N.L. Premier Williams set to have heart surgery in U.S.

[The Northerner]

Source: National Post

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. -- Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams will undergo heart surgery later this week in the United States.

Deputy premier Kathy Dunderdale confirmed the treatment at a news conference on Tuesday, but would not reveal the location of the operation or how it would be paid for.

"He has gone to a renowned expert in the procedure that he needs to have done," said Ms. Dunderdale, who will become acting premier while Mr. Williams is away for three to 12 weeks.

"In consultation with his own doctors, he's decided to go that route."

Mr. Williams' decision to leave Canada for the surgery has raised eyebrows over his apparent shunning of Canada's health-care system.


Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2510700

[DoBotherMe]

1. Do one doubts that America has the best healthcare

just that ALL AMERICANS don't have access to it, nor can we all afford the BEST care. I wonder if Canada's system is picking up the tab. Dana ; )

[treestar]

9. Yes for rich or prominent people, it is the best

[HeresyLives]

2. Apparently the treatment he needs is not available

in NFLD. Since we don't know what the problem is, we also don't know if it's available elsewhere in Canada.

[CreekDog]

10. The slobber is unsanitary

[AngryAmish]

14. Why would the treatment not be available in NFLD?

Canada has the best medical care in the world.

[MellowDem]

30. Erm, no it doesn't...

It was rated #30 by the WHO, seven spots up from the US at #37. While it's definitely an improvement on the American system, it needs some fixes as well.

[Posteritatis]

17. A whole lot of things aren't available in Nfld, so he'd at least have to leave the province

Going to other provinces would have additional issues anyway since most health coverage in Canada is on a provincial rather than a federal level, with lots of accusations of queue-jumping and the like anyway.

[Spazito]

23. It IS available in Canada...

Right in Edmonton, there is the state of the art Mazankowski Heart Institute. It seems Mr. Williams never even checked there at all to see if he could get the surgery needed:

NL Premier could get surgery in Canada: Mazankowski's top doc

snip

That seems fishy to the Director of Cardiac Surgery at Edmonton's state-of-the-art Mazankowski Heart Institute. Dr. Arvind Koshal appeared on 630CHED's The Rutherford Show Tuesday morning and said whatever surgery Williams needs can be done at the Maz. "There is no procedure right now that I can imagine that he would need to go to a centre in the United States.", says Koshal.

On top of that, Koshal says it's disappointing someone the stature of Williams would make this this move, "It sends the wrong message to other people that we don't have these facilities in Canada. And that's unfortunate."

According to Koshal, the Mazankowski wasn't consulted regarding Williams' case.

http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1191852

[CHIMO]

24. Nice To See

That you keep up to date with the cons.

I haven't heard what ailment the premier has nor what price the Maz is offering for all the best in the world.
But keep us informed.

[Spazito]

25. What price?

Seeing as Mr. Williams is Canadian and Edmonton is in Canada and the Institute is in Edmonton, located at the University of Alberta, it would be covered by his universal health care.

"Nice to see that you keep up to date with the cons." Huh?


I have to say your post is very odd. Could you clarify what the heck you are talking about?

[CHIMO]

26. The Opening of the Maz

Has been delayed and delayed.

Last time I was involved between provincial health insurance parties we had to pay because the differential between the provinces didn't match the services. And a credit in one service didn't offset a negative in another.

It is my understanding that, the Rutherford show is a rabid con show.

It may be cold to you, but if you are looking for a secure outcome in a heart operation, then my take on the Maz it that it is at present an experimental institution. It has had a lot of hype for many years and has had trouble opening. The opening has been delayed many times.

My initial take on the premier was to post the article here. But because of his opposition to Harper I didn't do it. I thought that we better wait for more clarification.

If you don't realize that Rutherford is a walking talking voice for Harper and his cons then you would not realize what I am saying.

And as an aside. What comes to mind is an old joke about the Soviet Union. Of course we put more money into prisons than education. We are not going back to school.

[Spazito]

27. I had no intention of "quoting" Rutherford....

but the Institute is open and, according to the head of the Institute, they are capable of addressing any heart issues Mr. Williams is suffering. It seems to me, regardless of whether it is Rutherford or whomever reporting on this, the point was there seems to be at least one Institute, and I suspect there is more than one, that could serve Mr. Williams needs right here in Canada.

Oh, and Rutherford is, from my understanding, a BIG supporter of privatization of everything so I must say I find it odd he is taking up this issue at all. I880 is a radio station here that has a road report every 10 minutes so I often tune in during the winter and heard the report but not from Rutherford.

My experience with out-of-province claims was, it seems, the opposite of yours, I had no problem, billing or otherwise, when I was in an accident when visiting Alberta while being covered by B.C. healthcare and portability is a key aspect of universal healthcare so I am assuming if Newfoundland cannot meet Williams needs, his costs will be covered by the Province wherever he has to receive care.

[CHIMO]

31. BC and Alberta

Have had had a reciprocal agreement for quite awhile. However it is a provincial agreement and does not apply across the country. I do not know what the present agreements are between NFL and the other provinces.

I find it very unusual, that the head of an institution would claim that they can do anything that anyone else can do before they have the evidence. Just go back a few months when a Canadian was claiming that she couldn't receive help in Ontario for her growth in her skull. No medical professional instantly contradicted her. They waited for the proof.

I don't know if there is one, or more than one, institute that could meet his requirement.

And I don't think that we have universal health care.

I may be wrong, but perhaps there should be some discussion between what Americans over 65 are covered for and what Albertans over 65 are cover for.

[Spazito]

32. I would agree as to the head of the Institute's contention...

if he has no knowledge of Mr. Williams' specific health issue. It will be interesting to follow this as it goes on. The news Mr. Williams is going to the U. S. is not going over well in Canada it seems.

Neither I nor my family including grandchildren have had to pay a cent for any of their medical care so, to me, that is universal health care as it relates to my personal knowledge.

Alberta is certainly trying to head further down the privatization road and I hope, when the cons are turfed, the federal government will clamp down on the cons here, we shall see.

The issue of the woman who went to the States is quite different, imo, than this. Her actions were NOT front page until well after her U.S. visit whereas Mr. Williams' visit was front page news prior to his even going so whatever reactions took place regarding the former would be different than the latter, imo.

As to what is covered by those over 65 in Canada versus the U.S., I agree it would be interesting to have a full discussion.

I am very curious as to whether Mr. Willams is paying out of his own pocket or, indeed, will be covered by Newfoundland healthcare because he is unable to receive the kind of care he needs here in Canada. I suspect we will find out as the media is focused on this and it has become controversial.

[CHIMO]

33. The Head

Of a medical institution has contradicted hid doctors' recommendations. If that isn't enough to ring alarm bells?

The reports at present are that his doctors advised the course of treatment.

[Spazito]

34. That's not quite what is reported here...

Heart surgery to sideline N.L. premier for weeks


snip

She also wouldn't say whether Williams could have had the procedure performed in the province or elsewhere in Canada.

"Having the surgery done in the province was never an option that was offered to him," Dunderdale said.



snip

Kaminski said it was his doctors who suggested Williams leave the province for treatment.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/02/02/nl-williams-heart-010310.html#ixzz0eRMNBuXu

In reading this CBC article it reads more like his doctors recommended he go out of Province rather than out of Canada for his treatment.

[CHIMO]

35. According to Your posts

The head of the Maz said that it could be done in Alberta. To me that is a contradiction of his doctors' recommendations.

Don't have your same take on the CBC article. It seems open to me.

However, I think that one thing that should be implemented is that all politicians should come under the same health care safety net that the rest of us come under. And as an elected member of a political body, that they may not have any funds directed to wards any. Any! Any medical insurance or supplement that ordinary people do not have. And by ordinary I mean anyone not covered by some employment plan.

They should stand alone with the people.

[NinetySix]

3. He's a Tory.

Not the worst of them by a long stretch, but a Tory nonetheless.

Even so, he's a political enemy to Harper, so at least give him that much.

[Posteritatis]

18. I generally like him, though I'm coming from an Atlantic Canadian regionalist perspective

Anyone who can mobilize people from the Atlantic provinces to piss off Harper gets some points in their favor around here, in any case.

[WriteDown]

4. There are no dr's in Canada that can do this kind of surgery?

Seriously? :shrug:

[HeresyLives]

5. We have no idea what he needs, so we can't tell

if it's available in Canada or not.

We have Americans come here for some things, and Canadians who go there, it just depends on what is involved.

[TrogL]

12. We do not necessarily have absolutely every type of medical resource available here

If a particularly rare type of operation is needed (eg. conjoined twins), patients are sent where it can be done (eg. Mayo Clinic) and our system pays for (most or all of) it. Most employers here have Blue Cross or similar insurance that picks up the remainder.

[Kolesar]

15. Thank you for explaining the details! eom

[Seedersandleechers]

6. Maybe he'll have

"a change of heart" over his support of killing baby seals.

[JBoy]

7. I have a hard time believing whatever he needs isn't available in Montreal or Toronto.

[eecumings]

8. Danny Williams

is a different kind of politician, but he does dislike Harper. Until his office decides to tell us his problem, there is no way to tell if the problem could be handled here in Canada. Each province is responsible for its health care system, but people are allowed to go to other provinces if their doctors think it is advisable. On PEI, patients are generally sent to St. John, NB, or Halifax, NS, if they need specialized treatment.

[burning rain]

11. I noticed the FReepers are guffawing over this.

They are laboring under the delusion that they'd get as good care in the US, as Williams will.

[JI7]

22. a lot of people confuse quality of health care with lack of health care in the United States

the issue is not the quality of care people recieve in the United States. it's probably one of the best in the world.

the issue is the lack of access many people have to that care.

but we get the same stupidity with global warming. idiots saying if there is global warming why is it so cold.

[47of74]

37. I've noticed too that some conservatives are working themselves up into a tizzy over this

[Quezacoatl]

13. It goes both ways

I still remember when Della Reese was urgently flown from LA to London Ontario for a life saving brain operation.

"In 1979, after taping a guest spot for The Tonight Show, she suffered a nearly fatal brain aneurysm, but made a full recovery after two operations by noted neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Drake at University Hospital in London, Ontario."

[FBaggins]

21. It went both ways in 1979.

The Canada Health Act was in 1984... which (I think) would end her ability to pick (and pay for) that noted neurosurgeon.

[mahigan]

16. This is not unusual

The population and medical resources are not distributed equally across the country. Newfoundland and Labrador is a province about the size of California with a population of about 600,000 and has long been one of the poorest provinces in the country. By contrast, Ontario is about 21/2 times as large but has about 1/4 of the total population of the country (10 million+). Expecting NL to have the same medical resources as Toronto is about the same as expecting North Dakota to have the same resources as California.

Even if the treatment Williams requires is available in Toronto or Montreal, it may not be available as fast as he needs it. Our health insurance is generally portable so it is not unusual for people to be sent (at the expense of the system) to other provinces or even the US where there is excess capacity if required treatment is not available locally in a timely manner.

That said, the optics of a wealthy premier going to the US for medical treatment are not good and the wingnuts on both sides of the border are having a field day with this.

[Posteritatis]

19. Definitely agreed on the optics angle! (nt)

[Mopar151]

20. May have to do with the "French -English" 2-way bigotry

In Quebec and the Maratimes.

[Ed76638]

28. Well good for him.

Attention all you nubs standing in line at the free health clinics:



WE HAVE THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Princess Turandot]

29. My first reaction to this is that he may want one of the newer minimally invasive procedures . .

In the last 10-15 years, a number of new approaches to heart surgery have been invented, which lessen the patient's physical trauma tremendously, because the surgeon does not need to crack the chest bone. There are even now MDs doing heart surgery using endoscopic tools which just require a slight incision for the equipment and camera to enter the body.

I'm not suggesting that they do not do these types of operations in Canada/Newfoundland. But if a local surgeon has done them 15 times and you have the option available to you to use a surgeon who has done the procedure 50 times, the latter option is usually better. The mechanical aspect of surgery is no different than playing a violin in that extensive practice does make perfect.

Of course, it may well be something else. This is just one example of why he might prefer another surgeon, which could also apply to more traditional surgery, if he has an uncommon problem. Everything else being equal, I imagine that Newfoundland's population doesn't require the same sheer number/type of cardiac operations when compared to a place like NYC with its enormous population.

PT

[daleo]

36. He may just have wanted to go where nobody knows his name

Or he may have personally known somebody who had this operation done by a particular U.S. doctor. He's a very rich man, besides being premier.

[roamer65]

38. No doubt he's a whackjob conservatard premier, right?