[alanctgardner2]

Having survived a childhood of OHIP, I find it hard to believe that your son received a significantly worse quality of care because you were in Canada. I don't doubt some doctors are better than others, but that happens everywhere.

[michaelochurch]

There's a misconception in the US that foreigners come to the US for healthcare and that somehow vindicates our shitty insurance/payment fuckuppery-industrial complex. In fact, (1) most of those foreigners come from the Third World, not W. Europe or Canada, and (2) to the extent that it is true, they come for specific doctors with global reputations, and would go to whatever countries those doctors lived in (and some are in the US, some are not).

[jasonlotito]

It's not because we were in Canada, but because of the structure of Canada's Healthcare system, and specifically Quebec's.

> I find it hard to believe

Don't let my facts get in the way of your beliefs.

Edit: Better yet, let me treat you the same way. I doubt your story, liar. Fuck, you offer up a contradicting story, and people find it so hard to believe and immediately doubt you.

Seriously, if you think Canada's health care system is perfect, you are delusional.

[alanctgardner2]

edit: I get that this is a personal issue for you, and you got piled on for giving an anecdote that didn't fit people's expectations. I wasn't following the whole thread, so I didn't see you already answered my questions below. That said, you were kind of a jerk considering you gave no detail (not the province, not the illness, not the complaint, nothing but "Canadian healthcare sucks").

Was language a contributing factor? With the exception of Montral Quebec tends to be like a completely different country, and they definitely prioritize French language services. I could see getting an English-speaking specialist would be tough, especially in a smaller place.

[jasonlotito]

> That said, you were kind of a jerk considering you gave no detail (not the province, not the illness, not the complaint, nothing but "Canadian healthcare sucks").

Considering the original comment I was replying to was "US healthcare sucks," I don't see why I need to pony up the proof. There are 50 states, all with different rules and regulations, all with different programs, and all that do things better in some areas than others. I'm tired of playing the game of having to explain it every time, so I limit my explanation to what I'm replying to.

As for being piled on, I'm used to it. But consider it's my kids, I feel it's worthwhile. If I can save someone else's child from suffering what my child had to suffer, it's worth it.

> Was language a contributing factor?

No.

First, this was several years ago, before the latest government went all crazy with the French language and French language police. It's worse now, but back than, it wasn't as bad.

Second, we lived and would have received services in Montreal.

Thirdly, we never prioritized English. My wife speaks French just fine, and we didn't care if it the service was in English or French.

Fourth, it was a result of regulations by the government saying that early intervention for children with Autism is not crucial. This was explained to us many times. This rule flies in the face of every doctor. Early intervention for children with autism is key.

Fifth, for the amount of money I was paying in taxes, I found it evil the amount that was being given to police the french language over Autism assistance. I will not ever stand to support that province again in any way, and have no qualms about fucking it over every chance I get.

Sixth, we were told on more than one occasion we should give up our son to a state run home. Now, this is the part that really gets people, and I'd love to say I was lying. I realize this isn't official policy, but still. It's the mentality. From what I'm told by others working up there in the medical field, this isn't uncommon for the French.

Anyways, that's more information than I intended to share, but point is, we did everything in our power. My wife worked this full time, submitting paperwork to every possible location to the point where our primary physician told us to stop sending out letters because she was tired of getting requests for information.

The straw that broke our back was being informed that we had finally gotten an appointment after 6 months of waiting, and we scheduled that appointment (which would take place 6 months later, mind you). This was with an service that our doctor from one of the children's hospitals in Montreal had recommended to us for our son. We got this appointment in the sprint of 2011, and we were finally happy that we were moving forward. That afternoon, we got a call back from the agency, and they cancelled the appointment, because they don't take children with autism. One moment we were happy! The next, horrified that all that work was for nothing. Over a year, and we had nothing to show for it, and our son was almost 2 1/2. Luckily, I am American, and we made the decision to move that day.

So yeah, I have a deep seeded hatred for Quebec, and the Canadian Healthcare system that allowed that to happen. Almost 10 years of living up there, and when we really needed the system, it failed us hard. It wasn't money, it wasn't lack of doctors, it wasn't even a lack of need.

It was purely a choice, political, and prioritizing a stupid language.