Thread: Canada's amazing health care system is not so amazing after all.

I am an American living in British Columbia. My whole life I have been weened on stories of Canada's socialized healthcare and how amazing it is. If I had a dime for every American I have heard say this... will I would be able to but coffee for a week. I was told that everyone in Canada is covered by health insurance and prescription costs are low... all in all a way better system then in America.

Now that I been in Country for sever months I am beginning to wounder if all those people that have told me all those amazing stories about Canadian healthcare have ever even been to Canada?!

Here is the reality; All Canadians are covered by health insurance but for most this does not include prescription coverage. That can be picked up through a 3rd party insurer for a premium. But many on the low end of the income scale cannot afford the private prescription coverage. What is the point of going to see a doc, who uses medication to treat you, all to have to go without because you cannot afford the prescription coverage or the cost of the medication? I know someone in Canada that had surgery but took no pain killers because they lacked the insurance and could not afford the medicine!!! People with disabilities do get health and prescription coverage in Canada.

In Canada you get charged for paperwork to be filled out or even just signed by a doc. This is troubling because there are Canadian programs in place aimed at helping low income people receive extra benefits, but to get these extra benefits you have to have your doc sign the paperwork which can cost $75! For most $75 is is an easily absorbed expense, but for those living on a fixed income especially here in Canada where the price of living is much higher than many areas in America, having to pay the $75 can be a barrier to getting the much needed extra benefits. Never in all my years in America have I ever had a doc charge to fill out or sign paperwork.

Wait times to see a specialist can take months or ever over a year! Where is the compassion in making someone suffer for such a prolonged period of time while waiting for the medical attention that they deserve? In the U.S. I have never had to wait more than three days to see a specialist. Now I know someone who did have to wait months to see a cancer specialist in the States, but as a follow up after their surgery.

Wait times in hospitals is a problem also. Where I am from in the past we had long wait times, but this has long since been dealt with and wait times in my home town are now like Zero to 15 minutes.

So to all you American out there who think the Canadian healthcare system is nirvana and a model for the U.S. to follow... be careful for what you wish for. Because now that I have been to Canada, I would take the American medical institution with all its flaws over the Canadian healthcare system in a heart beat.

The American system does have its share of problems... for example, if my memory serves me right, in the last Presidential election, it was said that there are up to 40 million Americans who are under-insured or lack any insurance. This is definitely a problem.

Just found out that many Canadians have to pay a monthly premium on their Government health insurance.

Originally Posted by robini123

I am an American living in British Columbia. My whole life I have been weened on stories of Canada's socialized healthcare and how amazing it is. If I had a dime for every American I have heard say this... will I would be able to but coffee for a week. I was told that everyone in Canada is covered by health insurance and prescription costs are low... all in all a way better system then in America.

Now that I been in Country for sever months I am beginning to wounder if all those people that have told me all those amazing stories about Canadian healthcare have ever even been to Canada?!

Here is the reality; All Canadians are covered by health insurance but for most this does not include prescription coverage. That can be picked up through a 3rd party insurer for a premium. But many on the low end of the income scale cannot afford the private prescription coverage. What is the point of going to see a doc, who uses medication to treat you, all to have to go without because you cannot afford the prescription coverage or the cost of the medication? I know someone in Canada that had surgery but took no pain killers because they lacked the insurance and could not afford the medicine!!! People with disabilities do get health and prescription coverage in Canada.

In Canada you get charged for paperwork to be filled out or even just signed by a doc. This is troubling because there are Canadian programs in place aimed at helping low income people receive extra benefits, but to get these extra benefits you have to have your doc sign the paperwork which can cost $75! For most $75 is is an easily absorbed expense, but for those living on a fixed income especially here in Canada where the price of living is much higher than many areas in America, having to pay the $75 can be a barrier to getting the much needed extra benefits. Never in all my years in America have I ever had a doc charge to fill out or sign paperwork.

Wait times to see a specialist can take months or ever over a year! Where is the compassion in making someone suffer for such a prolonged period of time while waiting for the medical attention that they deserve? In the U.S. I have never had to wait more than three days to see a specialist. Now I know someone who did have to wait months to see a cancer specialist in the States, but as a follow up after their surgery.

Wait times in hospitals is a problem also. Where I am from in the past we had long wait times, but this has long since been dealt with and wait times in my home town are now like Zero to 15 minutes.

So to all you American out there who think the Canadian healthcare system is nirvana and a model for the U.S. to follow... be careful for what you wish for. Because now that I have been to Canada, I would take the American medical institution with all its flaws over the Canadian healthcare system in a heart beat.

Yup. The grass is greener on the other side. However, once you find yourself on the "other side" it's a different story entirely. People don't know how good they have it in America.

The American system does have its share of problems... for example, if my memory serves me right, in the last Presidential election, it was said that there are up to 40 million Americans who are under-insured or lack any insurance. This is definitely a problem.

Law states that a hospital cannot deny medical care to a person regardless of their ability to pay the bill. If this is truly a "problem" regarding supposed lack of care, then it has already been solved.

Originally Posted by drj90210

Yup. The grass is greener on the other side. However, once you find yourself on the "other side" it's a different story entirely. People don't know how good they have it in America.

I agree, many Americans have no clue how good they have it. I had some friends complaining on their $3.50 a gallon gas... I told them come to BC where it is the rough equivalent of $5.00 here... the same price as a gallon of milk too... although everything is metric here.

Originally Posted by drj90210

Law states that a hospital cannot deny medical care to a person regardless of their ability to pay the bill. If this is truly a "problem" regarding supposed lack of care, then it has already been solved.

Indeed. Many Canadians believe if you have no insurance that you will be denied medical care in the USA. In reality Hospitals do not turn away people with emergency medical needs. Hospitals can then use this as a tax write off.

Originally Posted by robini123

Just found out that many Canadians have to pay a monthly premium on their Government health insurance.

i pay no premiums...healthcare varies from one province to the next...

Originally Posted by wyly

i pay no premiums...healthcare varies from one province to the next...

That is what I understand too - it varies from province to province

Originally Posted by robini123

Here is the reality; All Canadians are covered by health insurance but for most this does not include prescription coverage. That can be picked up through a 3rd party insurer for a premium. But many on the low end of the income scale cannot afford the private prescription coverage. What is the point of going to see a doc, who uses medication to treat you, all to have to go without because you cannot afford the prescription coverage or the cost of the medication? I know someone in Canada that had surgery but took no pain killers because they lacked the insurance and could not afford the medicine!!! People with disabilities do get health and prescription coverage in Canada.

BS...here's the reality...healthcare varies from one province to the next...I've had major surgery in two provinces and never paid for medication and I'm not disabled...what drugs are covered by healthcare plans vary...

In Canada you get charged for paperwork to be filled out or even just signed by a doc. This is troubling because there are Canadian programs in place aimed at helping low income people receive extra benefits, but to get these extra benefits you have to have your doc sign the paperwork which can cost $75! For most $75 is is an easily absorbed expense, but for those living on a fixed income especially here in Canada where the price of living is much higher than many areas in America, having to pay the $75 can be a barrier to getting the much needed extra benefits. Never in all my years in America have I ever had a doc charge to fill out or sign paperwork.

MD's charging for documents is optional, my MDs do not, some do charge for paperwork in regards to insurance claims or legal matters, routine paperwork is built in to their fees paid by the healthcare system...americans MDs charge for paperwork it's built into their fees you're just naive to realize it, US administration fees are considerably higher than canadian administration costs...

Wait times to see a specialist can take months or ever over a year! Where is the compassion in making someone suffer for such a prolonged period of time while waiting for the medical attention that they deserve? In the U.S. I have never had to wait more than three days to see a specialist. Now I know someone who did have to wait months to see a cancer specialist in the States, but as a follow up after their surgery.

there are no wait times for emergencies, specialist help is immediate...and wait times are long in the US as well, for some without healthcare that wait is forever/never...no one in Canada regardless of income is denied specialist care...

Wait times in hospitals is a problem also. Where I am from in the past we had long wait times, but this has long since been dealt with and wait times in my home town are now like Zero to 15 minutes.

and the population of your hometown was what 1000? 2000? I can get the same quick service in a small town as well...as in any major city anywhere in the world ER's are busy places...if you check in with an ouchie or the sniffles expect to wait while the triage sees to the really sick and injured first...on my last visit to an busy urban ER I was seen in less than a minute for suspected stroke; apologies to anyone who was waiting ahead of me with a tummy ache...

So to all you American out there who think the Canadian healthcare system is nirvana and a model for the U.S. to follow... be careful for what you wish for. Because now that I have been to Canada, I would take the American medical institution with all its flaws over the Canadian healthcare system in a heart beat.

all you have shown is you know very little how canadian healthcare works...misinformation and 2nd hand anecdotes...

Originally Posted by Bowerbird

That is what I understand too - it varies from province to province

it's very complicated, most canadians don't know how it works either...

maybe I should add my own anecdote...my brother who got sick on a tuesday throwing up blood, wednesday sees a Md at a walk-in clinic who sends him on to a hospital where he is admitted on a thursday where he's seen by a "specialist" oncologist and on friday has emergency surgery for advanced colon cancer...all for the cost of, nothing....2 years later he's alive and cancer free...ya our healthcare really sucks

Originally Posted by wyly

maybe I should add my own anecdote...my brother who got sick on a tuesday throwing up blood, wednesday sees a Md at a walk-in clinic who sends him on to a hospital where he is admitted on a thursday where he's seen by a "specialist" oncologist and on friday has emergency surgery for advanced colon cancer...all for the cost of, nothing....2 years later he's alive and cancer free...ya our healthcare really sucks

The OP is just making stuff up.