The Joys of Socialist Health Care

Those who wonder what Hillary's "Universal" health care will be like should listen to the experiences of our Canadian neighbors:

Rahaf Harfoush

Community Editorial Board
As a generally healthy person, I never thought the reports of a looming doctor shortage would ever have an impact on my life. Then I caught the mother of all sinus infections.
Feverish and congested, I was far beyond the help of over-the-counter medication. To make matters worse, since moving to Toronto, I had yet to find a local doctor.
So, I ignored the myriad symptoms and tried to pretend that everything was fine. Needless to say, this brilliant strategy didn't work. Sinusitis became bronchitis and I became desperate.
While waiting for three hours in a walk-in clinic, I finally understood first-hand the plight of our health-care system.
For months I had been trying to find a clinic that was accepting new patients. My search began with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website.
Initially, I marvelled at the simplicity of the entire process. After inputting my postal code and preferences, the system would helpfully find any available medical practices in the area matching my specifications. My search yielded six names.
Confident that I would have the entire matter wrapped up in one afternoon, I proceeded to call each listing. None of them were accepting new patients.
I figured that this was a minor setback, so I widened my search parameters and tried again. Two weeks later I had called 14 clinics around my neighbourhood – with no luck.
Puzzled but still in good spirits, I turned to the almighty Google. Its business locator feature showed me several practices that hadn't come up in my previous searches.
After hitting several more dead-ends I finally found one that was accepting new patients. My thrill was short-lived, though, as I was informed that I needed to come in for a "screening interview" with one of the doctors.
I arrived early and filled in a lengthy form detailing everything from my marital status to my family history. During the face-to-face portion of the interview, I shared information about my occupation, diet and fitness routines, and even general life goals.
After all of this I was given some unfortunate news: I was too healthy to be accepted into this particular clinic. Due to the high population density of the area, they had to give priority to patients with chronic health concerns. They told me the walk-in clinic would be my best bet and I was sent on my way with the knowledge that a formal rejection letter would be in my mail in a few weeks' time.
Then came the above-mentioned bronchitis episode. After an agonizing wait, a round of antibiotics and lots of bed rest, I renewed my search, fuelled by my desperation to never have to wait so long for a doctor again.
As a last-ditch effort, I called my MP, Carolyn Bennett, and my MPP, Michael Bryant. Both were very helpful. Bryant's office provided me with an extensive list of doctors in the area that I continued to work through. After seven months, calling 21 doctors and attending three interviews, I finally was accepted into a small family practice!
It could have had something to do with the fact after a few "auditions" I had developed a good sense for what needed to be said and exaggerated some of my health ailments so as to not appear "too healthy."
If there is one lesson I have learned from this ordeal, it is that I cannot continue to ignore the warning signs of what is happening to our health-care system without expecting serious and crippling consequences.
This is not a problem that will go away by itself. The symptoms are there for us to see. I wonder how bad things will have to get before we decide to do something about it.

I can already picture Her Thighness licking her chops over the possibilities of "universal" health care. It will be universal all right --- for those who prove to be "cooperative".