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Thread: Canadian health care

  1. #1
    AO Curmudgeon rcgreen's Avatar
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    Canadian health care

    For Years, we in the US have been told that we need health
    care reform. One of the most common suggestions is that
    we should adopt a system like that in Canada or Great Britain.
    But lately, Canadians have been complaining.

    During the recent closely fought election campaign, Mr. Martin promised to fix Canada's health care system "for a generation,"
    http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/12/in.../12canada.html

    Is there something wrong with Canadian health care, or are people just fond of griping?
    I came in to the world with nothing. I still have most of it.

  2. #2
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    Is there something wrong with Canadian health care, or are people just fond of griping?
    Well the former has been established since about the start of the human race, so I'm not too sure... Perhaps it's a combination of both?
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  3. #3
    ********** |ceWriterguy
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    Before we actually start pointing to Canada or UK for health care advice, should we not first ask them about the things that actually do pay for their healthcare? Any Canadians or Brits wishing to enlighten us please do - what percentage of your wages are taxed out to go to health care?

    Item next to find out would be - how much medical research takes place in countries with socialized medicine? We are on the cutting edge of (most) medical technology, doing most of the research here. Although there are certain fields in which we don't explore (stem cells, sex change operations, etc), for the most part, we've got the number one healthcare system in the world. Yes, we pay a very high price for it. Research costs money - lots and lots of it. One area in which I'd agree wholeheartedly though is to allow US citizens to buy perscription drugs from whomevers cheapest, anywhere in the world. It would cause yet another regulator on the (astronomically high, outrageous, insert your mind-bogglingly enormously huge synonym here) cost of perscriptions meds in the US. (btw AARP is fighting for this very thing, to allow the old farts to use their medicaid to buy drugs from Canada where they're cheaper).
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  4. #4
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    I can't talk for Canada or the UK, but in Belgium I paid around 150 Euro per year, covering everything. This amount is about the same for everyone (not based on income - if you don't have an income, the government covers it, meaning every single Belgian has the same advantages).
    We have 3.8 doctors per 1,000 people; the U.S. 2.8 (Canada has 2.1).

    How many people in the US don't have access to health care at all?
    Census Bureau data shows that nearly 14 million low-income adults do not qualify for public health insurance programs. Although two out of three work, they do not have health insurance through their jobs, usually because their employers do not offer coverage or because these workers cannot afford to pay the premiums. As a result, they are uninsured, gambling that they will not need health care that they cannot afford.

  5. #5
    ********** |ceWriterguy
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    Good point. I didn't know Belgium had socialized medicine. Nice cheap cost too... I should come out of my bubble for a minute and see the exchange rate Euro to USD.

    I hate to say it on the 'no health care at all' end, but, at least where I've lived, the local hospitals have no right to deny service to anyone in need, regardless of their ability to pay or their payment history. Now that's not saying that hospitals won't 'rush' someone through and get them out as quickly as possible if they're known for stiffing on payments, but at least it's a start. To get this privilige paid for, hospitals now are know for 'triple billing' the insurance companies of those who are insured and can pay. Kinda sucks in the long run since it equates to high insurance costs, but it's either pay them or pay higher taxes.

    Please don't take me wrong. I'm not defending our healthcare system at all, I'm just trying to get folks to be better informed before making (much needed?) changes to it.
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  6. #6
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    I'm 16, so I don't pay taxes, but I think the problem with it, is the lack of all the needed doctors, and workers in hospitals and clincs and stuff, don't quite me, I could be wrong.

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  7. #7
    Senior Member RoadClosed's Avatar
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    If you want an example of how health care will work in America look at Medicare. It's very limited in scope. Or the military who has a huge socialized health care system.
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  8. #8
    They call me the Hunted foxyloxley's Avatar
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    Before we actually start pointing to Canada or UK for health care advice, should we not first ask them about the things that actually do pay for their healthcare? Any Canadians or Brits wishing to enlighten us please do - what percentage of your wages are taxed out to go to health care?
    UK taxes are at 20% after allowances.
    Basically you can earn £5000 before tax, then 20% is taken up to £30 000, then it rises to 40% of anything above that.
    I USED to pay the 'supertax', but nowadays I earn a LOT less, so only have to worry about the 20%.

    In the UK you cannot decide what your taxes go to............
    There was an instance of someone who payed his taxes, MINUS the % he believed went to the military...........[he was anti-most things military]

    It is not that easy to determine how much we spend on the National Health Service, but if you start at 6 billion and count UP, you will get to the total quicker.

    The comparison to Belgium isn't really valid as their entire population is around the 10-11 million mark, and London alone is about 15 million.

    Should you ever get someone suggesting that the British NHS is the way to go.........Shoot him.

    As an ideal it cannot be beaten.
    As a reality, it is a money pit. Every year people want more and more, and each time they receive more............. And each year new research give us more, different operations available. Yet the waiting lists are still here, and we have people who are tired of the wait heading for Europe to be seen NOW..............

    Too many pen pushers, not enough hands on staff [I would normally say 'not enough nurse's, but my wife worked in the NHS as a MicroBiologist in Pathology. So now I'm aware of the numbers behind the scenes.]
    To put it into Americanese:
    Too many Chiefs. Not enough Indians.

    I read once, and saw the advert of 'how many people it took to put the smile back on 'her' face' that there is 48 staff working on each patient, not EACH patient, they do other patients as well But that is the number of staff who will make a contribution to the care and re-habilitation when you are in Hospital.

    The 'benefits' are that we receive full medical cover for no cost ANYWHERE in the EU, if we fill out the proper paperwork, and, obviously, we receive 'free' medical care within the UK.
    so now I'm in my SIXTIES FFS
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