Arthur Salm: Health care in Canada - They’re not dying by the millions

Comment by: marty niebel Posted: July 28, 2009, 6:41 am

Hi Arthur,
I live in Brussels, Belgium and we have no problem here with the state-run medical care system. (I don’t like the word socialized). All I need to do is phone up any doctor of my choice, GP or specialist, for an appointment and within a couple of weeks or days, if its an emergency , I will be seen. I just saw my internist, fee EURO 80, and got the bill for the blood work (21 different tests) amounting to EURO 102.56. The bills are sent to us directly, then we submit them to my husband’s employer for 80% reimbursement, in some cases 100%. We can afford this. One more thing, if I need a special prescription, I can just call my doctor to find out what I need, go to any pharmacy without a signed prescription, and the pharmacist will fill “my prescription” on my word. Marty

Comment by: WBWood Posted: July 30, 2009, 8:45 am

There is no perfect or easy answer. Any healthy care system for a country as large as ours will generate its share of horror stories. Clearly, the current system is disastrous, and massive compromises, particularly of a political nature, must be made. I’m sorry to say that I personally have very little confidence that will happen.

The Canadian culture emphasizes “doing the right thing” far more than ours, as evidenced by their early focus on green building, which they undertook because it needed to happen. Here, the focus is on self-preservation, so politicians feel justified in making their own re-election their #1 priority. Unfortunately, American voters reward that, so the cycle perpetuates. Everyone’s so focused on ME that the bigger issue is rarely addressed.

Comment by: Sylvia Hampton Posted: July 30, 2009, 7:48 pm

I have traveled to Canada also and found the same thing, Arthur. In fact my family and I have been to France and England wher we found that people are very satisified with their health system. In fact, our daughter was ill one night in France and called the health service from her bed. She asked when she should “come in.” The operator told her to not move and the doctor was there 40 minutes later. She was flabergasted to find it cost her nothing—and she was not even a citizen. I don’t think they want sick people running around their country spreading germs. Smart people.

Comment by: Joyce Posted: August 2, 2009, 4:25 am

We are so brainwashed here in the U.S. that those from Canada and England are dying while waiting to receive care. That they have to wait months for emergency care. Just what is true?
We are self-employed and pay our own health ins. The only way we can afford it is to take a huge deductible. Mine is 3,000.00. We do not go for care when needed because of this deductible. I have to pay this plus my high premium. My husband turned 60 this year and he had a huge increase in his premium because of this. Also, we are charged more or less for our premiums according to where we live in Pa.
Just how can the American people be made aware of the truth of the conditions in the healh care systems in other countries?

Comment by: gbinsd Posted: August 4, 2009, 7:25 pm

Wow…where to begin with such a deck-stacked, simplistic diatribe! Where do you draw the line with regard to how much the government should do for it’s citizens vs. what once drove this nation; people who took personal responsibility, took pride in being self-reliant, who made decisions about what was important in their lives and what was a needless expense? We’ve become a nation of people who think someone else should provide them with medical care, while they spend their money on the latest phone that has the capability of downloading thousands of songs, taking high-resolution photos, accessing their social networking sites on the web and texting their friends every few minutes…all with the added expense of monthly fees to the companies that provide this miracle of connectivity. I could provide other examples of poor prioritizing, but you get my drift!

I need a car…the government should be the only source for automobiles. That way they can make sure that I can afford a vehicle. Of course, the logical extension of that line of reasoning would be for the government to supply the maintenance, insurance, and fuel for the operation of this vehicle…it’s only right!

Food! We all need food! It’s a travesty that some people eat better than others (well, at least more, if not better). Oh, I’ve got a great idea…let’s make that another responsibility of an ever-expanding central government. This will guarantee an equality not previously achieved in this great nation of ours.

Clothing! Why not?

It took the former Soviet Union 70 years to come to the realization that government running all aspects of a person’s life doesn’t work.

According to this poorly disguised political tract (wow, what a shock…a newspaper writer/commentator who thinks Democrats and the Federal Government are the answer to a social/economic question), government-supplied, national health care is the only solution to this issue. Even President Obama, in his current public statements, says he sees a government plan as one option, in conjunction with private insurance, for health care in the U.S.

Institutions and bureaucracies, whether they be public or private, inherently have breakdowns and problems, and need to be reviewed and held accountable from time to time. To the extent that the private health insurance companies need to have their chains yanked, let that be part of the discussion. But, please don’t be naive enough to assume that installing the Federal Government as the purveyor of health care will mean the end of fraud, waste and inefficiency. Various polls and articles have indicated that the majority of Americans like their health insurance just the way it is. Most people tend to agree that the greatest problem with the current system is that a large segment of our population can’t afford to buy a policy. Instead of making health-care insurance just another arm of an ever-expanding central government, how about exploring a system of Health Savings Accounts, along with tax breaks that put money in the pockets of lower wage-earners, so that they can take advantage of a system that most Americans appear to find perfectly acceptable. Like most Conservatives, I do believe that government has an obligation to provide safety nets for those truly in need of aid…therefore, in the case of individuals and families for whom the measures that I have previously mentioned are still not enough, and as a last resort, some form of government guaranteed and underwritten private insurance would be made available. Food stamps and government-commodity food programs are a reality in our society…why not basic health insurance?

By the way, I don’t know the sources supplying the statistics cited about Canadian longevity, etc., but I’ve done enough statistical analyses to know that a number of factors may be in play…such as population (307,057,000 vs. 33,734, 000), density of population, ethnic diversity, lifestyle preferences, and a whole host of other possible variables due to some of the dissimilarities of the two countries. To suggest that this data is directly related to National Healthcare is certainly no better than pure speculation on Salm’s part. What might work for Canada just might not work for the U.S. But it can certainly be part of a dialogue in Congress, with the true aim of crafting a workable solution to the questions that many Americans have regarding health care.

Comment by: Vancouver Jack Posted: August 7, 2009, 7:28 am

I am Canadian. At 61 I am broke. My federal income tax return used to say I was worth $5m but now it says less than $30k a year. So my BC Medical Plan payments stopped, so it’s what youall would call free now. I can go to any doctors office ,clinic or hospital with any problem from skin rash to cancer to car accident and I am treated in a world class mannor. No charge when I leave. Our medical system in Canada is not free. Whatever the costs to treat one are ,say $4500,is sent to a provincial office for inspection,it is paid by them in full and the funds to cover that $4500 is ponyed up by user fees from citizens paying about $700 a year for a family of four,less for couples and singles, and the federal and provincial govermnent. Some insurance money is also paid in to that $4500 example if the person has insurance. Every patient gets to same treatment. If the hospital doesn’t have the doctor specialist or equiptment to deal with your need, you are put on a provincial gov’t jet and taken to the hospital in Canada or USA that can treat you asap.No cost. We 34m folks all pitch in to help each individual as the need arises and worry about the cost later. We don’t have the individual bankrupt themselves over an untiminely event.And, if one is about to die or their condition worsens,they are moved to the front of the cue the same morning,instantly. Is there errors,mistakes and yes, needless deaths? Certainly, I can tell you some of those unfortunate stories also, but nobody at the hospital set out that morning to intentionally make a mistake which ossts somebody their life. Are there huge lawsuits? Well, frankly NO. The system weed out the problem and correct the situation so it doesn’t happen again. But there is no socialist red plot to control healthcare or peoples lives. Just goodwill toward our fellow man. And under our pension plan when one dies,the next of kin get a cheque within days to pay for funeral and some cash for bills. No,not alot. Our pension plan gives folks enough to rent a place, buy food and TV ect. No, not alot.But it’s better than poverty.We also don’t jail every young person or fool for making a bad choice in life. Our system of constitutional monarchy is different than your Republic system. That is what Glenn Beck and Rush and the right don’t understand,never will. Canadians look like Americans, watch the same TV and enjoy life. But our government is here to help us,not just give us the “pursuit of happiness”. Cheers and come spend your money in Canada. We need the funds.[smile] JACK

Comment by: Shane Posted: August 9, 2009, 11:39 am

The reason you’ll never have universal health care or any sort of social safety net is because you have too many people like “gbinsd” that harp on an on about personal responsibility. gbinsd and attitudes like his are the downfall of America - THEY are the biggest barrier to the future success of America.

And, even if Universal Health Care (whatever that looks like in America) is introduced, it will be considered a failure by most as it will only serve to highlight the missing pieces of the puzzle.

Just one example: If an employee had free health care and was off work fighting cancer for a couple years, their U.S. employer would have fired them after 6 months or a year. When they recover, they’ll be unemployed. So, they’ll still lose their homes just as they do now, it will just be deferred.

And, they’ll be lucky to even have disability insurance benefits at all. The U.S. disability insurance system is geared to decline and terminate claims rather than help someone recover and return to active employment.

These scenarios do NOT happen in Canada - not because of public health care, but because of our culture and efforts to give everyone a level playing field.

And, I’m not even touching on the maternity and paternity leave benefits parents here enjoy that help reinforce true family values - like caring for yourself AND others.

Comment by: Marty Posted: August 13, 2009, 4:57 pm

Has anybody had the opportunity of getting pre-authorized by an insurance company? Talk about somebody deciding what care you can have and what care you can not have and talk about a wait. I broke my shoulder and waited three days for approval from a US insurance company to see a Dr. I finally told the insurance company rep I would wait no longer and made it happen myself. I was fortunate and payed cash up front to see the Dr.

(I’m confident the insurance company was looking out for my best interests instead of their profits.)

Health care in the US is broken. The starting point is the illogical incentives in the system. Dr’s schedule tests and procedures not on the basis of their medical opinion but based on legal concerns. Insurance companies decide who gets what procedures and we have no knowledge of their criteria. Insurance companies decide who gets coverage and at what costs.

I’m pretty conservative both socially and economically. The health care system we have now is not working. Time to work for a solution rather than a slogan or worse.

I have serious concerns about the proposals out there now and am sure the status quo is not working. Even though in many ways I disagree I admire the administration for taking the issue up. It is important.

Comment by: Jared Farris Posted: August 21, 2009, 8:42 am

My only question would be if the administration is truly interested in reform why is there only 3% of the current house bill dedicated to said reform. (Per Cato Institute)