Quote:
Originally Posted by EonBlue
I think you should change your poll questions.
I live in a country with universal health care. Do I think we should get rid of it? No not completely. But Canada bans private health care coverage and delivery for core services and I think that is wrong (the only other countries to do so are N. Korea and Cuba). This has led to long wait lists and sub-standard care in many cases. People with money (including our politicians) go to the US for treatment instead of waiting in line up here. That says a lot.
Sure our health care is "free", but some people can't even get a GP because there aren't enough doctors. Others have died waiting for treatment.
Health care currently consumes up to 50% of provincial budget spending up here, and it is expected to climb even higher as the population ages. In Ontario everyone pays up to a $290 a month health care premium on top of their taxes. Everyone calls our health care "free" but it is anything but free.
You Americans should be careful what you wish for. If you go down the road we are on you can expect much higher taxes, increased wait times for treatment, decreased quality of treatment, doctors leaving fro greener pastures and less money spent on things like infrastructure.
Universal health care for those who can't afford private coverage is fine, but banning private health care for those who can afford it is wrong.  |
Great points. So many Candian doctors have left Canada to work in America because they can make more money here. Canadians foot the bill for that and they foot the bill for not having privatized options. Instead of the money staying in Canada, it goes into the pockets of institutions in America where people are allowed to pay for care.
It's not that there aren't enough Canadian doctors graduating why many Canadians can't find a doctor. It's that Canadian doctors choose not to work in areas where they can't make the big mamoo (small towns etc) and they pack their bags for America.
There must be some compromise. Perhaps having both solutions (private and universal) available is the best way. People who can afford private care are going to pay for it anyway instead of waiting in line.