Canadians in an Uproar over Canadian Woman's Claim that she would have Died under Govt. Run Health Care!
You've seen her all over lately on both the cable News and in all those shill ads proclaiming how she was "denied" speedy care for her "brain tumor" in Canada which forced her south to the Mayo Clinic.
The Shona Holmes Fake 'Brain Tumor" Tale
Both CNN and McConnell made a big deal out of Shona Holmes, an Ontario woman who claims she was "forced" by Ontario's health system to go to the United States for life-saving surgery for a brain tumor. She claims that in 2005 delays in access to treatment at home made it necessary to go to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and pay $97,000 for her care.
Lets first say that in 2007 Holmes was part of a court case brought by the Canadian Constitution Foundation against the government of Ontario. The case challenges Ontario's "government-run monopolistic" health system that prohibits the sale of private health care and private health insurance for essential health services. It is still before the courts.
Now back to the real Shona Holmes story,...........
Holmes' medical condition was a benign condition called 'Rathke's cleft' which is a self-contained cyst that does not spread. Therefore, speed is not of the essence, as it would be in, say, a case of malignant glioma that does rapidly spread. In fact, most of those cysts are embryological remmants (ie. they form while the baby is still developing in utero and hang around for the person's entire life). Thus, they are often treated conservatively unless secondary symptoms arise (ie. because of where they are they can push on the pituitary or the optic nerve).
The fact that Ms. Holmes was not rushed into surgery in Ontario made both good medical AND good health care system sense. There's no doubt Holmes had a problem that needed treatment, and she was given appointments, but she chose not to wait. She thought she should come before those patients who really, really needed their treatments first. So, since Ms. Holmes decided she couldn't wait, instead, came south and had the relatively straightforward surgery to drain the cyst right away at a cost of $97,000. http://www.selectsmart.com/DISCUSS/read.ph...
{If she had stayed in Canada for the nonmalignant (noncancerous growth), she wouldn't be in dire straits to recoup her money by doing false and misleading ads paid for by GOP Anti-Univ Healthcare Reform folk. Her surgery would have been paid for in full by Univ. Health Care Plan & get this...she says Canadian Univ. Health Care is wonderful so why is she lying about govt. run health care in the ad?! I wonder how much she's being paid?}
http://blackinamerica.com/cgi-bin/blog.cgi... (the Real Story of her so-called LIFE THREATENING MEDICAL PROBLEM)
The Shona Holmes Fake 'Brain Tumor" Tale
Both CNN and McConnell made a big deal out of Shona Holmes, an Ontario woman who claims she was "forced" by Ontario's health system to go to the United States for life-saving surgery for a brain tumor. She claims that in 2005 delays in access to treatment at home made it necessary to go to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and pay $97,000 for her care.
Lets first say that in 2007 Holmes was part of a court case brought by the Canadian Constitution Foundation against the government of Ontario. The case challenges Ontario's "government-run monopolistic" health system that prohibits the sale of private health care and private health insurance for essential health services. It is still before the courts.
Now back to the real Shona Holmes story,...........
Holmes' medical condition was a benign condition called 'Rathke's cleft' which is a self-contained cyst that does not spread. Therefore, speed is not of the essence, as it would be in, say, a case of malignant glioma that does rapidly spread. In fact, most of those cysts are embryological remmants (ie. they form while the baby is still developing in utero and hang around for the person's entire life). Thus, they are often treated conservatively unless secondary symptoms arise (ie. because of where they are they can push on the pituitary or the optic nerve).
The fact that Ms. Holmes was not rushed into surgery in Ontario made both good medical AND good health care system sense. There's no doubt Holmes had a problem that needed treatment, and she was given appointments, but she chose not to wait. She thought she should come before those patients who really, really needed their treatments first. So, since Ms. Holmes decided she couldn't wait, instead, came south and had the relatively straightforward surgery to drain the cyst right away at a cost of $97,000. http://www.selectsmart.com/DISCUSS/read.ph...
{If she had stayed in Canada for the nonmalignant (noncancerous growth), she wouldn't be in dire straits to recoup her money by doing false and misleading ads paid for by GOP Anti-Univ Healthcare Reform folk. Her surgery would have been paid for in full by Univ. Health Care Plan & get this...she says Canadian Univ. Health Care is wonderful so why is she lying about govt. run health care in the ad?! I wonder how much she's being paid?}
http://blackinamerica.com/cgi-bin/blog.cgi... (the Real Story of her so-called LIFE THREATENING MEDICAL PROBLEM)
Guys get this...
CNN apparently did something called a Reality Check and also investigated this woman's story...
..."She's testified before Congress, been on Fox TV as well as CNN, and her story is retold on hundreds of right wing blogs. She's now doing a nasty TV ad for Patients United Now, a Republican-led group opposed to Obama's reforms. You can see the ad at www.patientsunitednow.com. The group is spending almost $2 million on it to target politicians in Washington.
Kentucky is to blame for the latest CNN investigation of Canada -- a "Reality Check" on Canada's health care. It seems the state -- known for fried chicken and racehorses -- is also home to Senator Mitch McConnell, a high-ranking Republican of impeccable conservative credentials. Senator McConnell does not like President Barack Obama's plan to reform health care, and he's decided to use Canada as a weapon to help him fight the battle... Both CNN and McConnell made a big deal out of Shona Holmes, an Ontario woman who claims she was forced by Ontario's health system to go to the United States for life-saving surgery for a brain tumour. She claims that in 2005 delays in access to treatment at home made it necessary to go to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and pay $97,000 for her care.
There's no doubt Holmes had a problem that needed treatment, and she was given appointments with the appropriate specialists in Ontario. She chose not to wait the few months to see them. But it's a far cry from the life-or-death picture portrayed by Holmes on the TV ads or by McConnell in his attacks. In Senator McConnell's home state of Kentucky, one out of three people under age 65 do not have any health insurance. They don't have to worry about wait times for hip or knee replacement or cancer surgery -- they can't get care. The median household income in Kentucky is $37,186 -- not quite enough for the $97,000 bill at the Mayo Clinic. CNN didn't mention that in its "Reality Check"...
"A Reality Check on a Reality Check"
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/realit...
{Please guys be sure to email the links with the real truth to everyone on your email list!!}