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Yahoo!As someone with dual United States and Canadian citizenship, I’ve experienced both the bad and the good aspects of a government-run universal health-care system.
Although the plan that President Barack Obama detailed for Congress and the nation on September 9 is not the same as our northern neighbors’, the single-payer Canadian system continues to be a focus of controversy on both sides of the debate. Perhaps I can shed a little light, to complement the considerable heat, on that aspect of our national discussion.
During a nine-year residence in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, I came to Santa Barbara on vacation in 1997 but soon was forced to seek medical attention for severe heart-related chest pain. A cardiologist at the Santa Barbara Cardiovascular Medical Group diagnosed my case as urgent and recommended quadruple bypass surgery within days. But I chose to return to Canada for surgery under the national health plan. (I had already had my diseased gall bladder removed there by the then-new “keyhole” method in 1990.)
Back in Victoria, a gruff British-Canadian cardiologist agreed that my case was urgent, but told me of an eight-week wait for surgery “because of a patient backlog.” He assured me, though, that if I had a recurrence of serious chest pain, “We’ll get you in for surgery right away.”
My eight weeks passed anxiously but without urgent symptoms. And then I was cared for by my own chosen physician and specialists in a Victoria hospital that was efficient, clean, and comfortable. The eventual procedure—a quadruple heart bypass—went well. And no bill.
Similar waits for major surgery reportedly drive thousands of Canadians to the United States annually for treatment that’s ruinously expensive unless they have private insurance.
Here’s how Canadian health care currently works, according to several sources, including the British Columbia Health Ministry and Wikipedia.
Health care in Canada is delivered by a publicly funded system, with most services provided by private entities such as hospitals.
The federal government sets standards and ensures quality of care. It does not participate in day-to-day care or collect information on patients’ health. That’s between patients and their own chosen doctors.
The nation’s 10 provinces manage their own health care and health insurance plans. They pay hospitals and doctors. Generally, provincial health plans are financed by a combination of federal government funds transfers, federal and provincial income taxes, and low health insurance premiums. Some provinces don’t even charge premiums. British Columbia does, and premiums range from about $57 a month to $114, depending on income. Those with low income pay nothing. Health insurance recipients receive provincial ID cards—called Care Cards—entitling them to the same level of basic care, with no deductibles.
Depending on the province, that care can vary. Maternity and infertility coverage generally is available. Some provinces offer no dental and vision care—but private insurance can be obtained. Patients who want private hospital rooms may also need private insurance.
Prescription drugs generally are purchased through a government-run PharmaCare plan. The federal government negotiates with drug companies to control costs.
Canadians can’t lose their health insurance if they change or lose their jobs—as long as their monthly premiums are up to date. That’s an important benefit of their universal health-care system.
A final note on another subject for Sarah Palin: My Canadian parents both spent their last years at government expense in a resort-like, lakeside nursing home in Ontario province. No “death panels” for them.
So, come on, President Obama, don’t buckle to your raucous, misinformed critics. Give us national health care for everyone.
Ken O. Botwright is a retired Boston Globe reporter who lives in Santa Barbara.
Double-clicking on any word or phrase in this story will open a reference window with definitions and links to other reference material.
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Health Care is a huge issue here in the U.S. and i am so tired of this political flip flopping and speculation. We definetly need reform in health care and the universal system is the way to go this article definetly shows the positive side to canadian health care that no one else sees.
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jenn180727 (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 8:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I lived in Canada for over 25 years, most of it in Victoria. I had a good friend who required heart surgery and was given the same eight week wait. In his case however, urgent symptoms did present, and he was bumped up to the next day. The surgery was successful, and he lived another six years, before he died playing softball.
All this talk of 'rationing' in Canada is galling. In Canada they ration by waiting. Here we ration by who does and who does not get care at all.
Keep in mind that Canada pays HALF as much per capita in health as the US. And they have lower infant mortality and higher life expectancy. The US, for all our fantastic cutting edge health care, only rates #12 in health care preventable deaths. Great health care is only great if you can get it.
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Rich (anonymous profile)
September 18, 2009 at 8:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(covering my ears): "socialist hitler death panel, socialist hitler death panel, socialist hitler death panel....."
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iriesouljah (anonymous profile)
September 18, 2009 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Interesting that doctors speaking a local panel on healthcare said there's a saying in Canada: "Don't get sick after September." The reason: Canadian doctors DO NOT MAKE MONEY for four months, as bascially they are working for "free" i.e., WITHOUT PAY, for four months a year.
Curious about those eight-week waits? Were they in the fall?
No thanks for this U.S.citizen. Gambling for eight weeks just doesn't sound reassuring to me. But then if I DIE I save the system money, so I guess it's all "for the cause."
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maximum (anonymous profile)
September 18, 2009 at 9:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's shocking how many lies about the Canadian health care system (we call it public health care, not "socialized medicine") have gained wide acceptance in the U.S. like Canadians don't get to choose their own doctors. That's absolute nonsense and for a recent major procedure, I was able to choose my own hospital as well my doctor. Yes, there are waits for some procedures, but in my case the doctors wanted to get me in faster than I was able to get ready for the trip as I chose to travel to an another province for a very specialized type of treatment that wasn't available locally, and yes, my home province agreed to foot the entire bill for my services there with no hassle.
The lies that are being spread about Canadian health care are malicious and false. Please pay close attention to the source of the information as the reporting may be politically biased. I'd avoid Fox news.
John (from Canada)
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jgzeger (anonymous profile)
September 19, 2009 at 7:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And I'd rather trust my Canadian friends who have told me IN PERSON they come to the U.S. so they can get treatment when it comes to surgeries--instead of waiting forever. Why is it Fox News is always to blame? As if those of us who dissent are mindless lemmings with no other source of info?
Get real. There's a world of alternative media out there, not the least of which is face-to-face accounts by Canadians themselves... Oh, and here's a nod to YouTube. Information is power.
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maximum (anonymous profile)
September 19, 2009 at 5 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Anecdotal accounts are nice to have, but there are rather unscientific. The fact of the matter is that there is no evidence beyond the anecdotal to support the notion that Canadians are seeking US healthcare in any significant numbers. In fact, the evidence supports what proponents of Canadian style single-payer have been saying all along, it simply is not statistically significant.
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/con...
Maximum may choose not to wait, but s/he runs the risk of waiting forever as insurance companies have a nasty habit of denying care and rescinding policies when people actually become ill. I'll take Canada any day.
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tegrat (anonymous profile)
September 21, 2009 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'll wait forever before I'll support flawed "takeover" bills. We did THAT with the stimulus (porkulus) bills. How's that workin' out for you down on Main Street? Or State Street? (Hint: more and more boarded up businesses... sure looks good to me...NOT.)
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maximum (anonymous profile)
September 21, 2009 at 11:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Am I the only one who is tired of seeing maximum's willful misinformation and rantings posted like a bad rash all over the independent's webpages?
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GoletaEngineer (anonymous profile)
September 22, 2009 at 9:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
At least I can call my own doctor and get in and been seen in a timely manner (for said rash.) Glad I'm getting under your skin meanwhile...
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maximum (anonymous profile)
September 30, 2009 at 10:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, not to worry maximum...
You are indeed a fine irritant, a bit like
poison oak, or maybe diarrhea.
But, with healthcare reform on the way,
perhaps a cure will present itself.
Fun to play, huh?
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GoletaEngineer (anonymous profile)
October 2, 2009 at 6:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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