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> If you want the proof of it, remember that a huge majority of Canadians live close enough to drive to the US for health care, but don't I don't understand th

> If you want the proof of it, remember that a huge majority of Canadians live close enough to drive to the US for health care, but don't I don't understand this point. Obviously Canada offers healthcare, and what it offers is no doubt good. That doesn't mean that it offers everything that can possibly be done. People just won't be aware of what can be done, and/or don't have US health insurance to pay for what can be done.

dghlsakjg 2y ago
My point is that one of the arguments against universal healthcare in the States that gets trotted out is that Canadians have waits so long or that the healthcare is so restricted that they are dying or that they can't get care. If people were actually having to wait that long that their health was seriously threatened, they would likely be engaging in medical tourism on a much bigger scale. If you needed surgery or you were going to die/be permanently disabled and the Canadian system wasn't able to provide it, people would be driving across the border, flying to Mexico/Thailand/wherever, or doing whatever else they needed to not die or have their life impacted. But that doesn't happen. What it tells you is that, as much as some Americans paint a false picture to slander single payer healthcare, and as much as some Canadians complain about waiting, the Canadian system is still better than any alternative available to the participants, despite the alternative being a quick drive away for most of us.
- willhslade 2y ago
  I mean, normal Canadians also likely can't afford the cost of American surgery. And I can think of at least 1 time a prominent Canadian went to the USA for medical procedures that weren't available in Canada. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/williams-talks-about-u-s-heart-surgery-1.924467 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/william... https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-08-03/canadians-increasingly-come-to-us-for-health-care https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-08-... Might be worth a quick Google before posting.
- robertlagrant 2y ago
  > despite the alternative being a quick drive away What does this mean? It's not free as long as you can drive to it.

dghlsakjg 2y ago

My point is that one of the arguments against universal healthcare in the States that gets trotted out is that Canadians have waits so long or that the healthcare is so restricted that they are dying or that they can't get care. If people were actually having to wait that long that their health was seriously threatened, they would likely be engaging in medical tourism on a much bigger scale. If you needed surgery or you were going to die/be permanently disabled and the Canadian system wasn't able to provide it, people would be driving across the border, flying to Mexico/Thailand/wherever, or doing whatever else they needed to not die or have their life impacted. But that doesn't happen. What it tells you is that, as much as some Americans paint a false picture to slander single payer healthcare, and as much as some Canadians complain about waiting, the Canadian system is still better than any alternative available to the participants, despite the alternative being a quick drive away for most of us.

willhslade 2y ago
I mean, normal Canadians also likely can't afford the cost of American surgery. And I can think of at least 1 time a prominent Canadian went to the USA for medical procedures that weren't available in Canada. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/williams-talks-about-u-s-heart-surgery-1.924467 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/william... https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-08-03/canadians-increasingly-come-to-us-for-health-care https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-08-... Might be worth a quick Google before posting.
robertlagrant 2y ago
> despite the alternative being a quick drive away What does this mean? It's not free as long as you can drive to it.