How's the healthcare?

[JustinEllard]

Not sure if this should be under culture or politics, so sorry if I got it wrong.

Anyway, I'm from the U.S. and everybody's always talking about how universal healthcare is evil and will result in underpaid doctors, year-long waits for surgery, and 24-hour waiting periods in the waiting rooms. I was starting to wonder if this was all just propaganda spewed by the overpaid doctors in this country. So, I'd like to ask anybody here who as experience with the healthcare in Canada.

Few questions:
How's the waiting times in the waiting rooms
How long do you have to wait for major treatments/surgeries
How much do you pay for medicine?
Do you have to pay anything at all at the hospital? If so, how much? And in what cases?
Do you think universal healthcare is a good system?

Thanks you,
Justin Ellard

 

[TenPenny]

How's the waiting times in the waiting rooms
At the emergency dept - if you are in critical condition, major trauma, no waits. if you show up at emerg with a sore arm or a cold, you'll probably wait 4 to 6 hours, but you shouldn't be there anyway.

How long do you have to wait for major treatments/surgeries
If it's critical, not long. People are getting heart surgery within hours of arriving at the hospital if they need it. Things that are not life-critical have longer waits (usually longer than people want).

How much do you pay for medicine?
As in prescription drugs? Probably approx the same as in the US. Not a big difference.

Do you have to pay anything at all at the hospital? If so, how much? And in what cases?
If you want a private or semi-private room, you may have to pay extra:

• Semi-private with two patient beds in one room. This upgrade costs $65.00 per day.
• Private room with one patient in a room. This upgrade costs $75.00 per day.

These extra costs may be covered by Blue Cross or other coverage that people have through their employers.
If you are medically discharged, in other words, there is no medical reason for you to stay in hospital, you will also be billed, but I don't know the daily rate. This usually applies to seniors who don't have anyone at home to look after them, but aren't sick enough to need to be in hospital.

Do you think universal healthcare is a good system?
Absolutely. I accept the fact that I pay higher taxes, in order to provide health coverage for all. I feel that it is grossly unfair to bankrupt people because they have the misfortune to have health problems. Most of the people I happen to know that work in the system (docs, nurses, and various technicians) accept the fact that, yes, they could make more money under a different system, but it's not something they would be willing to change.

 

[DurkaDurka]

-Waiting times depend on the hospital and the severity of your illness/injury.
-Life threatening issues are treated immediately more or less. Wait times for knee replacements etc vary by hospital & region.
-Prescription drugs are not covered by the government unless you have HIV, Cancer etc. Generally though, drugs costs are lower because the government negotiates prices with suppliers.
-You will pay for things like Ambulances, upgraded hospital rooms, crutches etc.
- I think it's a good system, it has its problems but overall I find no major faults.

 

[darkbeaver]

There are waits. Depends on how fast you're bleeding. How long is long? Medicine is expensive but cheaper than in the USA I think. Pay nothing at the hospital. Universal healthcare is the best system on the planet. All kidding aside the USA should get with the programe, don't listen to your big pharma employed politicians.

 

[shadowshiv]

How's the waiting times in the waiting rooms
At the emergency dept - if you are in critical condition, major trauma, no waits. if you show up at emerg with a sore arm or a cold, you'll probably wait 4 to 6 hours, but you shouldn't be there anyway.

How long do you have to wait for major treatments/surgeries
If it's critical, not long. People are getting heart surgery within hours of arriving at the hospital if they need it. Things that are not life-critical have longer waits (usually longer than people want).

How much do you pay for medicine?
As in prescription drugs? Probably approx the same as in the US. Not a big difference.

Do you have to pay anything at all at the hospital? If so, how much? And in what cases?

If you want a private or semi-private room, you may have to pay extra:

• Semi-private with two patient beds in one room. This upgrade costs $65.00 per day.
• Private room with one patient in a room. This upgrade costs $75.00 per day.

These extra costs may be covered by Blue Cross or other coverage that people have through their employers.
If you are medically discharged, in other words, there is no medical reason for you to stay in hospital, you will also be billed, but I don't know the daily rate. This usually applies to seniors who don't have anyone at home to look after them, but aren't sick enough to need to be in hospital.

Do you think universal healthcare is a good system?
Absolutely. I accept the fact that I pay higher taxes, in order to provide health coverage for all. I feel that it is grossly unfair to bankrupt people because they have the misfortune to have health problems. Most of the people I happen to know that work in the system (docs, nurses, and various technicians) accept the fact that, yes, they could make more money under a different system, but it's not something they would be willing to change.

I agree with all of your points, TenPenny.

I just wanted to add that even with the Universal Healthcare system, Doctors and Nurses still make good money. So, the American Doctors and Nurses should not worry too much about losing money.:smile:

 

[JustinEllard]

Wow, very quick responses.

A couple more questions:
Do the taxes have a detrimental effect on the middle-class working citizen? I make minimum wage here with no health insurance, and I know if my taxes went up even the slightest, I would have to either give up my car, house, or food to continue paying them. Is it that way in Canada?

Also, I pay about $75 for 50 capsules of doxycycline (Vibramycin) as a prescription. How much would something like that cost?

Thanks again,

Justin Ellard

 

[DurkaDurka]

Wow, very quick responses.

A couple more questions:
Do the taxes have a detrimental effect on the middle-class working citizen? I make minimum wage here with no health insurance, and I know if my taxes went up even the slightest, I would have to either give up my car, house, or food to continue paying them. Is it that way in Canada?

Also, I pay about $75 for 50 capsules of doxycycline (Vibramycin) as a prescription. How much would something like that cost?

Thanks again,

Justin Ellard

I pay about 30% income tax, I would like it to be less but I get by.

I haven't a clue what the drugs you need would cost. Try googling "Canadian online pharmacies". That should give you an idea.

 

[JustinEllard]

Thanks for the info. Turns out they're about $45 for 100 tablets. That's a lot cheaper.

And 30% income tax? I work 50 hours a week at min. wage and pay 40% income tax.

I'm starting to think there's something seriously wrong with the country I'm in..

Thanks again,
Justin Ellard

 

[DurkaDurka]

Thanks for the info. Turns out they're about $45 for 100 tablets. That's a lot cheaper.

And 30% income tax? I work 50 hours a week at min. wage and pay 40% income tax.

I'm starting to think there's something seriously wrong with the country I'm in..

Thanks again,
Justin Ellard

Try this out, it will calculate what you would pay in Canada
Canadian Income Tax Calculator 2009

 

[JustinEllard]

I just tried it out. I want to move to Canada now, lol.
The amount of taxes I'd be paying there would be so much less.

Thanks for all the info
Justin

 

[Colpy]

Not sure if this should be under culture or politics, so sorry if I got it wrong.

Anyway, I'm from the U.S. and everybody's always talking about how universal healthcare is evil and will result in underpaid doctors, year-long waits for surgery, and 24-hour waiting periods in the waiting rooms. I was starting to wonder if this was all just propaganda spewed by the overpaid doctors in this country. So, I'd like to ask anybody here who as experience with the healthcare in Canada.

Few questions:
How's the waiting times in the waiting rooms
How long do you have to wait for major treatments/surgeries
How much do you pay for medicine?
Do you have to pay anything at all at the hospital? If so, how much? And in what cases?
Do you think universal healthcare is a good system?

Thanks you,
Justin Ellard

Well........

In Saint John, when it is busy you can expect an eight hour waiting time in the Emergency for minor aflictions.......

I had open heart surgery two and a half years ago. (quadruple bypass) I was delayed three times as other, more serious cases jumped the queue, but at that I only waited 10 days for surgery.........now for hip replacements or back surgery...oh oh.

We usually have to buy perscriptions, or get them through private insurance schemes, usually partially paid for as a work benefit. Perscriptions are considerably cheaper here than in the USA, or so I am told.

Hospital care is free. I was in three weeks and had heart surgery.....didn't cost me a dime.

Yes, I think universal healthcare is a necessity in a modern society......the main debates should be around how it is delivered, as in:

Should the entire system be owned, and maintained by the State?

Should the State pay private enterprise to provide some services?

Should there be user fees?

Should drugs be included?

I understand the Swiss system is completely private.....but the government provides each citizen with a voucher to buy basic health services.....which he can add to as he desires. Seems like an innovative, sensible system......

 

[Colpy]

One more small comment.....I got a date yesterday for cataract surgery.......soonest possible is March 4.

Long wait.

 

[JLM]

Not sure if this should be under culture or politics, so sorry if I got it wrong.

Anyway, I'm from the U.S. and everybody's always talking about how universal healthcare is evil and will result in underpaid doctors, year-long waits for surgery, and 24-hour waiting periods in the waiting rooms. I was starting to wonder if this was all just propaganda spewed by the overpaid doctors in this country. So, I'd like to ask anybody here who as experience with the healthcare in Canada.

Few questions:
How's the waiting times in the waiting rooms
How long do you have to wait for major treatments/surgeries
How much do you pay for medicine?
Do you have to pay anything at all at the hospital? If so, how much? And in what cases?
Do you think universal healthcare is a good system?

Thanks you,
Justin Ellard

I can't answer all your questions, but I'd say the answers to the first two vary with the day and the medical conditions, ie cancer may be different from knee replacement. I'm on an extended health plan where I bear the first $250 annually for prescription drugs for the wife and I and about 25% of the cost thereafter. Not sure about hosp. costs. I would give the system a "C" rating. A better system (for me) would be a personal insurance policy where my premiums were assessed according to risk (like most other types of insurance).

 

[Liberalman]

no money from your bank account

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I agree with all of your points, TenPenny.

I just wanted to add that even with the Universal Healthcare system, Doctors and Nurses still make good money. So, the American Doctors and Nurses should not worry too much about losing money.:smile:

Quite so, shadowshiv. My wife is a doctor, and I am not complaining (neither is she).

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Thanks for the info. Turns out they're about $45 for 100 tablets. That's a lot cheaper.

And 30% income tax? I work 50 hours a week at min. wage and pay 40% income tax.

I'm starting to think there's something seriously wrong with the country I'm in..

Thanks again,
Justin Ellard

That doesn’t make sense. Here in Ontario, the minimum wage is 9.50 $ per hour. If you work for 50 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, you would earn 23750 $ per year. If you are single, unmarried person, you would pay 3033 $ tax per year (assuming 2008 figures), which comes to about 13% income tax This is both federal and Ontario taxes combined.

Are you saying that in USA you would pay 40%, or 9500 $ in taxes? I find that hard to believe.

 

[AnnaG]

Not sure if this should be under culture or politics, so sorry if I got it wrong.

Anyway, I'm from the U.S. and everybody's always talking about how universal healthcare is evil and will result in underpaid doctors, year-long waits for surgery, and 24-hour waiting periods in the waiting rooms. I was starting to wonder if this was all just propaganda spewed by the overpaid doctors in this country. So, I'd like to ask anybody here who as experience with the healthcare in Canada.

Few questions:
How's the waiting times in the waiting rooms
How long do you have to wait for major treatments/surgeries
How much do you pay for medicine?
Do you have to pay anything at all at the hospital? If so, how much? And in what cases?
Do you think universal healthcare is a good system?

Thanks you,
Justin Ellard

Waiting lists in Canada vary from province to province. If you have an emergency, there's no waiting in lines. But, sometimes you wait a bit in the ER cubicle depending on status of injury. Here's some info from the Canadian gov't containing links to provincial wait list averages:

Wait Times in Canada - Health Care System

Again, waiting for surgeries varies from province to province and from area to area. In BC we are told that a hip replacement may take a year or more. If you have need of a pacemaker or something relatively urgent, you are ushered in quite quickly.

Health insurance for me is about $85 for 3 months and they base it on ability to pay. If you can't afford very much, the gov't pays more of the insurance. Some medicine is covered, some isn't.

I think a combination of public and private would be beneficial, such as the system Switzerland has. Like Canada, Switzerland has an insurance mechanism where everyone must have insurance within 6 months of entry to the country. If you cannot afford the insurance, the gov't pays, if you can afford insurance, you pay, if you can only afford a part of it, the gov't chips in the remainder. No-one waits for procedures there.

Part of the reason we have waits is dependent upon availability of doctors. Most doctors want to be in major cities so that puts a pretty big burden on the few doctors in the rural areas that have to take up the slack. Travelling fairly long distances for procedures is common, at least in BC.

'We have one outfit that does an annual report on Canada's healthcare:

Health Care in Canada

 

[JLM]

That doesn’t make sense. Here in Ontario, the minimum wage is 9.50 $ per hour. If you work for 50 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, you would earn 23750 $ per year. If you are single, unmarried person, you would pay 3033 $ tax per year (assuming 2008 figures), which comes to about 13% income tax This is both federal and Ontario taxes combined.

Are you saying that in USA you would pay 40%, or 9500 $ in taxes? I find that hard to believe.

yeah, there is something a little fishy there methinks. U.S. pays less tax than we do.

 

[Tonington]

I just wanted to add that even with the Universal Healthcare system, Doctors and Nurses still make good money. So, the American Doctors and Nurses should not worry too much about losing money.:smile:

If they're willing to get by on $300,000 a year, then Canada's system can accommodate. If they feel the need to make an extra figure on their annual income, have a 5 car garage, three summer homes, etc. then they'll have to leave Canada and practice elsewhere.

 

[AnnaG]

There's more than one kind of MD...

I know. Most MDs are family practitioners, though, and that's why I specified FPs. No worries.