rick reports:
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Despite the jingoistic spewing of others, here is a ase of a man,
not a teen, waiting for new knees. 2 1/2 years. It's so bad
that it is now bone on bone and his pain meds have been upped to
morphine.
http://www.pentictonherald.ca/?nopic...ate=2004/09/15

This guy isn't willing to wait. Why would you support that he
has to?
================

rick, that's an interesting article that presents us with a number of
factors to consider.

First of all, we're not exactly talking an urban setting here.
Penticton is a small town which has only one orthopedic surgeon. THIS
surgeon's waiting list is 290-plus. Further, let's examine why there
might be that many on the waiting list. Penticton is not only an
orchard/vineyard agricultural center, but it is also a preferred
retirement center for many Canadians. Hence, there are a great many
older, retired folk in this community. Net result: high demand for
joint replacements.

I suspect the man in question, in this article, could get referred to
orthopedic surgeons in other centers (perhaps Vancouver) where there
are likely to be more orthopedic surgeons (greater supply, hence less
waiting). The guy in question, however, is unwilling to shut down his
business for a few days to have the procedure done elsewhere. At this
point, I take a Scott Weiser approach to him: "Tough ****!"

I think it unrealistic, living in a nation as sparsely populatd as
Canada, to expect every medical convenience in every nook and cranny of
this huge nation. For purposes of efficiency and economies, some
services (medical and otherwise) are only going to be available in
major centers. This guy bemoans the fact that shutting down his
business, to have the surgery done elsewhere, will cost him $220/day.
Hey, I live in an urban center, and just on house values alone I'll bet
I spend $400-$500 more per month on my mortgage than he does. The
Weiser sapproach again: "Suck it up buddy, and take a trip to Vancouver
and get your surgery done."

An interesting quote: "Binfet said it would cost $45,000 US to have the
surgery done in Bellingham, Wash., and that's for one knee only. "I
can't afford it," he said."

Hey the guy needs two knees done. That's $90,000. He can't afford it.

The bottom line is, I thinks there's much more to the story than just
the headline.

Interesting, nonetheless.

frtzw906