first time.

Yeah, we could pass it fast and let congress fix it later. They have such a great track record of fixing things like Social Security (going bankrupt), medicare (going bankrupt), our education system (high school seniors who can’t read at a fourth grade level or do long division but, they have great self-esteem). Didn’t they do a great job of fixing our borders, our energy dependence, our deficit.

Every politician of all parties have stated they want a reformed tax system, no deficit spending, energy independence, secure borders, etc. If they all want these things, why don’t we have them?

No, congress should move as slowly as possible with numerous public hearing and town hall meetings. At these hearings and meeting, listen to what people have to say. Don’t tell us what we need, we know that a heck of a lot better than congress does.

Lastly if this is going to be the great system they keep telling us it will be, let’s make it apply to every member of congress. Then you can be sure it will be a good system.

“Socialism only works until you run out of other people’s money.” - Margaret Thatcher.