Friday, May 22, 2015

Double-standards: A Fact of Life

It seems that every time a high profile person gets what some people may think is preferential medical treatment we resurface the double-standard debate. From my perspective, right or wrong, there will always be situations that allow those with the financial means to obtain their needed medical services. Whether it is going to a private clinic for an MRI, rather than waiting in line months, or seeking more expensive medical treatments it is all about affordability.

A little over 5 years ago, some people got upset because former Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams went to the United States for heart surgery. The Fraser Institute recently reported that in 2013, 41,838 Canadians travelled abroad for non-emergency medical treatment. That number increased to 52,513 in 2014.

We need to accept that double-standards are a fact of life as trying to change that reality by having the media periodically remind us of the difference between the haves and the have nots only increases dissatisfaction about matters that are beyond our control to change.

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