Is it true that Canadians do not have to pay for health care, it's free to everyone?. Are there taxes higher?

Answer 1

That is correct. We do not have to pay for basic health care services. It is free to everyone. There is no charge for hospitalization unless you request a semi-private or private room, and then the only charge is for the room. Visits to emergency rooms are covered. Taxes may be a bit higher than in some countries, but not exorbitantly so. There is no way that what we pay in taxes as an individual could ever match what people have to pay for health care in some countries.

Dental care is not free and varies from province to province, but in most provinces it is free until a certain age - usually about 12. Glasses are not covered by our health care system. Prescription medications are not covered. However insurance for these services is readily available and reasonably priced, and there are government programs to help those to a certain extent who cannot afford them.

If my husband and I lived in the US for example, we would be bankrupt right now and he would probably be dead. He was diagnosed with metastasized cancer about a year ago and since then he has had literally hundreds of contacts with the health care system - appointments, blood tests, CT scans, MRIs, bone scans, x-rays, bone strengthener injections (every four weeks), chemotherapy (every six weeks), radiation treatments (10 sessions), 10 days of hospitalization, three emergency room contacts, sees two oncologists regularly, sees a pain management team, is visited regularly by a community health nurse, etc. All these services are part of our health care system - no charge to us. Nor do we have to pay for the bone strengthener (we checked and each one would cost about $1000 where we checked in the US) or the chemotherapy drugs.

We are very happy to live in Canada and very proud of our country.

Answer 2

Yes and No

The health care is free in Canada except for few cares :
Optometrist (Eye care)
Dental Care
Physiotherapy
Chyropractice and ....
Medications

there is a Tax for Health care for those who have salaries over $20000 . and the Goods and services taxes is 7% and there is also a provencial tax in most parts , in ontario it is %8 so if we buy any thing we have to pay %15 . and the income tax is among the highest in the world + property tax wich is very high.

Answer 3

Yes it is true that Canadians do not have to pay for health care.Health care is born by the government so its citizen are free for that.The taxes rate is higher but part of its income from tax payers is spent for public health care.It is fair is not it?

Answer 4

That is true to a point, once a year you pay a lump some of money depending on your income for the whole year. Yes taxes are high here but wages are higher too.

Answer 5

I'm Canadian and I have full access to free healthcare.

Canadian taxes are slightly higher than in the U.S.

American tax freedom day for 2006 was April 26, for a total average effective tax rate of 31.6 percent of the nation's income.

Canada’s Tax Freedom Day in 2006 was June 19

The national debt of both countries shows that the U.S. may soon have to begin downloading the real cost of running a country. "Most analysts consider the current U.S. budget deficit of over US$500 billion per year to represent a problem that must be addressed quickly. Recently, the U.S. public debt has grown to over US$8 trillion. Meanwhile, Canada's national debt has begun to shrink (as of 2005, Canada's net debt as a fraction of GDP was half its peak, and was the lowest among the G8 nations)."

Answer 6

It's just amazing how little everyone understands American and Canadian taxation policies..... NO ONE in the USA pays that much in taxes, right now no one is paying over 35% in income taxes, and you have to be pretty wealthy to end up in that bracket. And with the removal of the Estate Tax, the wealthy are paying even less. And as for American Welfare spending, it is so low as to hardly register.

So yes, Canadians pay higher taxes. But they get something for it they seem satisfied with.

Answer 7

Yes it is, but no it is not free. Canadians as well as other socialist countries tend to pay a little more out of their paychecks in taxes, but wouldn't you be willing to do so. With the rising cost of healtcare in this country and so many people without out it due to the cost nd extra 20 or 30 dollars a week out of my pay seems worth it to me. I don't know about Canada. but my family comes from a socialist country , Belgium. Recently put grandma in a nursing home, they did not come and take her house as collateral. Also , she never worked a day in her life , therefore, no social security, but she is very well taken care of. Other incentives are also given to families, such as help with day care, stay at home pay for mothers with small children, incentives to keeping property well maintained and the list goes on----

Answer 8

yes and yes their taxes are alot higher than ours, americans would throw the biggest hissy fits if we had to pay as much as they do. Those of us that are in the lower income bracket don't realize how much people in higher tax brackest and corporations pay in taxes so we can have our failed wel-fare programs. If the gov. gave everyone health care we would be paying 60%+ of our wages in taxes and what would we have to live on then. Those people who bash Bush don't seem to realize the dems would do just that. And we would all be on wel-fare

Answer 9

Yes, they pay for health care through taxes.

Answer 10

Yes it's true, we don't pay for health care anywhere in Canada(Doctor visits and hospital are free) and our taxes are not high at all in my area that i live.