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As a young, relatively healthy someone who has also experienced both Canadian and US healthcare, I much prefer the Canadian system. In the US, my insurance was
by sxyuan 8y ago
As a young, relatively healthy someone who has also experienced both Canadian and US healthcare, I much prefer the Canadian system. In the US, my insurance was billed 14k USD for a simple diagnostic procedure (stress echocardiogram) that normally would cost a few hundred dollars. I ended up being on the hook for over 2000 USD.
Yes, I got an appointment within a few days, and I got the cardiologist's report shortly after. But when I had a simple question about the report, my doctor suggested I book a follow-up appointment (and get charged another few hundred dollars) to get my question answered. I said no thanks - I'll take my chances and ask my friend in med school. If I knew ahead of time how much the original diagnostic would have cost, I might have had second thoughts about that as well. And while there seems to be nothing wrong with me, for other people in a similar situation that decision could end up being the difference between life and death.
I've had standard lab work done in Canada and have no complaints about the wait. But I'd take waiting a few weeks if that means no one will choose to forego life-saving diagnostics because of extortionate health care costs.
- GreenPlastic 8y agoFrom a cost point of view, I think that's totally reasonable for most care. If you have something catastrophic and need quick access to top-notch care, you don't get that from the Canadian system and our Canadian relatives and friends don't even know how bad it is because that's all they've ever known (wife is from Canada and now realizes how bad it is and is trying to move her parents to the US so that they have access to US care).
- gerbilly 8y ago> trying to move her parents to the US so that they have access to US care Why would you have to move to the US for that, can't you just go to your favourite American city and walk into a hospital?
- GreenPlastic 8y agoWe (my wife and I) currently pay out of pocket for them to see specialists or to get an opinion so that they can see a specialist in Canada. If we apply now, they qualify for medicare in X years and they get higher quality of care + we don't pay out of pocket.
- maerF0x0 8y ago> In the US, my insurance was billed 14k USD for a simple diagnostic procedure (stress echocardiogram) that normally would cost a few hundred dollars. I ended up being on the hook for over 2000 USD. I agree that the insurance aspect of the system is difficult and could use mild regulation. But I think that the single-provider nature of "universal healthcare" is probably what causes issues with the Canadian system, more than the single payer aspect...