> Having experienced both system as well, the Canadian system is much less burdensome, but if I had serious cancer I’d take the US system any day. They throw th

> Having experienced both system as well, the Canadian system is much less burdensome, but if I had serious cancer I’d take the US system any day. They throw the kitchen sink and more at you in the US and insurance will pay for most of it. Of course this means they'll also push incredibly expensive but dubious interventions for all patients (even those that are clearly terminal). I have no idea whether Canada etc are better in this regard, but all the incentives line up to treat all patients in the most expensive way possible to the "bitter end." I've seen this personally with terminal patients, resulting in them squandering their final months on brutal and ineffective treatment as they follow that "false hope" to gain some "extra time," but it also means expensive (and high risk) surgery is encouraged way more often than e.g. physical therapy for minor issues. I guess if you're a very savvy consumer this system could work for the better, because you would only opt for the truly necessary and likely to be effective expensive procedures, but it's incredibly difficult to make clear-eyed decisions in moments of health crises.