4 ms·

But this is from Canada, don't they have universal healthcare?

rogerkirkness 7y ago
Nowhere has universal healthcare. The basic healthcare is bad, so you can pay more to get better access, or go to the US for actual good care.
- save_ferris 7y ago
  This isn’t true. Numerous countries have public healthcare systems that service the public successfully, like Singapore. Sure, you can pay to access the private system, which is a nominal amount compared to what we pay in the US. The US ranks among the worst of the first world nations in terms of access to and quality of healthcare[0]. Just look at our hospital borne MRSA infection rates. The idea that the US delivers consistent, quality care across the nation is laughably false. 0: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/among-11-countries-us-ranks-last-for-health-outcomes-equity-and-quality.html https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/among-11-count...
- seszett 7y ago
  It seems Americans often believe that, but virtually nobody in Western Europe would even think of going to the US for healthcare. I would assume the same for Canadians. I have no idea if that's actually true, but the widespread opinion is that the ~free (it depends a lot between countries, it's usually simply affordable, rather than free) healthcare here is much better than what a normal person can afford in the US.
  - jasonlotito 7y ago
    > It seems Americans often believe that, but virtually nobody in Western Europe would even think of going to the US for healthcare. I would assume the same for Canadians. This is not true. It's just ignored because people would rather believe that universal healthcare is infallible. We moved from Canada to the US precisely because of healthcare for our children. In Canada, care was non-existant and the private services were expensive. In the US, it was the complete opposite.
    - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
      Do your children have special needs? It never even crossed my mind to move to the United States. I imagine given my profession I could get a job with decent benefits, but I can't imagine wanting to move to the states for the health care, unless I had a special requirement.
      - jasonlotito 7y ago
        > Do your children have special needs? Autism. The "care" provided in Canada is horrid. > I imagine given my profession I could get a job with decent benefits, This is not needed. The services we benefit from our state run, not based on my job.
    - allannienhuis 7y ago
      universal health care has never meant that every possible heath care need is met without cost. It means that access to the covered services is universally available. Which of course isn't true in an absolute sense (residency requirements etc), but is true in most practical senses.
      - jasonlotito 7y ago
        > It means that access to the covered services is universally available. I know. These are services that the state was legally supposed to provide but could not. Canada failed my children. It was disgusting.
  - rogerkirkness 7y ago
    I'm Canadian, it's not nearly as good as paid healthcare in the US (especially high end paid healthcare). Giant wait times for things you can pay to do in the US.
33degrees 7y ago
Yes, and many municipalities have rent regulations
- ToFundorNot 7y ago
  Some do, most are very basic outside of Quebec, and even then, I can't remember the last time a tenant sued an operator because they illegally increased the rent in Quebec (the new tenant would need the old tenants lease, plus proof that the increase wasn't justified).
- thisisnico 7y ago
  Gov' of ontario has rent control.
jasonlotito 7y ago
> universal healthcare That doesn't mean what you think it means. There are many things not covered or not covered practically that you would want to pay for private healthcare. e.g. You can wait years for services, or you can pay a few thousand a month and get it sooner. This is critical for things that necessitate early intervention. Wait too long, and when the government does finally come around to being able to provide services, it's already too late, and because the patient is too old, they are no longer eligible for the services they should have received in the first place. I speak from personal experience.
- allannienhuis 7y ago
  I doubt your experience is the norm. The system isn't perfect - there's definitely gaps or things I think should be covered (eg dental), and I know everyone's experience is different, but as a counter example I've never felt the need or desire to pay for private healthcare either (aside from not-covered dental) on demand or with private insurance, and I don't know any of my family that do either. (BC resident) The system has been there when we've needed it, including access to preventative care like cancer screening programs.
  - jasonlotito 7y ago
    > I doubt your experience is the norm For children with autism it is the norm. Sorry, but what they did to my children was shameful.
- frandroid 7y ago
  > You can wait years for services *in some rare cases
  - jasonlotito 7y ago
    No, these aren't rare cases. If you have certain not-uncommon conditions, you can wait years for services. Please don't presume to put words in my mouth again.
allannienhuis 7y ago
universal more-or-less free _access_ to basic (generally good in my opinion) care. But that doesn't include dental or prescriptions (with some exceptions/subsidies), for most people. It's surprising to see them list it as a significant part of someone's budget though. Perhaps I'm not old and sick enough (yet!) to relate :).

Nowhere has universal healthcare. The basic healthcare is bad, so you can pay more to get better access, or go to the US for actual good care.

save_ferris 7y ago
This isn’t true. Numerous countries have public healthcare systems that service the public successfully, like Singapore. Sure, you can pay to access the private system, which is a nominal amount compared to what we pay in the US. The US ranks among the worst of the first world nations in terms of access to and quality of healthcare[0]. Just look at our hospital borne MRSA infection rates. The idea that the US delivers consistent, quality care across the nation is laughably false. 0: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/among-11-countries-us-ranks-last-for-health-outcomes-equity-and-quality.html https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/among-11-count...
seszett 7y ago
It seems Americans often believe that, but virtually nobody in Western Europe would even think of going to the US for healthcare. I would assume the same for Canadians. I have no idea if that's actually true, but the widespread opinion is that the ~free (it depends a lot between countries, it's usually simply affordable, rather than free) healthcare here is much better than what a normal person can afford in the US.
- jasonlotito 7y ago
  > It seems Americans often believe that, but virtually nobody in Western Europe would even think of going to the US for healthcare. I would assume the same for Canadians. This is not true. It's just ignored because people would rather believe that universal healthcare is infallible. We moved from Canada to the US precisely because of healthcare for our children. In Canada, care was non-existant and the private services were expensive. In the US, it was the complete opposite.
  - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
    Do your children have special needs? It never even crossed my mind to move to the United States. I imagine given my profession I could get a job with decent benefits, but I can't imagine wanting to move to the states for the health care, unless I had a special requirement.
    - jasonlotito 7y ago
      > Do your children have special needs? Autism. The "care" provided in Canada is horrid. > I imagine given my profession I could get a job with decent benefits, This is not needed. The services we benefit from our state run, not based on my job.
  - allannienhuis 7y ago
    universal health care has never meant that every possible heath care need is met without cost. It means that access to the covered services is universally available. Which of course isn't true in an absolute sense (residency requirements etc), but is true in most practical senses.
    - jasonlotito 7y ago
      > It means that access to the covered services is universally available. I know. These are services that the state was legally supposed to provide but could not. Canada failed my children. It was disgusting.
- rogerkirkness 7y ago
  I'm Canadian, it's not nearly as good as paid healthcare in the US (especially high end paid healthcare). Giant wait times for things you can pay to do in the US.

33degrees 7y ago

Yes, and many municipalities have rent regulations

ToFundorNot 7y ago
Some do, most are very basic outside of Quebec, and even then, I can't remember the last time a tenant sued an operator because they illegally increased the rent in Quebec (the new tenant would need the old tenants lease, plus proof that the increase wasn't justified).
thisisnico 7y ago
Gov' of ontario has rent control.

jasonlotito 7y ago

> universal healthcare That doesn't mean what you think it means. There are many things not covered or not covered practically that you would want to pay for private healthcare. e.g. You can wait years for services, or you can pay a few thousand a month and get it sooner. This is critical for things that necessitate early intervention. Wait too long, and when the government does finally come around to being able to provide services, it's already too late, and because the patient is too old, they are no longer eligible for the services they should have received in the first place. I speak from personal experience.

allannienhuis 7y ago
I doubt your experience is the norm. The system isn't perfect - there's definitely gaps or things I think should be covered (eg dental), and I know everyone's experience is different, but as a counter example I've never felt the need or desire to pay for private healthcare either (aside from not-covered dental) on demand or with private insurance, and I don't know any of my family that do either. (BC resident) The system has been there when we've needed it, including access to preventative care like cancer screening programs.
- jasonlotito 7y ago
  > I doubt your experience is the norm For children with autism it is the norm. Sorry, but what they did to my children was shameful.
frandroid 7y ago
> You can wait years for services *in some rare cases
- jasonlotito 7y ago
  No, these aren't rare cases. If you have certain not-uncommon conditions, you can wait years for services. Please don't presume to put words in my mouth again.

allannienhuis 7y ago

universal more-or-less free _access_ to basic (generally good in my opinion) care. But that doesn't include dental or prescriptions (with some exceptions/subsidies), for most people. It's surprising to see them list it as a significant part of someone's budget though. Perhaps I'm not old and sick enough (yet!) to relate :).