Canadian Government Pays for Treatment in U.S.

(Toronto) The Ontario Health Services Appeal and Review Board ordered the province to reimburse a Toronto woman for hip surgery she had performed in the United States. The board considered the waiting time, 18 to 24 months, for treatment in Canada to be unreasonable and, therefore, reimbursement was justified. The ruling was the second in a year and critics believe others will be encouraged to seek care in the U.S.

Given the ongoing disappointment with the Canadian health care system and the unacceptably long waiting times, I expect we'll see more people choosing cross-border care and more seeking reimbursement for the treatment. Obviously, this is a major bump in the path toward a socialized medicine utopia. Watch the Marxists grumble.