Tag: health care

As second MERS case reported by CDC, Obama briefed

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Another Saudi national has brought a case of the deadly MERS virus to America.  This story has been all over the national and local news since it broke two days ago.

The US will now have to be added to the map. Where else?

See our coverage of the previous case in Indiana here ten days ago.

As we have said on previous occasions, if Americans don’t wise up to the security threats, the cultural challenges, the expense to taxpayers of opening our borders to the world, the one thing that will get their attention is the threat of deadly diseases their kids might contract at school, or they might pick up in a hospital or on the subway.

MERS is making the national news, but others, especially tuberculosis, are on the rise in the US immigrant population and the cases are reported only in the local media.  See our Health issues category for more.

From AP:

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Employees at two Orlando hospitals who came in contact with a Saudi resident infected by the second confirmed U.S. case of a rare virus are being monitored for symptoms and have been told to stay home for two weeks, health officials said Tuesday.

Fifteen hospital workers at Dr. Phillips Hospital and another five employees at Orlando Regional Medical Center were being monitored at home for fever, chills and muscle aches, said Dr. Antonio Crespo, an official with the hospital system.

So far, none of them has tested positive for MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. MERS is a respiratory illness that begins with flu-like fever and cough but can lead to shortness of breath, pneumonia and death.

The Saudi resident was being treated at Dr. Phillips Hospital, where he showed up at the emergency room May 8. Three days earlier, he had visited Orlando Regional Medical Center with a friend who went to the hospital for a test.

Two workers at Dr. Phillips Hospital, who were not identified, have shown flu-like symptoms recent days. One of them was sent home, and the other has been hospitalized in isolation. Both are awaiting test results that could come later this week. Crespo said MERS has been shown to have a 14-day incubation period.

[….]

The White House said Tuesday that President Barack Obama had been briefed on the MERS cases in the U.S.

We would be so much better off as a nation without the Saudis money, oil, students and diseases!

No meds for ill Canadian child as demands rise for refugee applicants to receive health care

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

One of the most troubling questions for community members in a city or town where large numbers of refugees are arriving is—why are we doing this when we have our own needy people not being cared for?

I hear it all the time.  It goes something like this: ‘we have people (Americans/our neighbors) going hungry, homeless in the streets, or the elderly in need of attention and care and yet we can bring in tens of thousands of impoverished people from elsewhere in the world?  Why are our own needy so much less attractive?’

That is the question being asked in Ontario, Canada as Canadian health care can not afford Madi Vanstone, but are being pressured to care for refugee “claimants” who may or may not even be granted asylum.

Madi Vanstone’s meds vs. refugees’ meds?

Can you say “death panels” in Canada’s health care system?

Thanks to reader Joanne, here is the story at the Toronto Sun (emphasis mine):

TORONTO – Little Madi Vanstone is one beautiful child — with a major health problem.

The 12-year-old has a rare form of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and requires a life-saving drug, Kalydeco, to keep her breathing.

The big problem is the drug costs $348,000 a year — and it’s not covered by OHIP.

[….]

Madi’s dad, Glen, a pipefitter, has insurance benefits that pay for 50% of her drug bill. The drug manufacturer picks up 30% — but that leaves the family paying $5,770 a month to keep their daughter alive.

[….]

They [the community raised money—ed] did what Canadians have done for generations — pulled together to help a child in need.

That’s what makes Monday’s announcement by the provincial health ministry so galling.

This province is trying to shame the feds into reinstating care for refugee claimants.

Really?

We can’t even afford life-saving drugs for a child who has lived in this province all her life. Whose family has paid taxes for generations.

But in a foot-stamping, blame-the-feds act of cynicism, apparently we have enough money to pay for health care for refugee claimants.

[….]

….the province adamantly won’t pay [for Madi—ed].

But we do have enough money to pay the very generous Ontario Drug Benefit Plan (ODBP) for people here as refugee claimants and those awaiting deportation.

Are we nuts?

And, here it is—one more sensible question from citizens regarding pressure from Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care. If these doctors care so much for the refugees why can’t they treat them for free!

Let refugee claimants hold bake sales for their health care, as Madi’s family has done.

….. Dr. Phillip Berger, of St. Michael’s Hospital and a member of Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care, said sick children and pregnant women can’t get care and cancer patients are denied chemotherapy.

If doctors care that much, they can treat refugees for free.

There is more, read it all (click here).

Update!  Doctors for Refugee Care win in Ontario—refugee healthcare reinstated.

Canada: Is access to health care a basic right for illegal aliens?

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

They call them failed asylum seekers—aliens who have arrived in Canada illegally, asked for refugee status, but come from countries that are capable of protecting them and so are being denied the right to stay in Canada.  We mentioned this policy earlier this month, here.   In the past they received free medical care, but no more.

America pay attention because as Obamacare kicks in and we can’t afford it, we will be headed down this same road.  Socialized medicine—free to all—cannot survive.

Here is the news from The Star:

Immigration minister Jason Kenney: They have to be real refugees to get our free healthcare.

Israel Sosa’s deportation has been put on hold as the 50-year-old battles colon cancer.

The failed refugee claimant from the Dominican Republic has been allowed to stay in Canada on humanitarian grounds for now — but he has been banned from getting treatment under Ottawa’s Interim Federal Health (IFH) Program for refugees.

The Toronto man could choose to delay treatment and face death — or go into debt paying his medical costs.   [He could go into debt and pay it off over time, could he not?—ed]

That’s the new reality for asylum seekers from the so-called “safe countries” — ones such as Mexico and the Czech Republic, which are deemed democratic countries capable of state protection — as well as failed refugee claimants.

They are no longer eligible for government health care as of last June, unless they put public health at risk. The old program covered them for emergency and basic health care, similar to what is included with OHIP.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has said these are not legitimate refugees and taxpayers should not be held accountable for their care. The cuts are expected to save Ottawa $100 million over five years.

“It is very important to distinguish between a refugee, an asylum claimant and a failed asylum claimant. Canadians have been clear that they do not want illegal immigrants and bogus refugee claimants receiving free, gold-plated health-care benefits,” Alexis Pavlich, Kenney’s press secretary, told the Star this week.

However, critics say the federal government cannot just sit back and watch these patients suffer as resource-stretched hospitals demand prepayments for medical procedures and tests.

A court will decide if the cuts are unconstitutional:

Two national organizations made up of physicians and lawyers are suing Ottawa, arguing the health cuts are unconstitutional and illegal under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The case is expected to be heard in a year.

There is much more, more sad cases to tweak the Canadian taxpayers’ guilt, read it all.

This is what I don’t get, why can’t all the complainers start a foundation to collect private charity to fund some of these medical cases.  Maybe they can’t all be saved, but some would and surely they could find enough rich people/celebrities and so forth willing to show their generosity to the poor immigrants.

Another 1000 Bhutanese headed for Canada

Just now looking over the website for Canada’s Immigration Department I see that they just this week announced that they will take another 1000 Bhutanese from camps in a safe country—Nepal—which would bring  their resettled Bhutanese population up to a total of 6,500.  Not to be too picky about the facts, but the Bhutanese are of Nepali descent and are in Nepal, again a safe country, but somehow they are persecuted refugees in need of resettlement to Canada (and to the US where our totals are now approaching the 70,000 mark!) and will be eligible for free, free, free health care?