The end of public health care in Canada
OP: I admit the title sounds alarmist, but it's also true. I'm posting two articles, one of which is older, in my own personal effort to do my bit to publicize the effects of the so-called reforms (both implemented and planned) by the current right-wing Conservative federal government in Canada (i.e. good friend to U.S. Republicans, among other
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I live in a city, so I'm pretty much surrounded by options. My friend is from the Yukon. Now in the Yukon, there aren't very many specialists, so they have to bring the patients down to Vancouver to treat them. But this is what happens: The doctor's secretary not only books an appointment with the specialist in Vancover, she also BOOKS THE FLIGHT AND HOTEL, which is also covered by the insurance there. In fact, if you're having an inpatient procedure, they'll fly a loved one along with you.
Americans sometimes want to bring up the potential job losses with all those insurance companies out of work-- but there are still TONS of private insurance in Canada-- they just cover all the deluxe stuff. My employer has a very generous plan which covers vision and dental, mental health and things like chiropractic, semi-private hospital rooms, and travel insurance for if I get sick in another country (useful when I go home to visit my parents). This insurance covers things I would NEVER think of to cover, like for instance, if you are traveling with your dog and you get sick, it will pay to fly the dog back to Canada. I've seen plans that will fly a loved one to your bedside in a foreign country.
It's hard to describe the feeling of not having to worry about health care. I mean, I always was covered by insurance in the states-- but to come up here and to just be able to go to a doctor and not worry about co-pay... I feel so much more productive, so much less stress-- Stress I didn't even realize I had because I had been stressed for so long I just thought it was normal.
My very good friend had cancer recently. He made a full recovery. His family never even thought ONCE about how they would pay for it. They just focused on getting him better. They are no worse off financially now then they were before his diagnosis, and because he has a union job (and there are a lot of unions in BC) he got great paid sick leave throughout his illness, so they never worried about money or putting food on the table.
I have heard of long wait times-- I once waited 6 months to see a specialist. But #1) it wasn't an emergency, so I wasn't too bothered, and #2) I once waited 9 months to see a similar specialist in the US. Every once in a while you hear a horror story about someone dying in an emergency room having not gotten treatment yet-- but when that happens it is a National tragedy and makes the national news. I feel like it happens all the time in the US, but no one even cares to note it. After all, they probably deserved it for not having insurance... :(
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