FIRST: THE U.S. “HEALTH CARE SYSTEM”

As an American who has experienced the Canadian health care system for four years,  I can tell you that comparing the health care system in Canada with what goes on in the U.S. is like comparing apples to stones.

First off, labeling the mess in the U.S. a health care system is a misnomer.

What the U.S. has is a health insurance business run by and for insurance companies to maximize profit. And in this business, those who will cost the system money are dropped or not insured, and then find themselves with no access to medical services.

Those who say that instituting a government-supervised one-payer health care system in the U.S. will put a government bureaucrat between you and your doctor fail to tell you that, right now, you have a  capitalist accountant between you and your doctor, and that his job is to deny care. [Read more →]

I have a confession to make. Seven years ago, and through no fault of my own, I fell in love with a Canadian.

After a long-distance romance, we married and elected to live in Canada. The main reason we chose Canada over the U.S. was because of the Canadian health care system. Therefore, I feel I must weigh in on the current health care debate in the U.S. and do what I can to counteract the misinformation that is deliberately being spread about Canada’s  health care system.

CANADA: HEALTH CARE HEAVEN

When I first experienced the Canadian health care system, I could not believe my good fortune. It was as if I had died and gone to Health Care Heaven.

I was only in the waiting room for five minutes. The doctor was pleasant, diagnosed my condition quickly, wrote a prescription, and told me that, if I had any more problems, he’d refer me for tests. (That would be paid for by the Canadian government.)

I was in and out of there in fifteen minutes. I paid nothing.  Yet, conditioned to always paying or having some sort of hassle when it comes to medical care, I asked the receptionist: “Are you sure I don’t owe anything?”

Nope, I didn’t. The tab – I was persistent and found out that my visit cost $50 – would be picked up by the province of Ontario, no questions asked.

I tell you, without shame, that I was so amazed and grateful that tears came to my eyes.

Since I became a Canadian resident four years ago I’ve gotten the best health care of my life.  I get an annual medical check up, I’ve been referred for precautionary mammograms, an ultrasound and blood tests, and I’ve had a minor surgery done, all at no cost to me. It has been fabulous.

I can go to my own private practice doctor or stop into one of several clinics instead.The doctors I’ve seen have all been interested in one thing: keeping me healthy, because that’s the point of the system.

Since they haven’t had to call anyone  for approval, they have referred me for whatever tests  they thought prudent as good, preventative health care to find and cure disease early.

I also can report that I waited far longer in waiting rooms in the U.S. (where I paid through the nose to be seen) than I ever have in Canada.

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