Canadian Health Care

[Scott M]

I am hoping to hear from Canadians what they think of their health care system.

How expensive are your drugs, how do you rate Canadian medical technology, how long is your wait to see a doctor, how does your insurance system work, how high are your taxes, how much do medical visits cost?

Too often I see the assumption that the Canadians have it just horrible in terms of state health care. It would be nice to hear directly from those of you that use it.

Please keep it simple and civil so this thread isn't moved elsewhere

[Jordyn Kaufer]

My dad had testicular cancer in the early stages.

he had the surgery and than did radiation.

Than in the car one day we were talking about living in canada and my dad brought this up.

If our family lived in canada, my dad would've had to wait for the radiation because they wait to see if the cancer comes back and if it does you might have the risk of the cancer spreading elsewhere.

I'd rather live in the U.S. because of that reason because i have a greater chance of getting because my dad had it.

NOw im only 15 years old but that's what my choice would be.

[superbee]

The health care in Canada is better than what alot of people think. Drugs are cheap, they are not priced like in the states. I pay nothing for doctor visits or hospital stays. Our taxes are high, 33% personal income tax and 8% Provincal sales tax and 5% GST tax which as a resident you do not get any refund on.

The health care is of a very good standard and I do not feel like I am getting second rate care. The only waits I have had are for specialists or a surgeon for a procedure. Basically the insurance is no additional cost to us other than in the form of taxes. I have no complaints about the Canadian medical system, and have lived in the US as well. I would much rather have the situation I have now, than going broke paying for my insurance

[Outfitter17]

I thought alot of the good doctors left CA and went down to the US, better hospitals and alot better pay.

[budiva]

We had a doctor from Canada move to my home town in Nebraska when I was in High School. He stayed here for two months until his wife was diagnosed with cancer. He immediately moved back to Canada because insurance cost and health care where to expensive for him here in the states.

[Outfitter17]

Funny how that works, moves down for more money then back up for free care.

[superbee]

Alot of the doctors leave and then return after a few years of making big money in US. There are some excellent doctors in Canada and some I have seen over the years practice in Canada and go down to Mayo for scheduled surgeries a couple times a year. It is much like alot of the camp owners in Canada, make their money and take it home to live.

[Outfitter17]

That's right, we make all our money and head back to the good old USA. That's the way it should be.

[fastkaw]

I hope you are being sarcastic?

I know several CA. camp owners, and they work there a--'s off for the most part.

All for some shmo from the states that thinks that anyone can do that job.

And give me beer, are the first words out of there mouths.

Sorry had to vent. I haven't bin north in a while. IM off my soup box now.

[Hemlock]

Yeah, lets keep this civil...

I'm Canadian, but lived in MN for 8 years. My choice would be the Candian system. It's less expensive (in a round about way) and equates to less stress when you shouldn't be worried about "how am I going to pay for this child, or this surgery?"

That being said the US system has saved my mom's life. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with her up here, and she went to Mayo on her own will (and own bill) and was fixed immediately...was that a better health care system, or a better facility?

Anyways, things aren't all that bad up here. SOmetimes you gotta wait, but when push comes to shove for immediate and priority treatment, we get it.

[Canuck]

I am a Canadian but have talked at length with several American friends about this system.

No I don't pay up front for a visit to my doctor, or when I fell out of the tree and bust my heel, no I didn't pay up front for the visits to the specalists but sure PAID my fair share of taxes which in the long run more than covered these expenses. I have a medication and the drug bills are in my opinion high but really can not relate to the costs of them down south.

My BIGGEST beef with our Canadian Health care system is the WAIT times. To get my annual medical a 8 month wait time. I had to wait 9 months to get to see a specalists for Prostate problems and at first they thought it might have been cancer. Turned out OK but still 9 months for an appointment? Have a friend who was diagoned with prostate cancer 1st wk of July and his surgery is not until the 29th Oct, 4 months, I wonder how far it has spread in that time.

There are abuses in our system and that really ticks me off. Just go to the emergency on a weekend and see the self inflected injuries. This all adds up and no wonder the wait times.

In my opinion there should be a mix between both systems. Don't have the answer but really got a laugh at the last big Democrate convention when they are saying every American will get "FREE" medi care. I have been brought up to believe there is NO FREE ride. You pay one way or the other.

A real funny is a couple of years our Prime Minister went down to the Mayo clinic for treatment, which he got immediately rather than wait up here. YES, we have GREAT doctors, the problem is not the quality but quantity.

We live in a democrate society and would like to have a choice.

[Hemlock]

I feel a slight user fee would be more than fair, and keep some of the riff raff out of the Emergency Rooms. You start implementing a $25 user fee and I think some of the piddly stuff would start to thin itself out....but then again, if you don't have $25 to your name, you still aren't going to be refused treatment, so how do you enforce it?

[Wild Thing]

Americans pay more for health care than any other humans on earth.Yet 1 out of 4 of us have no coevrage at all?

ALL Canadians are covered at all times. That makes their system best by far.

The portion of their taxes Canadians pay for their healthcare is actually much less than the amount Americans pay for co-pays, health insurance premiums at work, etc. etc. And when we lose our job, we lose ur coverage.

Americans already are paying a huge tax for healthcare, but the profits go to HMO CEOS and very wealthy doctors. In canada the proceeds got to insure everyone.

I've been going to Canada for years and my neighbors in Canada (where we have a cottage) say that, yes there can be waits for some services, but they LOVE thier system.

I'd vote for the Caandian system any day. But the health care industry owns Washington and I'll never get the chance to vote.

[fish_on]

1/4 don't have coverage? Even the Liberals in congress admit that it is under 40 millin people. I am not a math major but under 40 million for a country with 300 million is a hair above 10%

[budiva]

Take it easy Fish On. You are obviosly getting stressed out over this thread. Personal attacks are not going to help anybody move forward. The Point that I get out of all this is that both systems have pro's and con's. And I feel the american sytsem is more greatly flawed then Canada's. Take your blinders off and stop hating everyone who doesn't agree with your views.

[fish_on]

I was not hating him based on his ideas. I was simply pointing out his flawed math skills and bogus facts.

[Scott M]

This is a good discussion and I appreciate everyone chiming in. While Wild Thing's numbers are off, his other points are valid. The rhetorical questions here are *What are the tradeoffs you can live with in taxes, insurance, care, technology, and urgency & * What infrastructure or policies dictate American and Canadian Health Care practices?

Anyone else with experience in Canada or views from Canada should keep the responses coming...

[kkahmann]

I've lived in Canada for 36 years now but I frequently work in the US. I've made several emergency room visits in both countries. From a working mans point of view Canada's system is better. Just been my experience.

Does Canada's system have problems? You bet--name a gov't program where there isn't some abuse. Are these problems gettin worse? You bet--nature of the beast.

Have we lost some good Doctors to the US--you bet. But Canada has lost many of it's most talented and gifted people to the US. I believe there is a Canadian currently playing first base for the twins right now.

[robert1965]

wow I wish I had coverage. im self employed, with a small painting business. the price for insurance here in the states is crazy. that's just for me a single guy, I feel for the lower income, and there's a lot who cant even pay for food and gas etc. so to have insurance, of the top. regardless of the small issues I have read on this post, is a huge worry of my back. soon to be moving your way thanks

[BobT]

Maybe I'm in the dark but how is it that in Minnesota so many could be without insurance? Between Medical assistance and MN care I thought most of us should have some kind of coverage.

Bob

[fish_on]

Most everyone that wants it has it. There are a lot of people who choose to pay as they go, or just don't care if they have ins. or not. The numbers are not what they seem to be. plus anyone who walks into an emergency room gets care.

[budiva]

My 85 year old grandfather had to exhaust his savings and was on the brink of bankruptcy before medicare started to help with 2,000 dollar a month prescriptions. He made the payments for two years before he qualified. I guess I should of told him to go to an emergency room and all his problems would disapear. Or if they had just wanted additional coverage they could of had it.

I realize that there are lots of people in our country who try and beat the system and take advantage of it. But please realize there are also lots more people in our country who follow the rules of our system and still end up banckrupt, taken advantage of, and left untreated. Don't belitlle these people or accuse them of doing something wrong.

[fish_on]

I am sorry to hear about your grandfather. But when you are talking policy on a level that involves hundreds of milions of taxpayers, a few, or even a few thousand cases of people strugling does not change anything. You cannot IMO, force everyone to pay for a few. Moving towards a socailist society is a dangerous thing.

[DTro]

While I cannot comment on the Canadian plan, this is my thought for the day.

The REAL problem with the US system is very simple.

The actual cost of healthcare in the US is blown way out of proportion by Pharmaceutical companies and “get rich quick” malpractice lawyers. Now throw in millions of non-paying ILLEGAL immigrants and you have a crisis.

[Outfitter17]

I agree with dtro 100%, get rid of the illegals and our system would be night and day better than it is.