Little Maddox released from New York hospital

Why couldn't he use the free Canadian system?

Maddox made international headlines in May when his family came forward with a public plea for help. The toddler was born with a lymphatic malformation that engulfed the entire left side of his face and the only doctor who could fix the disfigurement was based out of New York.


That ^ and also because not every medical necessity is covered unless you are a hockey player or politician!

There's no such thing as a "free Canadian system".

There's no such thing as a "free Canadian system".

Illogical. They've already paid their share so it is free to them. But if the only doc that can deal with this is based in NYC, then that's not going to do them much good. We have 1/10th the pop of the US, so for very rare conditions we may not have the required personnel.

And, private care is great if you can pay for it, or insurance picks up the tab. But I wonder how many of the pro private people on this forum have been turned down because their illness was deemed pre-existing? Had huge co-pays that depleted their savings or bankrupted them? Been sued to recover the costs because of some minor quibble on their application? Had some highschool grad on the phone refuse coverage for their condition?

I don't think you understand the meaning of the word "free". If they've already paid for it, it isn't free.

It's free in that you have to pay your share, so you might as well use it. Which is the sense than Dan meant. But, he didn't read the part where the only doctor that could do this was in NYC.

There's no such thing as a "free Canadian system".




To many Michael Moore Documentaries.

It was my understanding however that if someone needed a procedure that no Canadian doctor could do, the entire cost was covered. What loophole did this patient fall through?

The 'loophole' is that when such a situation arises, as in this case, the ministry says" Uh, we have to consult with our medical people, and see if this trip really is warranted". All the while knowing that 'the people' see the need as immediate and step up to the plate and donate. Our govt has come to rely on this. In doing so, they get to take a couple hundred million dollars and revamp a derelict building into POSH offices for themselves!