What's right about our health-care system

[Toro]

What's right about Medicare?

You don't have to fight with some jackass insurance companies.

I'm shocked at what a pain the insurance companies are that my dentist must deal with.

 

[GreenFish66]

Public vs private..Both have pro and cons.still I believe public is better

Private vs public health care..?

Public health care is the way to go..There are pros and cons to any heath care system...However ..If someone is sick/hurt ..It is in everyones interest they get better...Or we all suffer later...

In a public system(if it works correctly ) there is more accountability and transparentcy .No need to fudge the numbers inoreder to keep you edge against market competition/Release wonder cures ..then wonder if they work based on Private interest group reports....People are ensured they are getting the best health care for the least ammount of $$..

Public health care helps keep the checks and balances all together ..The stats and figures in one place...

In both systems there is the risk of "drug pushing ",mis diagnosis.rich being first in line to get that best new high tech remedy ..

But in public health care the public has more of a voice /choice when it comes to sustaining a healthy population..

Again in public health care there is more Transparentcy and accountability..

Only exception..(one I am keepin an eye on) is when it comes to pushng flu vaccines/hype over H1N1 ...An issue that is a concern no matter whether you support public or private health care...

I believe every citizen no matter what country your from , should know that they're country cares about them enough to give them the basics to ensure a healthy life and to live with peace in mind.......

If not ..then we start to walk the fine line between the right to live and Euthanasia ...

In Canada the sign says .."do not Jump!"

In the U.S it says''"Jump at own risk"

Perhaps the happy medium would involve a claus that if you do somethin stupid ..You get nothin/no help.! ...That Would save people a lot of money...

Every heard of the darwinian awards?...Perhaps can be used as a tool to decide what NOT to give free health care for...

After all that ... it's mostly about insurance...Should be about ensurance

 

[pfezziwig]

Why are Canadians so defensive when people propose the healthcare system can be improved upon? Such people are instantly labeled traitors for doing so. Staff, HealthcareReviews.com

 

[AnnaG]

Why are Canadians so defensive when people propose the healthcare system can be improved upon? Such people are instantly labeled traitors for doing so. Staff, HealthcareReviews.com

Most Canadians think any change would be bad, that's why. We are too complacent with what we have.

 

[Kreskin]

We have a private dental system run by private insurance. I don't know what the rest of you go through but if I want to see my dentist for anything I have to schedule at minimum 2 - 3 weeks ahead. I can see my publicly funded doctor just about anytime.

 

[AnnaG]

What's bad about Canadian healthcare basically boils down to politics and lack of good sense. It's a good system but it needs a lot of work before it does what it was intended to do in a timely and efficient manner..

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Why are Canadians so defensive when people propose the healthcare system can be improved upon? Such people are instantly labeled traitors for doing so. Staff, HealthcareReviews.com

No doubt that the Canadian system, while very good, can be made better, there probably are ways in which it could be improved.

Unfortunately, those who suggest ways to improve it, usually claim that the only way to improve it is by private involvement. There is nothing wrong with that either, I am not totally opposed to any private involvement.

However, those who propose the change usually have a hidden agenda, they want to introduce American style, privately run, Devil take the hindmost system. And that must be opposed tooth and nail.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

We have a private dental system run by private insurance. I don't know what the rest of you go through but if I want to see my dentist for anything I have to schedule at minimum 2 - 3 weeks ahead. I can see my publicly funded doctor just about anytime.

Same here Kreskin, a routine check up with my dentist must be booked several weeks in advance. If it is an emergency toothache or something, he may accommodate the patient the same day or the next day, I don’t know (I don’t have any experience with that).

 

[Niflmir]

...

To match these levels, Canada would have to add $45 billion a year to our health-care spending.
...

The American private insurance bureaucracy is huge; its excess administrative costs, compared with a Canadian approach, are estimated to be between 10 percent and 15 per cent of total system costs -- that is, well over $100 billion (US) per year.

Given the contrast between those two numbers, I am quite interested in how that 100 billion gets estimated.

 

[Niflmir]

This and this link corroborate that the amount of administration costs are high and rising in the US. The first article also measures a higher overhead in Canadian private insurance providers. Seems pretty legit. They get financial accounts and such from employers providing insurance, from hospitals, from practitioners and actually extract the admin costs. 1/3 of both numbers in the first article is coming from virtual costs, estimated costs from time of a physician spent doing paperwork. The second paper gives a state by state measure without so much detail on where the costs are associated.

 

[Liberalman]

Americans are brainwashed into thinking they have a country that is fully capitalist and a single pay socialistic healthcare system is a communistic approach to take away their rights but they forget that social programs that they enjoy like welfare is as communistic as it gets.

We also food and merchandising co-ops are another socialistic idea which farmer rely on because the banks will always sccrew them.

The rich have socialized programs they are called country clubs

Single pay government healthcare insurance program takes tax dollars that all people pay and pays people’s medical bills when they get sick and since there are no profits so medical costs are cheaper.

We have to remember that insurance programs work on percentages, which means not everybody will get sick at the same time.

All America has to remember that if they want the government healthcare system to work is not to allow doctors to extra bill their patients like they try to do in Canada or the government healthcare system will fall apart.

What bothers Americans the most is that Canada has a single pay healthcare system while the most powerful nation USA let’s their people die in the streets because they are too greedy to give a dam about their people.

 

[ironsides]

Is there a point within the Canadian and other National healthcare system's when a person is denied certain procedures because of age? In other word's, at what point does a persons life just become to costly to treat properly?


That is probably the biggest stumbling block among Americans with a National healthcare system, fear of an unknown.


In spite of what some may think one does not die on the streets in the U.S. because of lack of medical care. Everyone does and or can get medical care. The problem is that the taxpayer is the one who pays a tremendous fee for that uninsured person.

Now back to origional question.
As #juan asked , what is good about the Canadian healthcare system?

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Is there a point within the Canadian and other National healthcare system's when a person is denied certain procedures because of age? In other word's, at what point does a persons life just become to costly to treat properly?

Doesn’t happen, ironsides, though it may not be a bad idea, in some circumstances. My wife tells me of cases where they would perform several operations on a 90 year old man, keep him in intensive care unit, spend huge amounts of money trying to keep him alive, but he would have so many diseases that he would die within six months. That to me seems to be the waste of money.

But I don’t think anybody is denied health care because of his age.

In spite of what some may think one does not die on the streets in the U.S. because of lack of medical care.

That may be true, but how about preventive care? Pre and post natal care for the mother? Regular well baby check ups for the baby? These are the things that enhance quality of life, lead to better health and contributes to increased life expectancy.

Emergency care is not everything. That keeps you alive, but there are other types of care which enhance your quality of life. Preventive care etc. is expensive and difficult to obtain in USA (unless you have insurance, even then there may be co-payments).

 

[Kreskin]

Is there a point within the Canadian and other National healthcare system's when a person is denied certain procedures because of age? In other word's, at what point does a persons life just become to costly to treat properly?


That is probably the biggest stumbling block among Americans with a National healthcare system, fear of an unknown.


In spite of what some may think one does not die on the streets in the U.S. because of lack of medical care. Everyone does and or can get medical care. The problem is that the taxpayer is the one who pays a tremendous fee for that uninsured person.

Now back to origional question.
As #juan asked , what is good about the Canadian healthcare system?

For the most part it works. Doctors run their operations as self employed and Canadians can choose their own physicians. Doctors bill the government for their services. Canadians live long. The drug companies don't control much and overall it's a pretty efficient system, even though it can be improved just like anything else.

Age is not a criteria for receiving healthcare.

 

[ironsides]

Thanks for the reply about a persons age and healthcare, I'll pass it on to those who asked.

 

[ironsides]

Is there a point within the Canadian and other National healthcare system's when a person is denied certain procedures because of age? In other word's, at what point does a persons life just become to costly to treat properly?

Doesn’t happen, ironsides, though it may not be a bad idea, in some circumstances. My wife tells me of cases where they would perform several operations on a 90 year old man, keep him in intensive care unit, spend huge amounts of money trying to keep him alive, but he would have so many diseases that he would die within six months. That to me seems to be the waste of money.

But I don’t think anybody is denied health care because of his age.

In spite of what some may think one does not die on the streets in the U.S. because of lack of medical care.

That may be true, but how about preventive care? Pre and post natal care for the mother? Regular well baby check ups for the baby? These are the things that enhance quality of life, lead to better health and contributes to increased life expectancy.

Emergency care is not everything. That keeps you alive, but there are other types of care which enhance your quality of life. Preventive care etc. is expensive and difficult to obtain in USA (unless you have insurance, even then there may be co-payments).

Most major health centers (public hospitals) have two emergency rooms, one of course for real emergencies and a second for so called walk in patients. It is this walk in clinic that offers people with colds, flu's, minor cuts and bruises treatment. The also do prenatal care for those without insurance, like the illegal immigrants as well as those who have so called green cards (that allow them to work). The thing is that anyone can use these services.

 

[Kreskin]

Canadian Healthcare isn't free by any stretch, and while 'nationalized' it is still run by each Province. Each Province determines what procedures/treatments are covered (within the framework of the Canada Health Act) and the docs bill the Provincial plans for their services. Everyone generally pays a monthly Provincial insurance premium (I think it's somewhere around $70 or $80 per month in BC - some can be subsidized by employer) plus we all pay higher taxes. It's really a shared cost program. Physicians make very good money. They bill the Provinces and the Provinces pay according to how much they're willing to by schedule for a service/treatment. The Feds will help fund Provincial plans as long as they adhere to the Canada Health Act. If Provinces deny services that should be covered the Feds will reduce their coverage accordingly.

There is also some extra billing for hospital rooms and non-emergency ambulance services. Canadians can opt to buy private insurance to cover some of these added costs. But overall, on a per-capita costs basis, everyone gets a reasonable degree of healthcare services at a reasonable cost. That doesn't mean the occasional situation can't fall through the cracks.

 

[snobeach]

. Everyone generally pays a monthly Provincial insurance premium (I think it's somewhere around $70 or $80 per month in BC - some can be subsidized by employer) plus we all pay higher taxes.

As a point of interest, in Alberta effective January 1, 2009 we no longer pay for monthly Provincial insurance. It's covered by the Province. Not to say this won't be reversed in the future.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Thanks for the reply about a persons age and healthcare, I'll pass it on to those who asked.

Who asked, ironsides?

 

[L Gilbert]

No doubt that the Canadian system, while very good, can be made better, there probably are ways in which it could be improved.

Unfortunately, those who suggest ways to improve it, usually claim that the only way to improve it is by private involvement. There is nothing wrong with that either, I am not totally opposed to any private involvement.

However, those who propose the change usually have a hidden agenda, they want to introduce American style, privately run, Devil take the hindmost system. And that must be opposed tooth and nail.

Still presuming to know what everyone else's intentions are. Tsk tsk. Pompous ponce.