Should Canada adopt Swedish Health Care?

[Machjo]

YouTube - Sweden - The Swedish Health Care System

 

[Machjo]

The Singaporean model is interesting too:

YouTube - Singapores health system saves money and lives

 

[L Gilbert]

I think Canada could do well to adapt to a better system, but not to adopt one. Could take a model from another country and modify it to fit Canada.

 

[Machjo]

I'm not sure which I prefer between the Swedish and Singaporean models, though I think they're both better than the Canadian one in that in both cases, a 'pressure valve' of sorts does exist in that they are both two-tier systems allowing considerable private involvement.

I think I lean in favour of the Singaporean system though in that it does encourage individual responsibility while, just like Canada, still guaranteeing universal access. The Swedish model does guarantee higher-quality access to the poor though, but seeeing that the WHO ranks the Singaporean model sixth in the world, I can't imagine they're suffering too much. Canada's is ranked 30th.

 

[Machjo]

I think Canada could do well to adapt to a better system, but not to adopt one. Could take a model from another country and modify it to fit Canada.

True. But it is safer to model it on aproven model with some evolutionary modifications than to just invent something else out of the blue. Once a model is in place, then we can tinker with it bit by bit. It would be safer that way I think than to just create a whole new model from scratch all at once.

 

[Machjo]

According to the WHO in 2000 (The World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems), Canada's health care ranks 30th worldwide:

1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America

 

[L Gilbert]

True. But it is safer to model it on aproven model with some evolutionary modifications than to just invent something else out of the blue. Once a model is in place, then we can tinker with it bit by bit. It would be safer that way I think than to just create a whole new model from scratch all at once.

That's what I said. We could model ours after the Swedish one, the Swiss one, the Singapore one, or whatever and adapt it to Canada. Adopting a different system I think would cause more problems that we don't need right now. Canada could adapt to something different over whatever length of time we need.
But I doubt it'll ever happen. Canadian politicians seem to be of the opinion that we can do everything ourselves without using anything better as a model. So we'll make the same mistakes with ours as more evolved systems had done before, repeating history.

 

[Machjo]

Honestly, I think there is the possibility that the US model could end up better than the Canadian one in future. Though studies have shown that public health care models have proven more efficient than private ones, stats suggest that two-tier systems are even better.

If Canada sits back and glories in its past achievements in the marvels of the public system while the US starts looking at the more modern two-tier systems such as the one in Sweden, or the one in Singapore, etc., we may find the US vaunting its new health care success story come next generation.

I think Canada would be wise to look at how the better systems got to where they are now and learn form them.

 

[L Gilbert]

Honestly, I think there is the possibility that the US model could end up better than the Canadian one in future.

Then I say good for them.

Though studies have shown that public health care models have proven more efficient than private ones, stats suggest that two-tier systems are even better.

I don't care what type of system is better, as long as it is better.

If Canada sits back and glories in its past achievements in the marvels of the public system while the US starts looking at the more modern two-tier systems such as the one in Sweden, or the one in Singapore, etc., we may find the US vaunting its new health care success story come next generation.

If they do, then good for them.

I think Canada would be wise to look at how the better systems got to where they are now and learn form them.

I am not going to hold my breath waiting for Canada to grab a brain.

 

[taxslave]

If we are 30th and the yanks are 37th why is anyone even thinking of comparing our system with theirs? Unless they have a vested interest in a poor system and their only defense is ours is better than theirs. We want to be looking at better delivery models not worse ones.

 

[Machjo]

If we are 30th and the yanks are 37th why is anyone even thinking of comparing our system with theirs? Unless they have a vested interest in a poor system and their only defense is ours is better than theirs. We want to be looking at better delivery models not worse ones.

For yur information, Sweden and Singapore are not US states.

 

[Machjo]

And Singapore ranked sixth, not a bad showing. The French model did rank first, but also proves more expensive. I'll post that in a minute.

 

[Machjo]

Though admittedly, cost-wise, Swedish system ain't too shabby (Human Development Reports (HDR) – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

HDI Rank Country 2004
1 Iceland 3,294
2 Norway 4,080
3 Australia 3,123
4 Canada 3,173
5 Ireland 2,618
6 Sweden 2,828
7 Switzerland 4,011
8 Japan 2,293
9 Netherlands 3,092
10 France 3,040
11 Finland 2,203
12 United States 6,096
13 Spain 2,099
14 Denmark 2,780
15 Austria 3,418
16 United Kingdom 2,560
17 Belgium 3,133
18 Luxembourg 5,178
19 New Zealand 2,081
20 Italy 2,414
21 Hong Kong, China (SAR) ..
22 Germany 3,171
23 Israel 1,972
24 Greece 2,179
25 Singapore 1,118

 

[Machjo]

Now of course to be fair, we need to consider Canada's population density. With such a low population density, it's natural that our health care system will need more money for transport costs.

But still, the Singaporean model looks good both in terms of quality and costs.

 

[eh1eh]

I don't want no stinking commie health care system. It will collapse our society.


<grin>

 

[Machjo]

I don't want no stinking commie health care system. It will collapse our society.


<grin>

1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America

:lol:

 

[Kreskin]

The US won't adopt anything. That country is too politically divided to make any change.

I'm ok if we adopt whatever works.

 

[Machjo]

The US won't adopt anything. That country is too politically divided to make any change.

I'm ok if we adopt whatever works.

Then how about the US system?:lol:

 

[L Gilbert]

Then how about the US system?:lol:

lol It doesn't work. At least not the way we want it to.

 

[Kreskin]

Too expensive.