Nanny State HealthCare ... the veritable crock

Not much surprise, here. It would be interesting to survey the clinics in Watertown, Buffalo and Detroit to see what income they derive from the desperation of cross-border medical refugees. Corporate and personal taxes sucked from Ontario residents will sometimes cover portions of the costs incurred, but when those damned American capitalists can operate so much more efficiently, well .... what the heck ... why not! Better than waiting 18 months for an MRI, eh!

The Toronto Star reports: Two pregnant women sent to U.S. Beds for high-risk mothers, babies were full 'Our priority is the patient,' Ontario health official says

Two pregnant Ontario women were sent to the United States over the weekend because no space was available in provincial hospitals that can care for both high-risk mothers and premature infants, the Toronto Star has learned.

"There were challenges this weekend," said Shelley Moneta, director of the Ontario CritiCall Program, the provincial emergency medical referral service. "We are authorized to access beyond our borders when we need to. Our priority is the patient."

Ontario had no beds for high-risk women in hospitals that also have a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nursery, Moneta said. Those nurseries, known as level 3, offer intensive care services in Toronto, London, Hamilton and in Kingston.

The decision to move the women was medical, and made to handle the unique needs of both patients, she added.

Citing privacy reasons, Moneta would not divulge details of either case, but said one woman spent three days in a U.S. hospital and the other one day, before they were transferred back to Ontario because beds opened up. Neither delivered in the U.S.

H/T Gail via Lucianne