Why Do Liberals Think Canada Has A Better Health Care System?

Question

The U.S. has better cancer treatments says Canadian news reports.

Canadian cancer survivor: "There’s no question that going to the United States saved my life"
Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada - CCAC
http://www.ccac-accc.ca/news.php?id=53

"In Canada the average wait for procedures such as neurosurgery is more than four months; for cancer radiation treatment, over two months. The average wait for treatment after consulting a specialist for coronary bypass clocks in at up to 52 weeks, with four to 12 weeks for angioplasty. That’s the reality in our backlogged public health system, according to a recent survey by The Fraser Institute, a think tank based in Vancouver. In the United States, you can often be on an operating table within a week or two of referral to a surgeon."

"Canadian patients who go [ to the U.S. ] report speedier, better service....anybody can find the specialist he or she needs, or gain access to the most advanced technology available."

Canadian government:
"Four years ago when Suzanne Aucoin was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, she had to travel every week to the United States to buy life-saving cancer drugs " Medical Tourism Boosted by Long Wait Times - Embassy - Newspaper
http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2007/march/28/tourism/

Many Canadians receive government-funded U.S. medical treatments in the U.S.. Canada's medical systems pays for sending many Canadian patients to the U.S. to receive cancer treaments, advanced body scans, etc..

Health insurance in America is affordable. In many states, good private healthcare insurance only costs around $100 a month. The problem is old insurance laws block the insurance from being sold from state to state. That stifles competition. Consumers should be allowed to purchase insurance directly from HMO's with no middlemen involved.

President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address,
"Allow Health Insurance to be Purchased Across State Lines "
http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2006/healthcare/
Reforming Health Care for the 21st Century

"Why can't people buy health insurance over state lines?"
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ao0eomAKXMcJAyprF3hnaMTty6IX?qid=20070813004202AA9jlt0

Answer 1

Having been in Europe where socialized medicine got it's start, healthcare is not "free." I just recently went through knee surgery and while undergoing a pre-op physical, the nurse at our local hospital told me Canadians were taking "vacations" to come to the U.S. for speedy healthcare.

In response to RLP, liberals having a "rational side" is hard to imagine. Even in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they still believe the nanny state should provide all of our needs. Medicare, Social Security, education, welfare are fine examples of the government "helping" us. In the words of our best president ever, Ronald Reagan. he said "The 9 most dangerous words in America are: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Answer 2

Because it is. The Canadian health care system covers *everybody*, not just the rich or those who are fortunate enough to have benefits giving insurance coverage. Isolated examples of where they system breaks down are always going to exist, but Canada does a better job of caring for its citizens than does the American system, and it does it in a more cost-effective manner.

Americans who are not familiar with the Fraser Institute should know that it is a right-wing think tank. An opinion on health care from the Fraser Institute will be as objective as an opinion from the Republican National Committee on how desirable it is to have a Democratic President.

Answer 3

I appreciate the mature tone of your question. In America at present there is no minimum standard of care for all citizens. That is the basis of the problem. When we talk about reform, arguments which come up from the opposition mention that this will ruin the private sector, insurance company profits (there by running against American Capitalism), and reduce the competitiveness of the medical field and practice. The truth is this is not the case. Let me explain. Right now those who can afford good insurance are provided with a standard of care which is high - in fact some of the best in the world, this is not something which would change with reform. What would change is that a market would emerge that would offer coverage to people who are unable to afford the premiums which have been inflated by insurance companies in the US. Right now insurance companies are getting away with murder and are charging individuals for insurance at a rate which is 50% higher than some countries which have universal health care (and offer the same coverage in terms of drugs, technology and facilities). So it is clear that some people below and close to the poverty line would not be able to afford coverage/these premiums. The other side is those individuals who are born with illnesses or acquire them in their lifetime and are refused insurance or are denied coverage even though they have insurance and have paid their premiums for years if not decades. This is something which would change with universal coverage, you are buying insurance, it should cover you period. (Assuming of course we are talking about sensible people who are not 10 a day pack smokers or alcoholics etc these individuals should also be covered but should not be surprised when they pay a much much higher premiums or are provided with the minimum standard as insurance companies should not be on the hook for others lifestyle choices) Again what I am trying to point out is that everyone should be given a minimum which is of course at a reasonable level. As for the American medical system since the higher so called 'private market' would still be intact all those who are able to afford 'luxury' care would still be able to, people who spend this type of money are not going to stop because there is a cheaper alternative - because there is already a much cheaper alternative for them. What I love the most is when people, some of which who have already answered your question, point out that Canadians come to the US for surgeries all the time. Well of course, some of the best facilities in the world are in America - if you could afford it why not (which just solidifies my earlier point). The point is that this level of care is not available to everyone in the US, what part of that do these people not understand? Is the Canadian system perfect? Nope. How about UK or the Netherlands - Nope again, but what they offer is a high standard of care to all citizens regardless of income or type or level of coverage. That is the problem in the US and people fail to see that and are, quite frankly, being manipulated to think that if those who have no coverage now are given coverage the whole system will fail. That is just ignorant and if you don't take my word for it consider that virtually all the other most developed nations in the world have universal coverage for their citizens so look to their examples and see for yourself.

Answer 4

Liberals believe Canda and most countries in Europe have a "better" health care system than the U.S. because everyone has health coverage. While the number of people without health insurance in the U.S. is a serious problem, what the liberals fail to note in their praise of Canada and other universal care systems is that the quality and timeliness of service in many of those systems falls well short of that in the U.S. So I guess the question becomes do we concentrate resources on the 30 to 40 million people in the U.S. without health insurance or the 270 million who are covered and getting good care? Part of the answer, in my opinion, is to look at hospital emergency rooms. Almost all folks without health insurance still receive emergency care. What they lack is good preventive medical care.

Answer 5

According to the WHO, Canada spends less of its GDP and less money per capita on heath care than the USA, and manages to provide a complete health care system that yes include sending people to other provinces and sometimes countries for more specific care.

The majority of the stores you will encounter about wait times are from people who are looking for elective surgery, like knee replacement, and major cosmetic procedure. Which the key word here is elective, the Canadians system works on priority. A life saving surgery will always take precedence over a an elective surgery. The American system also works on priority, an insured patient will receiver better care than an insured.

I am Canadians, I pay less than you for movement funded health care. I have unlimited coverage that also covers traveling for more specialized treatments. I can pick my doctor, I can pick my hospital, I can pick my therapy. Can you?

I live in the most populous city in Canada, I am asthmatic, and death allergic to bee stings. I have never once waited for care when encountering an issue with either one. In fact last time I was stung, between getting stung and seeing a doctor less than 10 minutes had passed.

Living in a family with a history of cancer, I can get screened 2-3 times per year. I can consult nutritionists, nurses, pharmacists, General practitioners and specialist alike with any of my health concerns. Can you?

Statistically I will live 3 years longer than my American counterpart and there is a less likely chance my children will die due to illness.

So I ask of you whose system is working for them? Keep in mind percapita. I pay around half of what you do into a national health care plan.

Answer 6

Every Canadian is covered. Nobody dies waiting, it is sort of triage. So yes if a person needs immediate surgery and our system is over extended because we have been economically blackmailed by the bush administration when we would not go to Iraq. Colin Powell admitted to the press Canada would be punished now health care money has to go to the military to get kids blown up trying to build roads for the Taliban and help American Army protect precious poppy fields.
Anyways if overtaxed at least Canadian Citizen will be sent to a U.S. hospital without ever having paid insurance, though same hospital will allow U.S. citizen to die. Happens every day..Mary.
One thing I have heard big U.S. lobbyist desperately want to wreck the Canadian standard of care before they bring out the Amerigo currency and unionize Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., it seems they would rather destroy Canada's health care then give health care to Americans..Mary

Answer 7

Where the h*** do you get the false and misleading information that health insurance in this country is AFFORDABLE? By gosh, when I look at those insurance premium charts I thank God I only have to buy insurance for
myself because if I had to get it for a family of 3 or more it would cost $1,000 a month for most plans!

I met a woman who is paying $700 a month for insurance just for herself because she had cancer and it is in remission.

I myself pay over $300 a month and I am VERY healthy.

Why cant our politicians give me the choice between having to WAIT for care verses having to spend more and more money every year and worry every year that I will be canceled for any reason the insurance company makes up?

What I don't like about our country is that WE HAVE NO CHOICE. I don't even get to choose a government plan that is paid for by taxes because we don't have one!!! All I get to choose is crappy insurance that goes up every year and takes away more benefits every year so some CEO of the company can earn $3.3 million dollars in salary because he helped make me more poor.

Oh yes-----please tell us again what a FREAKING wonderful system we have here! Please, give us more evidence!

Answer 8

This is a stupid argument. Sure American medicine does somethings better for those who can afford it. But what does that have to do with people who don't have any insurance. Making generalizations about one system or the other makes no sense. Neither system is perfect and probably will never be perfect. But making a better American health system is a good goal and borrowing the best of other countries systems and ignoring the worse is just common sense. The cost of health in Europe is half of what it is in the USA. Yet their mortality rate isn't worse then ours. Now I believe in improving our health system not totally revamping it. So lets borrow the best and ignore the rest. Get the most bang for the buck and stop thinking we have all the answers and everybody else are witch doctors.

Answer 9

I think both countries can continue to examine each other's health systems and better serve their own healthcare programs. Both nations can be admired. Why does this have to be a competition with you people?

Canada has a great system. There will always be problems with it. But it is a GREAT system.

The same can be said for America's. Basically more lives can be saved in the Canadian system (and more specific treatments can be conducted in America). But if we don't feel like paying for that then so be it.

Both systems can learn from each other.

Answer 10

Canadian system has it's problems, got the sugarcoat version in Sicko. Just proves that Moore is a typical American, knows nothing about Canada.
Having said that, there is no way in hell that I will ever allow American style healthcare in my country.
Ever.
I had cancer as a teenager and my family would have gone broke trying to pay for my treatments if I was living in the US.
Rather pay for healthcare than fighter jets with my taxes.

Edit
And take anything from The Fraser Institiute with a grain of salt, It lobbies all the time for getting rid of universal healthcare. They're d!cks.

Answer 11

Well it could be that someone who actually studied the situation rather than relying on anecdotal evidence has said so.
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html
Or perhaps it is because thier health system actually performs better when it comes to doing what it is supposed to - keeping thier people alive and healthy.
http://www.who.int/countries/usa/en/
http://www.who.int/countries/can/en/
And all this while costing it's people half what ours does.

But since nobody is proposing identically replicating the Canadian system it makes one wonder why conservatives cannot actually get past such a suggestion and actually join the debate.
Our health system is a disaster. 15% of the population have no health insurance. For those who do have it it is prohibitively expensive. Instead of attacking systems that produce better results than ours why not put a little effort into actually proposing how you would fix it?