A Twitter thread from a Canadian watching the health care crisis in the USA:

[Saviolo]

So, one of the Twitterers I follow did a thread today that very nicely sums up the feeling that many of us Canadians feel about the what's happening with health care in the USA right now. Please note that this is not my content, it is from the owner of the Twitter feed, a freelance columnist for several Toronto publications.

Here is the lead tweet from the thread:

Link to tweet

And here's the content:

So I thought US followers might be interested in an example of the Cdn "person falls through cracks, has to PAY for HEALTHCARE" news story

Here's one from today, by @metrotoronto's @dugilbo: http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/06/26/newcomer-children-most-affected-by-lack-of-health-insurance.html …

The story: many refugee claimants have to wait months for OHIP (the provincial health insurance plan) and cannot afford healthcare.

This is an extremely troubling and serious issue, especially because so many children and youth are affected.

Note the costs considered "prohibitive" in Canada: $400 for an ER visit, $120 for a walk-in clinic, $26K for a 10-day hospital stay.

This is not what people pay after insurance. This is what people pay with NO insurance. Normally, most of this would be free.

As a lifelong Canadian I find this situation horrifying and I know many doctors have long been advocating for better refugee healthcare.

So when I read about US healthcare costs, even for insured people, it's like some Deep Time level shit. My mind can't handle the magnitude

People having to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for healthcare and getting sick because they can't pay is a public health crisis.

But for many Americans, it's not even a news story. It's often even CHEAPER than what they NORMALLY pay. Like what the fucking fuck

Dear USaians, you have no idea how bad you have it. You should be literally rioting in the streets, hijacking hospitals, bombing shit. /end

[colsohlibgal]

1. It Just About Only Us

Nobody should go bankrupt because they had the bad form to get majorly sick.

We know what the real historical Jesus would think about the US for profit health care system....that it is an abomination......as is. What the right wants to do so their zillionaire buddies can get tax breaks they don't need is way worse.

Fox has trained it's zombie viewers, mention how much better it is in Canada or about anywhere else and invariably someone will retort by saying you will wait forever to be seen....I patiently reply you may wat a bit for something minor or elective, you will get treated ASAP if you need open heart surgery. If I am in the right mood I'll say so some research, don't take everything you hear on Faux News at face value.

[Saviolo]

3. Makes me pretty sick when I see lies about the Canadian health care

The US news misreports and misrepresents constantly. It's astounding and upsetting.

[Alice11111]

8. Yes, lies about all western countries.

Here, people will say they don't like insurance companies, but they are afraid of "socialized medicine," if you remove the greedy fuckers who are making universal healthcare impossible. Repubs aren't the sharpest, in general.

[roamer65]

2. The bills should be sent to the White House.

[erronis]

4. We need to build a wall so that Canadian crap can't creep down on Amerika The Grate!

I think it's disgusting that Obama and the rest of the democratics have allowed the politicians of the poor canucks of the north to try and propagandize the fine citizens of Amerika The Grate.

My friends in pharma and the chief of the HHS tell me that we have the best system that money can buy. In fact with just a few more billions saved by killing medi-cade (or whatever), my friends will toast me as the best autocrat ever!

We're going to build a canuck border - it won't be beautiful and it won't be solar-powered, but it will keep out those damn northern mosquitoes and cheap drugs and the lure of universal healthcare (it's a lie!).

Besides we need to keep the restives (non-trumpophiles) from trying to escape. If they want to go to old europe or that faraway east, let them swim.

[Saviolo]

5. We'll beat ya to it!

We'll build a giant ice wall (like in Game of Thrones!) and keep all the Orange Walkers down there to the south!

[Honeycombe8]

6. This makes me physically ill..that the U.S. health care is like a third world country's HC.

$120 for a walk-in clinic with no insurance? In my dreams. $400 for an ER visit? Unheard of here in the U.S.!

I am ill....and very angry.

I'm older and not confrontational, but I'd join a revolution if necessary. This health care crap has to stop.

[zentrum]

7. "Dear USaians,

.....you have no idea how bad you have it. You should be literally rioting in the streets".

Yes, Americans are frogs in a boiling pot of crony and K street capitalism.