'Twas time for my annual physical exam with our family doctor.
Left home at 8:45, caught the bus to the subway and then walked the three blocks to the doctor's office.
The receptionist checked me in and directed me Exam Room #2 immediately. Our doc arrived about a minute later and went over my recent blood test results, general medical questions, reviewed my activities, gave recommendations, etc. I had a list of "queeries" with me which we went over and he answered all of them. After a check of all the basic bodily functions, the mandatory prostate exam, my next lab test requisition and prescription refill in hand, I was out the door.
'Nuther walk, subway ride and bus ride home and it was 10:02. Yup, a total of 77 minutes! I still had 23 minutes left on my transit ticket, fer krissakes!
Total out of pocket cost to me: The $2.10* transit fare, as I had purchased a book of Fare Saver tickets previously.
So, the next time someone negatively compares our health care system to that of our neighbours down south, think about it. When a politician down there postulates: "You don't want the system they have in Canada for your health care!" I would vigorously argue: "Yes, you do!"
*To be fair, "drf" and I as a family of two pay $120.50/month for our total family BC Care Card health care premium. Readers in the US, you read that right: That's $60.25 each, per month. No deductibles, no co-pays.
Friday, January 04, 2013
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1 comment:
Ahhhhh....Co-pays...I remember those from when I was a Canuckisanian living in the Excited States. And just so my fellow countrymen and women know, co-pays are all the additional add-ons you have to pay every single time you visit even the GP and/or go for any kind of test. And in my case, they came AFTER I'd already paid the work-subsidized monthly insurance fee of 500 mid-'90's dollars to cover me, my wife and our then infant daughter.
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