Canadian Health Care

Yan, theoretically one would expect the premiums to go down!  And amazingly, my premiums actually DID go down for the current fiscal year.  I can only suppose it was due to expert negotiating skills on the part of my former employer UHN (under whose plan I can continue until I reach 65).  Perhaps a threat to take a 10,000-employee premium business away from the current insurer???

Someone sent me an interesting piece about the wildly disparate costs of generics in the U.S.  Turns out the best place to purchase is Costco, as that company prices its generics just slightly above wholesale cost.  Other chains up their prices by very wide margins, but claim they're saving the customer money by at least keeping costs about 20% lower that the equivalent brand-name drug.

As far as the Ontario druggists crying about their "allowances" being taken away -- sorry, I can't feel their pain!  The big chains have turned themselves into virtual department stores, with their huge markups on cosmetics and perfume etc.

Hoping Olga is improving every day!  Hugs to you both,

Linda

Bumping up for Louise (Weesie)

I met Louise on the Stage IV board.  She's from Toronto and her Mom has BC.  I thought she might want to connect with my TO friends.

Happy Canada Day!

It is a pleasure to know so many wonderful Canadian ladies through this board.

It's even more fun tweaking the egos of my conservative friends when I use Canada as an example of a country which is doing better than the U.S. both economically and in terms of the economic and medical safety net provided to all its citizens. Words cannot convey their annoyance. LOL. 

Thank you!

Nice pic, E!

Just in time for summer.

Fabulous!

Oh gosh, thank you Elizabeth!

Happy Canada Day, everyone!  I'm headed your way tomorrow.  Can't wait!  (I just found out Chaka Khan and Macy Gray are performing - for free - at the Toronto jazz festival Saturday night.  I'm definitely going to catch their show.) 

L

What a bunch of ultramaroons (a la Bugs Bunny phrase) -- CBC cut away to the news just as the fireworks started.  I sat through my least fav Bare Naked Ladies song for that?  From my window I saw 3 sparkles from one high firework.  Bummer. 

Linda, you're going to have such a great time -- fabulous music and the weather will be perfect!

E -- you just made me blush!!!  The tomatoes are doing a bit better, thanks!  Actually, we'll be picking the first ones this weekend - little yellow pear-shaped ones.  Strawberries are done, but the raspberries are just starting to ripen.  I LOVE raspberries, mmmmmm!

Eliz ---  silly CBC!  Fireworks started here at 10 and they were loud and pretty -- but not loud enough to scare away the masked bandits who I caught tipping over the trashcan.  I'm absolutely convinced that the earth could blow up and humanity could be decimated, but raccoons will find a way to survive and thrive!