Price Check Back hoe price check

[jimmyj]

That's a good reality check Island! Thanks

 

[Mark_G]

We probably shouldn't get overly poliitical here, but a reality check would be the large number of Canadians that frequent US medical facilities and pay full price without the benifit of insurance (outside their coverage). As an example Buffalo NY has a great heart center that continuiously has a huge number of Canadians who decide to come to the US rather than Die due to their "reasonable" health coverage.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Mark_G
... continuiously has a huge number of Canadians who decide to come to the US rather than Die due to their "reasonable" health coverage.

I'd be curious to know what your definition of "huge" is. I can only speculate the cost of heart surgery at such a fine medical establishment but I would hazard a guess and say that the number of Canadians that can afford such a trip, medical fees and misc costs for family support are only within the reach of a few Canadians.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

 

[Mark_G]

Canada has spurred an industry for alternative medical procedures. Look up Timely Medical Alternatives Inc., Companies like this exist for a reason in Canada. Look up the article titled "Uh-oh, Canada" by Bill Steigerwald in Townhall.com.

It reports:
for hip replacements "the Cleveland Clinic, where 10 percent of its international patients are Canadians?" The article also (as do several I read) mention Buffalo and Michigan facilities.

As for numbers the article quotes a group as saying: "...best estimate for 2006 -- a conservative one -- is 39,282. Whatever the actual number is, however, it is growing."

I am sure there are many strengths to the Canadian system, but waving it as a flag and example as a reason to dismantle the US system is not a reasonable thing.

Anyway lets get back to tractors.

 

[IslandTractor]

Look up data on whether Canadians, Brits, French etc are happy with their health care and compare that to US figures. We lag badly. They may have occasional complaints about elective procedure wait times but do not spend HUGE sums of national treasure on inefficient overly expensive poorly coordinated and often unnecessary medical and surgical care. They may suffer from some beaurocratic inefficiencies in their systems but we are fodder for a rapacious medical industry that is ruining our economy while simulatneously failing to optomize health for our citizens. The US healthcare system is a global laughing stock. We have fine physicians, nurses and hospitals but a truly out of control health care industry that is at least as dangerous to our nation as our now discredited financial industry.

To bring this back to the original discussion, I'd gladly pay an extra thousand bucks on a backhoe if that is the price to have something as good as a Canadian model health care system.

 

[NSBound]

To bring this back to the original discussion, I'd gladly pay an extra thousand bucks on a backhoe if that is the price to have something as good as a Canadian model health care system.

IslandTractor and MarkG you are of course both right. We do have a relatively good system, but there are problems that need fixing. To quote one story, the wife of a friend had developed severe back pain. It was going to take 6-8 months to schedule an MRI in Toronto. He drove her to Buffalo and paid for one and it was scheduled 2 days later. Turns out she had bone cancer and passed away soon thereafter, but he at least knew right away that he had to prepare and what he had to do. If he hadn't gone to the US for the MRI, it would have meant more uncertainty and waiting, and in that situation, uncertainty is not a good thing.

I don't like really dragging these things in to a Tractor forum discussion but just wanted you to hear there are indeed, as you both have said, good and bad things about the Canadian system. By and large, it seems to work for most people most of the time. There is still some difficulty attracting doctors to rural areas, which they are trying to work out. I recently moved to the country but kept my "city doctor" because I am already a patient and can drive an hour and a half to visit him if necessary.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program!

 

[rd_macgregor]

I moved to Canada from the US when I was about 40 (over twenty years ago). Only in the last few years have I encountered the pain of paying lots more here for tools and equipment, since I hadn't undertaken big-ticket purchases for a long time. On average, the tax burden in the US and Canada and the health care costs in both countries are comparable. The distribution of health care in Canada is a lot more equitable than in the US; sadly, the main rationing method in Canada is not "can you pay" but "can you wait". Either one can kill you. UK seems to be doing a lot better on wait times, but I don't know about general health outcomes.

Over the past couple of years, the Canadian dollar has appreciated a lot so it is very close to par (was briefly above par) with the US dollar. Even so, some items cost easily 50% more here. I wanted a wood lathe that isn't normally marketed in Canada; $2k in the US and over $3k estimated delivered price to me. Shipping, customs brokerage, etc. was going to double the price of a vacuum pump from the Surplus Center. I want a Markham grapple rake (see, I managed to get back to tractors!!), which is maybe $1200 in NC, but I suspect it will nearly double in price to get it into my hands...unless I want to drive to a delivery point in the US.
Maybe it is shipping cost from a distribution center in the US, but my curmudgeonly nature leads me to suspect somebody is skinning us Canadian consumers.

BOB

 

[oseetah_3]

If anyone is still looking for a backhoe attachment, I have a Woods BX-70 that I want to sell because i am buying an excavator. The backhoe comes with a subframe that fits my DK-35. I bought it new 2 1/2 years ago. Very strong. Digs well. Northern NY

 

[jimb1724]

oseetah 3

put it on craigslist under farm & garden for your geographical area. i posted my 2365 BH and sold it in a week. postings are free and easy to do. replies are via email so you can reply or not.... works slick.

i just happened to connect with a guy looking for that size hoe.

good luck
jim

 

[jimb1724]

oseetah 3

post it on craigslist for your geographical area. postings are free and easy to do. replies come via email, so you can reply or not to the inquiries. i sold my 2365 BH in a week. works slick

good luck
jim