Tragic wrote on June 30, 2009 10:54 PM: My heart goes out to the family and friends of the 33-year-old man who passed on sunday. It makes me upset that they didn't test sooner for the virus. As soon as the man went into the hospital, that is the first thing they should have test for. A man at 33 years of age shouldn't have paid the price becauese the hospital didn't do there job, or should I say "Dr." When I have gone to the E.R. for a broken foot, they run test that they don't even need to do, but someone goes into the hospital for the "flu" and don't find out tell the 13th day? What the hell are they thinking? When you watch the news that is all they been talking about, is the H1N1 outbreak. What doctor's don't watch the news or read the paper. "Sands said he did not know what symptoms caused the man to be hospitalized nor did he Know how long the man wa in the hospital before he was diagnosed with the virus." I think that they are covering up something. THE MAN WAS ONLY 33!! Also, they should get all the facts right before they go reporting it to the world. This is a very tragic loss. He will be missed.

Vania wrote on June 30, 2009 07:18 PM: For all of you slamming the Canadian universal health care system, I am willing to bet you are not Canadian. I am, as is my 90 year old aunt, who lives in Montreal. She only speaks English, and in Quebec there is discrimination by government officials against English only speakers.

Yet, when she lost most of her sight last year, the Canadian health care system doctors were quick to operate and saved her sight, even though at 90 you would think they might callously say "Oh well, she's old".

This year, she became very weak while out shopping by herself. She was promptly taken by ambulance to a Montreal area hospital, where a doctor determined she needed open heart surgery. Again, it was done immediately, even though at age 90 a callous society might think the surgery was an economic waste.

I pray for all Americans that the U.S.A. soon adopts a universal health care program, like Medicare, with cost controls so that patients are not ripped off by their dentists (the worst offenders), hospitals, test labs and the like. Here in the America, the only people I've found charging reasonable fees are the doctors themselves.

The only people who benefit from America's system of health insurance, or no health insurance, are the insurance companies, testing labs and hospital chains that are smart enough to serve the upper middle class and the rich.

Don't slam Canada's universal health care system unless you are a Canadian, have used the system, and have had a legitimate need for immediate care.

Cyn wrote on June 30, 2009 03:39 PM: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Fox News
By Molly Line

Private for-profit clinics are a booming business in Canada -- a country often touted as a successful example of a universal health system.

Facing long waits and substandard care, private clinics are proving that Canadians are willing to pay for treatment.

“Any wait time was an enormous frustration for me and also pain. I just couldn't live my life the way I wanted to,” says Canadian patient Christine Crossman, who was told she could wait up to a year for an MRI after injuring her hip during an exercise class. Warned she would have to wait for the scan, and then wait even longer for surgery, Crossman opted for a private clinic.

As the Obama administration prepares to launch its legislative effort to create a national health care system, many experts on both sides of the debate site Canada as a successful model.
But the Canadian system is not without its problems. Critics lament the shortage of doctors as patients flood the system, resulting in long waits for some treatment.

Cyn wrote on June 30, 2009 03:36 PM: DBee -- Canada's total population is around 33 million while ours is more than 300 million. Seems like 35 deaths is a bit high for a country with such a wonderful health plan. BTW, Canadians are buying private health insurance in droves and coming into the U.S. for health care. Explain that.

Tom, Las Vegas wrote on June 30, 2009 03:30 PM: You mean pigs like this actually get the swine flu?

Tom, Burbank wrote on June 30, 2009 11:22 AM: "At the briefing, Sands said he did not know what hospital the H1N1 patient died in, where he was employed or whether the man's fellow employees had contracted or been tested for the disease."

For someone who's the chief health officer of the Southern Nevada Health District, Dr. Lawrence Sands sure doesn't know much. Good luck, Las Vegas.

Curious wrote on June 30, 2009 10:03 AM: So we have a guy who presents to a hospital with FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS and doesn't get checked for the recent pandemic outbreak?? What?????? That is a disgrace.

VegasSucks wrote on June 30, 2009 09:51 AM: A perfectly healthy 33-year-old man is hospitalized with what must have been flu-like symptoms. Yet not one medical professional ever thought "swine flu" until it was too late to save this victim?? That's frighteningly incompetent.
(But I'll bet you they didn't forget to bill his family for his lengthy hospital stay and the "care" he received.)
Name the hospital, please.

Natasha wrote on June 30, 2009 09:24 AM: What hospital?????

DBee wrote on June 30, 2009 09:23 AM: Ann - maybe that's why Canada has had 25 deaths reported since the epidemic and the U.S. has had 87. Hmmm, health care for all or just those that can afford to save their own lives. You must be of the later.

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