Canadian universal health care?

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Cariad

While each type of health care has it's advantages, I prefer the Canadian system.

First I would like to clarify something someone else said. We DO pay for health care in Canada. In some provinces it is included in your taxes so you do not "see" it as much. Other provinces pay a monthly premium for health care. (it is lower than what you would pay out of pocket in the USA though)

What I like about the Canadian system is that is classless. As long as you fall into the very basic criteria for each province, you are covered for your basic health care. You do not have to worry that your 2 year old has a 105 fever and you cant afford to take her to emergency, or the "right" emergency that your insurance will cover. You dont have to worry that you are miscarrying your baby....but cant afford to go to the hospital and try and save YOU or your baby. Any person, rich or poor has the same access to basic health care.

From what I know of the American system, many people go bankrupt over health care bills or lose life savings. That is something I do not have to worry about here. I dont have to be rich to get looked at by a good doctor nor do I have to be poor to get the same good doctor. Everyone is the same across the board. (altho I wish more remote areas had better service) There is no class system.

One of the biggest things I wish here in Canada is that we knew how good we have it. Every year I think people who use the system over a certain amount should SEE what they pay into the system (by taxes or premium) and see how much the system actually paid for. Sure, in some cases we "dont get what we paid for", and then there are those that use a doctor's office as a social visit and waste the health dollars...but then there are those that really get their money's worth...and are alive to be thankful. Their familes are greatful for the system in place that allows a grandfather to see his new grandchild rather than die because he couldnt afford heart surgery or cancer treatments. You hear people complain that their health coverage doesnt cover some things...but do you REALLY need that facelift for good quality of life or to live?

Improvements needed....yes-and that is a good thing because it will always benefit someone in need. In all...I prefer what we have to what the Americans have,

eyot

The current health care system could be improved drastically, yet its still 100x better than the US - we don't have to pay :)

finbear

i am completely satisfied with our healthcare system and would never in a million years want to switch to the US system. my reasoning is is that my mom has cancer and here she is guaranteed her surgery and all her treatment and she doesn't have to worry about paying for it herself. she'll never have to choose between her mortgage payments or her chemo treatments. she has a very rare type of cancer and here she won't have to worry about being denied treatment because it's considered experimental. i feel like she has a better chance of survival here in canada than she would if we were in the US.

JuanB

As a Canadian I am completely happy with our system and would NOT switch to a US system. Oh, we are far from perfect. But the Internet has made the world a smaller place, and I can tell you some American horror stories told to me by the people living them. Meanwhile, my family and freinds in Canada have always recieved the care they needed.

The biggest problems with Canadian health has nothing to do with the system. We are a small aging population in a huge land. We have the population of California in 10 times the area. Thus we have limited resources such as tax collection, and have to consider how many hospitals we have to equip. All that and still our life expectancy and other quality of life always tend to be ranked higher than the US. Again though, we are not number one and why settle on being better than the US, when we can always look to improve. Which we do. We look to how we can improve, and the US media just jumps over any opportunity to point to that and say see how bad the Canadian system is. When in actual fact, it is just Americans scared of anything that might seem a bit socialist.

joyfulpaints

I'd pay DOUBLE what I do now for Canadian health care and never complain. I know my family will never be denied the care we need when we need it. I know we'll never be cut off, nor will we ever have to ask permission from some impersonal private insurance company to see a specialist or surgeon.

My husband has had numerous surgeries over the past two years and never once was I worried we would lose our house because of the medical costs. He got the best medical care available anywhere, with virtually no waiting time.

Have you seen Michael Moore's movie "Sicko"? Enough said.

Atom 74

Never switch to private no. There are so many lies about Canadian health care in the USA. We don't wait hours, we don't have understaffed hospitals. And we don't pay a penny for anything, even medications are a fraction of the US costs. I would never even step onto US soil without extended Canadian insurance.

ole man is back

switch?????????????
your joking?right.
we voted Tommy Douglas our greatest Canadian.
that should say it right there.

Dangermanmi6

after using the Canadian medical system A LOT in the fall of 2007 I can say that besides my drugs all that I am out of pocket is $42 CDN for a parking ticket. My employer has extra health care so I'm only out of pocket the deductable and 20% co pay for the drugs. It makes me glad that I live here and not in the US I don't have to think about is my HMO going to cut me off or how am I going to pay for the medical services. All I have to be concerned with is getting better. Could the Canadian system get better you bet BUT if we go back to the US system it will get a lot worse.

Susanne, sister of mercy

the thought of paying for health care sickens me. it really does. i did it for the first time recently cause i was out of country and it's understandable (not being a citizen and all) but having to put a price on my health and make a purchasing decision as if i were contemplating a new kitchen appliance rather than an xray was a terribly helpless feeling. you start to put a dollar sign on health and life and it's no wonder ppl are too scared and busy to complain about it. sure there could be some changes made, but i'm not sacrificing my health and that of my fellow citizens by going private. no no no.

badger123ca

Yes, I'm quite happy with the system we have in place althought it could no doubt be improved. But I would not want to switch to US style health care. I don't want to have to pay a fortune for private insurance, or worry about being bankrupted by a major illness.

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