There's Nowhere Left To Run

Did anyone notice the news article about Danny Williams and his little heart problem? He had a “moderate” heart problem that became a “severe” heart problem within eight months of having it diagnosed. After his doctors told him he needed to get a valve repaired immediately or risk heart failure, he did what most people would do. He looked for the best surgeon available to repair his heart. He chose Dr. Joseph Lamelas, a cardiac surgeon at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, Florida. Danny flew to Florida and underwent the needed surgery. He’s expected to be back at work in March.

In Canada.

Where Danny is also the Premier of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

First of all, good for you, Danny. No heart problem is “little” when it is your heart or the heart of someone you love. Secondly, good for you, Danny. Presented with a set of options, you chose the option that worked out best for you. Thirdly, good for you, Danny. You had the United States of America and the world’s best health care system available to treat you. You paid for your services and will return to your day job up north. That's the free market at its finest.  I hope you live a long, productive life.

The entire story can be found on Drudge, Fox News, The Globe and Mail, and hopefully on your news source of choice. I first learned of the story earlier in the month through an article on the National Post online. I found a couple of items in the Canadian Press’ article by Tara Brautigam very interesting. Mr. Williams is reported to have said, "I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics." If that is the case, and he chose Miami for his health care, it’s a safe to conclude that the American health care system is the best possible health care system. He is also reported to have said, "(But) this is not a unique phenomenon to me. This is something that happens with lots of families throughout this country, so I make no apologies for that." So, a lot of Canadian families have health challenges that they turn to the US health care system to solve. It’s interesting that such a high ranking political figure would admit that fact.

Later in the same article the Newfoundland Premier also stated that he wanted to get the surgery completed quickly. Well, who can blame the guy for that? If the ol’ ticker needs a tune-up, who wouldn’t want the work completed in a timely manner? "I would've been criticized if I had stayed in Canada and had been perceived as jumping a line or a wait list. ... I accept that. That's public life," he said.

What?! A waiting list? For medical care? Perhaps Mr. Williams was concerned that his heart would experience that pesky “heart failure” thing his doctors warned him about before he could move up the long list of Canadian citizens waiting for their turn to be treated? Could this possibly be the situation in the much vaunted government-run health care system that so many people in the United States wish to copy? If it is, fellow citizens, let me ask you two questions.

If President Obama and the Democrats in the US Congress successfully pass health care legislation that brings about government-run health care in this country (or anything close to it), where are we going to go when our lives are at stake and we need medical work completed quickly?

What are you going to do about it?