Canadians: How do you like your health-care system?!


Question: Canadians: How do you like your health-care system.?
I'm constantly having the debate with a co-worker where she says, "We're going to end up like socialist Canada with our health-care. And so many Canadians cross the border to America to use our system because it's better."

I ask how she knows of this massive migration south for American health-care and she can't cite anything specific. So I thought I'd go straight to the source. How do you Canadians like or dislike your system.?Health Question & Answer


Answers:
Few Canadians cross the border for health care. Many Americans cross the border to get less expensive prescription drugs

Our system is great. Wait times for critical care are very short. There are no co--pays, no HMO to rule on whether care is "allowed" and people are free to choose any doctor they want. Home care, drugs for people over age 65 and drugs after the first $1000/yr for everyone else is covered. Heart surgery, cancer surgery, transplants are all fully covered with no limits. Nursing home care, post stroke rehab, physiotherapy is covered. Health coverage is not linked to your job, so you can change jobs without worry. If you travel within the country you are still covered.

And the Canadian system covers 100% of the population at about 50% of the cost of the American system.

I watched the Presidental Debates last month and was shocked to find that the average American pays $12,000 a year for health insurance! We get it covered through our taxes and lots of people pay less than $12,000 a year in tax.Health Question & Answer

I love it, I wouldn't live in the states for fear of your health care system. Some Canadians pay big bucks to cross the border for care because you usually have to wait less time. Our health care system is pretty backed up so you can end up waiting a long time to see a specialist, but I like it anways. A lot of Europian countries have much better health care than us, but I'd much rather our system than yours.Health Question & Answer

I like it, but I think we need to regulate the emergency rooms a little more and have them set aside for actual emergencies. Too many soccer (hockey.?) moms coming in because their little pookie has a sniffle and a fever makes them way too crowded. I love the fact that we can go to a clinic, see a doc within half an hour and get a prescription, all for about 20 bucks, or get an appointment with a family doctor for free.

The big problems are the emergency room crowding, and the lack of doctors because they're all running to the states, the last refuge of overpriced health care, so they can make more money.

I may be biased because I live in Canada's capital city. I'm not sure how it goes down in the smaller towns.Health Question & Answer

Canadian health care is good IF you have an extended medical plan. This is often supplied fully or in part by your employer. If your employer does not offer the option, it is very expensive to buy a plan on your own. Without the plan, you have to pay full price for prescription drugs and dental work and this can be extremely expensive.
People do go to the US for treatment if they have the money as they can avoid the sometimes very long waiting lists in Canada.
Health Question & Answer

WTF....is she an idiot.?!.?! We have FREE healthcare! We love it! People come HERE for the healthcare. I've never in my life heard of a Canadian going to the U.S. for healthcare. Sure sometimes there can be a wait period...but I wouldn't pay as much as you guys do just to void that waiting period. I'd rather wait a little and pay nothing. You need to put this debate to an end and let her know that she really doesn't know what she's talking about.Health Question & Answer



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