I don't know if this is something we can fix, or if it's ultimately doomed to fail, but in the meantime there are steps we can take to protect ourselves.

If you, or someone you know is on a waiting list for elective surgery, or has some illness that needs quicker, more competent attention than you're presently getting, here's a viable option:

http://www.apollohospitals.com

Where I live (Vancouver) it's possible to arrange a visit to Apollo Hospital in New Delhi via a travel agent who'll arrange all the details, including transportation and suitable accommodation and assistance for post op recovery. Most, if not all of the costs can be recovered through your provincial health plan - the only cost to you is the trip over there plus incidental expenses.

In addition to treatment, it's also possible to arrange a full medical work-up, including MRI, Catscan, and any other tests that might be indicated. This is at your cost, but it's well below what you'd pay in Canada or the USA.

I've been watching this company for a while now - looking for a way to invest actually, which at present you can only do through a fund or if you're an Indian national. This is a huge growth industry and Apollo is the clear leader. I'll do some poking around over the next few days and see if there's a workaround to owning shares. Nowadays there's not too many companies I'd buy and hold for the long term, but this is definitely one of them.

ebear