Questions for Canadians here?

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waitingonbaby#2

Some do. Canada's socialized health care system has a lot of drawbacks. Many doctors in Canada aren't accepting new patients so what other choice do people have but to look in the US. Also, anyone who is wanting to have any kind of elective surgery done can be placed on a waiting list for years. So many people abuse the system too, clog up ER waiting rooms for something as minor as cold symptoms.
As far as the quality goes, the quality of health care is good up there, just as good as what you receive in the US.
I don't know what the best answer to the health care crisis is in the States. With the US having so many more millions of people than Canada does, a universal health care system may not work too well.

don't look so shocked

Personally, I've never heard of anybody going to the states for better quality health care. I have, however, heard of doctors crossing the border to earn more money...

chuckles951

I lived 49 years in Canada and seven in the USA and I have to say that at its very most expensive level US health care is better than Canadian. But at a level Americans can really afford, Canadian is better.

Odile

Canadians going to the U.S. to seek a better quality of health care?? That's hilarious. Not true. However, sometimes people do go to the U.S. to be seen faster if they have the money to pay cash for the procedure in question.
The U.S. has a multi-tiered health care system, so if you're wealthy and can pay, you can be seen ahead of people who can't afford to pay cash. Canadians travel to other countries too, when they want a cash service.
For universal health care, Canadians stay home and get very good quality care regardless of whether they have health insurance or not, but most people do. Nobody is denied service here if they need it. We consider our health care system generally more accessible and equally good to that of the U.S.
I hope this helps.

Love Canada

Harry is partially right, a handful of people do, but millions don't
We just need Canada a little more socialized

thinkingtime

I went to the US as one part of treatment in Canada for an unusual catastrophic illness. I needed some equipment that is available only in a few places in the world, My Province paid. [Someone said it was like renting a carpet cleaner that you hardly ever use.]

However for me, this is how my quality universal health care is outstanding: I was the family breadwinner and lost my job when I was taken ill. No problem. I will always get treatment that I need and I will never be turned away because of my ability to pay. So will my family. We will never go broke paying inflated hospital bills .

As for more socialised healthcare, we need better access to dental and pharmaceutical services through provincial healthcare plans. Some people are eligible for this but not all.

I hear a lot of horror stories online in my support group about difficulties in the US with treatment and prevention. A particular one that comes to mind is a person who cannot afford the MRI to see if her cancer is returning. I can't imagine living like that.

MasterPython

People that live close to the boarder and have the money often go to the states for faster treatment. And if you have cancer the survival rate is better there.

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