Canadians, what are the pros and cons of your healthcare system?

Question

Please Canadians only answer!

Answer 1

pros - cheaper, in an emergency u can go to any hospital
cons - not enough hospital beds, shortage of nurses, long waiting list for surgery

to those people that keep saying healthcare is free
it is not
people have to pay monthy premiums

Answer 2

International healthcare ranks from a US study just release yesterday: 1 Sweden 2 Norway 3 Germany 4 Canada 5 Denmark and the US down in position #8 Cons we will all have to pay for it.

Answer 3

Pro - you can get any treatment without it coming out of your pocketbook

Con - you have to wait for it if it is not urgent

also higher taxes

People always complain about the wait times too, but I have had to go to the hospitals when I was in the US as well and I had to wait just as long or even longer there. In addition, a good friend of mine in the US had a bad accident on a motorcycle.. and pretty much had to sell everything she owned just to get her treatment.

There is always a good and bad side to any system, but having seen both in action I would take the Canadian system any day. And like the US, if you are super rich and need specialized treatment, you can always fly somewhere to get it. The difference is that even the poorest people can get their health looked after.

Answer 4

Hey, we have computers in our igloos.

Pro: If my foot is falling off and I go to the hospital I will still be asked dumb questions and have to show my health card. But I won't be asked how I am going to pay for any care. It will be free.

Con: Taxes are higher.....it's worth it.

Con: The system is crumbling and is always a source of consternation. Our current government is conservative and they keep trying to undermine the public system by allowing two-tiered healthcare.

Con: Wait lists for hip replacements, knee surgery can be long. Bed Shortages. The system needs some help.

Pro: It shows that Canadians care about each other and that we share the burden of health as a universal right in our country.

Con: It ain't perfect, that's for sure.

Answer 5

There are many pros to our health care system.

You can walk in to your doctors office, in and out without paying, as well as the emergency room.

You can also have certain procedures done without paying.

For some things there are long wait times.

Overall it is comforting knowing that you are not expected to pay things upfront and/or afterwords. There are health clinics which provide emergency services as well so that's a bonus too.

(Dental and prescription drugs are not covered, and for adults, eye care is no longer covered).

Answer 6

Pro's:
- It's cheap, i.e. free
- Anyone and Everyone has access to it. Even recent immigrants.
- Take the 'commerce' out of the most important aspect of human life: the preservation of life via health care.
- Since it;s a governments priority, you get top quality facilities, equipment, etc.

Con's:
- long waiting times
- long wait times can cause someone's death
- doctors take their income for granted
- difficult for immigrants to practice

Answer 7

Con, it takes months to get basic treatments.
The best doctors would rather work in the United States where they could get paid more
You will be paying for somebody else's medical.

Answer 8

Dude, Canadians can't afford computers.

Answer 9

pro-if i need a new organ, i'm not going to die trying to find the money for an operation

Answer 10

rs-
Con- if you need a new organ, you may die waiting to have the surgery.