Canadians Protest PET Restrictions

When you look at some of the arguments for a national health care, our system is often compared unfavorably with the national health system in Canada. Generally, this is done by people who have never had to deal with that system first hand. Now it is true that many people benefit from their system, but a look at how many Canadians come over to the U.S. for healthcare they cannot get in Canada shows the other side of the story. 

Take, for example, the ability to have a PET scan to stage oncology patients, so that the most appropriate treatment can be given. Although not every PET scan for cancer is covered here, the major cancers are covered and others can be covered if they are part of a study protocol.

In Canada, not only are PET machines very limited but, in some provinces, PET is limited to research, so only a handful of Canadians can take advantage of this technology, unless they want to come to the U. S. and pay for this service.

According to a story in yesterday's Globe and Mail:

Ontario's Ombudsman is investigating the provincial government over complaints that restricted access to PET scans is unjust--and even compromising the care of cancer patients.

At issue is Ontario's restricted access to positron emission tomography scans. The province says it is studying how best to use them. But doctors say the issue has already been well studied, the scans are widely available in other provinces - and many Ontario patients are being denied access to a crucial test.

According to the article, Quebec, which is next door to Ontario, provides the best PET coverage. Some other provinces also cover PET but have few installed systems. Ontario, however, which is the home of the Canadian capital city of Ottawa, only provides access to the 11 PET scanners in the province through clinical trials or special access. The limitation of this policy is shown in the next statement from a health ministry spokesperson that "2,575 cancer patients have obtained PET scans since May, 2004." Less than 2,600 in all this time in Canada's most populated province?

Now as an older American looking to retirement, a free national healthcare system seems like a blessing. Then I look at some of the pitfalls in national health and I am glad that if I need it, my access to medical care is limited only by my insurance coverage and my ability to pay, not by my proposed value to society, as happens in rationed systems.