If the Canadian National Health plan is so bad, why aren't they clamoring for our plan (US)?

Answer 1

Canadians aren’t going to ditch their national health care because even with its problems they know it’s still better than the health care mess in the US.

Answer 2

In many ways the Canadian system benefits from our advances in drugs and technology. Will that advancement continue when the government runs the show? Name 5 government agencies that succeed in that regard?

I live on the border, and Canadians come here often for treatment because they refuse to wait. I have friends in Canada who are willing to pay out of pocket rather than risk their health.

Answer 3

Canadians are voting with their dollars. Many who live in southern Canada make regular trips to the U.S. for medical care on demand, especially for imaging and other peripheral services.

Even if Canadian people are not "clamoring" for greater freedom in medical care, the Canadian Supreme Court is. Their Supreme Court found the health care system so inadequate that it violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Canada's equivalent of the Bill of Rights). Below is a quote from the Supreme Court decision:

"The evidence in this case shows that delays in the public health care system are widespread, and that, in some serious cases, patients die as a result of waiting lists for public health care. The evidence also demonstrates that the prohibition against private health insurance and its consequence of denying people vital health care result in physical and psychological suffering that meets a threshold test of seriousness.

"Where lack of timely health care can result in death, the [Section 7] protection of life is engaged; where it can result in serious psychological and physical suffering, the [Section 7] protection of security of the person is triggered. In this case, the government has prohibited private health insurance that would permit ordinary Quebeckers to access private health care while failing to deliver health care in a reasonable manner, thereby increasing the risk of complications and death. In so doing, it has interfered with the interests protected by [Section 7] of the Canadian Charter."

Chaoulli v. Quebec

FYI, Section 7 of the Canadian Charter reads as follows: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice."

So, in a nutshell, the even the Canadian Supreme Court agreed that the health care system of government monopoly violated Canadians' very right to LIFE, LIBERTY, and SEURITY OF PERSON. That's a serious indictment.

Yeah, there's plenty of clamoring going on if you are willing to do the research.

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EDIT: Instead of a simple "thumbs-down," how about a reasoned discussion of the facts?

Answer 4

Canadians do come to the US in droves for medical care. Not your basic wellness checks etc, but for life saving treatment they would wait months or years for. I just read an article on the cancer (all cancers averaged) survival rate in Europe (where they also have socialized medicine). The 5 year survival in the US is approximately 67% on average. In countries where you have 'free' healthcare..........the survival is approximately 48%. I'm liking the US odds better.

Answer 5

Canadians do come to the US for health services instead of waiting. So, in essence they are.

Answer 6

the reason that we could never have the canadian plan is that once the majority of americans figure out that to have their system it will require a raise in taxes to make it "free", they will turn it down because nobody wants more taxes.

Answer 7

Here's some English people complaining about their NHS. Several suggest a U.S. style market-based reform.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Alr2Y7atlkJnR1W98uDJ.hXsy6IX?qid=20070828071918AAeVwRc&show=7#profile-info-AA10922386