So now that Obama is looking at a National Health Care Plan, I keep hearing a lot of people here in the States freak out and screaming the "C" word, yes "Canada." For once, I want to hear it from the Canadian perspective. What do you guys think about the health care system in your country? Is it really anywhere near the horror stories that people around here like to tell? I'm really curious about this not just from a political perspective, but personal as my wife and I have contemplated moving to Canada one day (probably not anytime soon, but someday).
What kind of horror stories have you heard? Mabey Im just used to it, as its all I know, but I have no complaints.
People saying (people who probably have never even been to Canada) that you have to wait for hours to see a doctor (as if that wasn't the case here especially in an ER room or Urgent Care) that the government decides what type of treatment you get and who gets it (as opposed to the business people here from the insurance companies with no medical training) and that the practice of medicine is generally inferior in terms of training and equipment. To me, these sound like boogieman stories, so I want to hear it from you guys. One thing is for sure, here in the U.S. we pay through the butt in premiums, deductibles, and copayments.
Well lets say you walk in to the ER with a broken finger. You give all your info and you take a seat. You have been waiting for 20 min and I get hauled in with a compound fracture in my leg. I will get taken in before you will as my injuries are worse. Dosent matter if you just walked in or have been sitting for 4 hours. The worse injuries are treated first. Ive never heard of anyone being refused medical help and the government deciding what treatments you get or deserve. If you need treatment for an illness you get it. Plain and simple. As far as the medical practice and equipment goes I cant say. I have walked out of the hospital every time I have walked in......cant be that bad
Yeah I definitely agree in that more serious injuries should be treated first. Hmm, hopefully we'll have something that works for us in the U.S. but we pay a pretty hefty premium for medical attention. It also doesn't help that there's always a shortage of medical staff.
that's how doctors end up making so much money...Back when I worked in a hospital when I was a teenager (I was a templ delivering medications from one floor to another, hospital was Mercy General), I've heard that to stay in a hospital just one night, WITHOUT them treating you, checking you, or doing absolutely ANYTHING would cost you anywhere from $800-$4500 a night...DUDE, the most epensivest hotel (7* in Saudi Arabia) will probably be cheaper then that...Well, they say somebody has to pay for that expensive equipment, and that somebody is a patient... In conclusion I wanna say, don't go to the doctor unless you absolutely have to... Don't get yourself on those lifetime pills, that you take forever and they don't even seem to help much...that's how doctors make those big bucks, from every bottle of pills they sell... Stay away from them and be healthy...
its been a while since i have been on, busy with life i figure this is a good time to jump back in I have mixed feelings on public healthcare, my politcal views are libertarian so I dont belive in goverment intervention...however having said that it is nice to know if you et sick the last thing you need to worry about are bills I go to prob 7 or8 diffrent doctors a few times a year, the one ing I have found is that wait times can be long to get in but once you are in the system is awesone. Once you get into a specalist you are taken care of,no option is to expensive, no one ever worries they cant afford to have a percidure. with the way the current plitcal system is set up in Canada I am more thenav happy to have my tax dollars go to healthcare. Its nice to know its there
Be careful of skewing your judgment from the horror stories. Don't forgot all the other great stories of people getting better. The breakthroughs, innovations and etc. The poor getting help when they could not afford it. I read a long time ago that people in Canada are pretty healthy, not sure what the statistics are now.... Bottomline, like wax, there are horror stories and there are many success stories for the same product. From my own view, me and my family were able to get treatment and help. Long lineups and wait times sometimes but eventually you get help. If you can't wait, we also have the private sector as an option as well. Hope that helps.
Hears a horror story. When I was 17 I got my jaw broken. Went to the hospital, got right in, had surgery the next morning and spent 2 more days there. Never saw a single bill or any money exchanged. The doctors and nurses were great.
Thanks guys. Like I said earlier, these horror stories that many people here talk about sound like boogieman stories made up by extremists. :mounty:
I would prefer Private Health Care for those who can afford it in Canada, i'm not impressed with the Canadian Health Care system... i have my own personal reason, there is no need to suffer if you can affrod to pay your own bills. I fly to Kuwait every now and then so i can visit a Private Hospital... Bacially if you "Walk In" to a hospiltal here in Canada goodluck getting help. Want help? Shoot yourself in the leg, tell them you got shot but tell them you have a Ear Infection, so they can look at the seriously
I would have to agree, I don't see anything wrong with private Health Care but not everyone can afford it but it would be nice to have that option...well if you look at it here in Canada we do have that option, meaning you could go the traditional public Health Care method or go private, meaning leave the country to get better health care ect..ect. Any who up to know I've only used the public Health Care and I have no complaints, however, I personally have never had a serious illness, nor any of my family members but if worse comes to worse and one of my loved ones needs medical assistant right a way I'd be more then willing to fork out some ca$hola to speed up the process. But in my opinion the public Health Care is great oh and I no longer pay premiums, the company I work for has great perks :thumb: Just my :2cents: hope it helps.
I think the those in the US opposed to make healthcare public just try to scare the population into thinking it's a bad thing when they probably never even been to Canada. That being said, I think what we have here in Canada great! If you want to get into an emergency room for something that's not that bad, you might have to wait a while as they treat the worst casses first. If I wanted to just go see my doctor, I just book the appointment and it's done. There are walk-in clinics which I'm sure don't take too long either. Nothing to really complain about. I think it's better than an insurance company telling your policy was cancelled because of some dumb reason and being denied your ability to live just because your life is not worth the procedure. "Free" healthcare FTW!
