Mike Sellers - go fund me

[The Zipp]

Had no idea this was going on

https://www.gofundme.com/f/quality-of-life-for-the-sellers-family?utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_content=podo_podo_control&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

[Blue In BC]

Sad to hear this news. American health care / cost leaves something to be desired. I don't know how much Sellers earned as a pro football player or where he spent his money. It says something about how illness in the USA is devastating financially as well as health wise.

I'm sure we all wish him and his family well. He's still a young man with a family to take care of.

[Blueforlife]

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/football/cfl/winnipeg-bluebombers/ex-blue-bombers-fullback-mike-sellers-puts-out-call-for-help

[Lincoln Locomotive]

sad news and unfortunately the medical system in the US is all about who can pay...I had life saving surgery over 12 years ago that would have cost a half million in the US....and now it would be even more.   It would virtual have bankrupted us....be grateful for our HC system....it's flawed but still a hundred times better than the US.
Mike was a part of the Thunder and Lightning duo with Charles Blink Roberts.   He was the Thunder and was great to watch....he was also a special teams wrecking machine on Kick Off coverage....hope all goes well for him and his family!

[VictorRomano]

be grateful for our HC system....it's flawed but still a hundred times better than the US

As someone who regularly travels from Canada to the US for (expensive) medical treatment I pay for out of pocket, I for one am glad I no longer have to depend exclusively on Canada's incredibly overburdened, inefficient, and backlogged medical system and can simply drive for 2 or 3 hours and pay to have my necessary tests and treatments today, provided by some of the most experienced and educated medical professionals on the planet, rather than waiting months or years to get it "for free" in my home country.

[theaardvark]

As someone who regularly travels from Canada to the US for (expensive) medical treatment I pay for out of pocket, I for one am glad I no longer have to depend exclusively on Canada's incredibly overburdened, inefficient, and backlogged medical system and can simply drive for 2 or 3 hours and pay to have my necessary tests and treatments today, provided by some of the most experienced and educated medical professionals on the planet, rather than waiting months or years to get it "for free" in my home country.

For someone with the resources to either buy US insurance, or pay totally out of pocket, bravo for you sir.

99% of us could never dream of driving 2-3 hours to have a procedure done post haste.

But 100% of Canadian have access to free and comprehensive health care, even if it may be tardy.

8% of Americans have no healthcare insurance at all, and many have plans that do not cover the more expensive or long term treatments, and most have their insurance tied to their employment. 

Much as our health care is maligned, it is still comprehensive and universal, and not based on anyone's ability to pay.

What is missing, in my opinion, is a rationalization of the current two tier system you describe.

We need a private pay system that allows the rich to jump the line, but only if they bring someone along. 

Let me explain.  You are 100th in line for a procedure.  A guy with cash wants to have the same procedure.  He's willing to pay out of his own pocket.  So, give him the procedure, charge him double, and have that pay for the first person in line to get the procedure.

How does this help?  You just went from 100 to 99 without ANY gov't resources being used.  Sure, moneybags got ahead of you, but you still moved up.  Win Win, and it keeps moneybags from going out of country for his procedure, keeping those dollars in our healthcare system.

Preferential treatment based on the means to pay already exists.  This allows us to take advantage of it.

[blue_gold_84]

As someone who regularly travels from Canada to the US for (expensive) medical treatment I pay for out of pocket, I for one am glad I no longer have to depend exclusively on Canada's incredibly overburdened, inefficient, and backlogged medical system and can simply drive for 2 or 3 hours and pay to have my necessary tests and treatments today, provided by some of the most experienced and educated medical professionals on the planet, rather than waiting months or years to get it "for free" in my home country.

You forgot to add underfunded and mismanaged - at multiple levels.

Many people don't have the means to just hop over the border to access profit-first healthcare; you're very fortunate.

[BBRT]

Just back in Canada (Calgary) after my winter time out of the cold - forgot how cold it can still be in late Feb! Really sorry to hear about Mike Sellers - I remember him very well. I will take a look at the gofundme site just to make sure it is all on the up and up and will make a contribution.

Just trying to catch up on all the postings now as today is my first day back and online and I hit the road on Monday to a conference in Nashville where all the chat will be on the NFL and NCAA football but I will be wearing Bomber Blue!!