Do you really feel Canada's health care is good value?

Question

In the US all seniors are covered by Medicare, Some states have programs for the uninsured. And most states offer low cost coverage for kids. The problem is that all government run programs are expensive. There seems to be so much waste in any government progams. In fact most things government does seems like a black hole for money. Bueracracy constantly grows. Private buisness always seems to do things more effeciently. Thats why the trend has been to privatize so many things. So I ask you, is it a good deal? Could you do better yourself if you had the money and made your own choices? and use the money yourself for health costs or insurance?

Answer 1

Let me put it to you this way:

If two people were brought in to the emergency room at the hospital at the same time, both suffering heart attacks.
One is a multi-billionaire, the other a homeless person. Both would receive the exact same treatment and care, no questions asked.

Answer 2

Yes it is a good deal. We know that we can walk into any hospital or after hours clinic and receive treatment for anything. We don't have to decide between putting food on the table or taking the kids to the doctor. Years ago my mother was hospitalized for 5 months, when she left they gave her a printout of the expenses. It was just under $50,000! All she had to pay for was her telephone. I have no idea where we'd have gotten the money for that.
With that said, there are some people that abuse the system and money does get wasted. There are some, relatively minor procedures that aren't covered anymore and it probably could use some improvements, but overall I like this system.

Answer 3

The care people receive in Canada is pretty good but they have to wait and wait and wait for it.

ERs are overcrowded; patients are often put on stretcher in the hall. There is waiting list for cancer treatment and a lot of other stuff. It's not easy to find a general physician particularly in rural areas.

About "the everyone get the same treatment" let say it's right for the general population (poor and middle class) but like everywhere else, riches who have relations get better and faster treatment.

Personally, I would prefer some middle ground system. Ex. Taking a $20 out of you pocket to see a doctor would help the system work well and would make people stop and think that everything is not free.

Answer 4

Yes. What we get is good value. But what we get is health insurance. And from my economic studies of comparing US health insurance duplication, deception and waste, it is nothing compared to Canada's system.

What people usually fail to see is the actual problems Canada has. Canada has a population the size of California spread out over an area bigger than the US. Just having basic hospital facilities close to every Canadian is an expensive chore. In the new Millennium with specialized cutting edge equipment coming out and specialists, we have trouble justifying putting in multi-million dollar equipment in a city of 50,000. Yet for those 50,000 not having it there is life or death. (i.e. Cat scan equipment for heart attack victims is crucial to be something like within 20 minutes.) Our starting problems have nothing to do with Private verses public. Or does it? Privatization sure wouldn't put a cat scan into those remote areas. They would put them all in Toronto only.