Which is better: UK/Canada healthcare system or USA's Healthcare System?

[Mr. Marks]

Just some facts:

Politicians used to sing the praises of Britain's National Health Service (NHS). A recent study by David Green and Laura Casper, "Delay, Denial and Dilution," written for the London-based Institute of Economic Affairs, concludes that the NHS delivers health-care services that are just about the worst in the developed world. The head of the World Health Organization calculated that Britain has as many as 25,000 unnecessary cancer deaths a year because of underprovision of care. Twelve percent of specialists surveyed admitted refusing kidney dialysis to patients suffering from kidney failure because of limits on cash. Waiting lists for medical treatment have become so long that there are now "waiting lists" for the waiting list.

Canada's government system isn't that different from Britain's. For example, after a Canadian has been referred to a specialist, the waiting list for: gynecological surgery is 4 to 12 weeks, cataract removal is 12 to 18 weeks, tonsillectomy is 3 to 36 weeks and neuro-surgery is 5 to 30 weeks.

Toronto-area hospitals, concerned about lawsuits, ask patients to sign a legal release accepting that while delays in treatment may have jeopardized their health, they nevertheless hold the hospital blameless.



You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out why Canadians flock to American hospitals and Americans don't flock to Canadian hospitals.

[Paul Waters]

If youhave money, or good health insurance, it is better to be in the US.

If you don't, then you are totally fucked.

Far better in the UK or Canada.

[Joe Citizen]

Originally posted by papichulo
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out why Canadians flock to American hospitals and Americans don't flock to Canadian hospitals.

You are forgetting that in countries like Canada and Australia that have socialised medicine people are quite entitled to take out additional health insurance if they want to go to a private hospital or have the choice of their own doctor, surgeon etc.

[Emma]

UK for sure

[Sarah_Jayne]

Yesterday i went to a UK hospital for important treatment for a condition I have. In the states I wouldn't have been able to afford it PLUS it isn't even available in most parts of the States at the moment. Here, I got treated and don't have the added worry of wondering how I would afford it.

[blazin]

Originally posted by Joe Citizen
You are forgetting that in countries like Canada and Australia that have socialised medicine people are quite entitled to take out additional health insurance if they want to go to a private hospital or have the choice of their own doctor, surgeon etc.

Good point

[Joe Citizen]

Originally posted by sarah_webinc
Yesterday i went to a UK hospital for important treatment for a condition I have. In the states I wouldn't have been able to afford it PLUS it isn't even available in most parts of the States at the moment. Here, I got treated and don't have the added worry of wondering how I would afford it.

You must be lying! We all know socialised medicine doesn't work!

[bringer]

Originally posted by Paul Waters
If youhave money, or good health insurance, it is better to be in the US.

If you don't, then you are totally fucked.

Far better in the UK or Canada.

i have money yet my healthcare is nothing compaired to what the welfare mexicans get

[EviLGuY]

I'd rather have slower service for everyone, then having people in my country DIE because they don't have enough money.

[bringer]

Originally posted by EviLGuY
I'd rather have slower service for everyone, then having people in my country DIE because they don't have enough money.

there already is slow service, mostly due to the people who get free healthcare. so not having any money doesnt mean much. the less you have, the more you get free.

[StRoGE]

I prefer the canadian healthcare system.

[bringer]

Originally posted by StRoGE
I prefer the canadian healthcare system.

i wonder who actually pays more

[Raf1]

I don't really care, because I don't live in any of these countries

[jayeff]

Any health care system can be criticized, but according to the World Health Organisation and the World Bank, the US ranks lower than most of Europe, Canada and Japan: all countries with some form of universal health provision. Further, the real cost of health care in the US is more than double that of the next most expensive country: Switzerland.

In the UK, for my ongoing heart condition, I would have blood/liver tests every 6 months at zero direct cost and I would be in and out of the surgery in less than 30 minutes. Here in the US, I haven't been tested once in 7 years, but to re-issue my prescription, my doctor insists on seeing me every 3 months. I wait anything from 60 to 90 minutes to have him spend less than 5 minutes with me and take my blood pressure. And for that he charges me $65.

In the UK, a prescription certificate used to cost me (directly) about $250 a year. In the US I pay almost $150 a month.

For almost 4 years my step-daughter and I have been to specialists for consultations, we have had tests and operations. I haven't been aware of our treatment being poorer than it would have been in the UK (which like Canada, has far from the highest ranked health service in the world). But nor has it seemed better, nor have we been handled more efficiently. However, I shall be paying off medical bills for many years to come, whereas in the UK I wouldn't have owed a cent.

[ADL Colin]

Depends on how much money you have.

[Adulter]

Originally posted by EviLGuY
I'd rather have slower service for everyone, then having people in my country DIE because they don't have enough money.

well said

My Dad had a double bypass last year and it didn't cost him a cent, other than the little bit extra he had to pay to get a semi-private room.

Surgery was scheduled quickly. Can't complain about that.

How much does a double bypass cost in the U.S. for someone with no health insurance?

[loco12]

You mean you pay money to see a doctor or have surgery in the USA? Thats totally fucked!!!!

In the UK it's all totally free. If you want to go BUPA its extra and quicker, but if it's not life threatening why pay?

What the fuck went wrong in the "land of the free" so you have to pay to have an important operation?

What happens if you get knocked down and are unemployed? They leave you in the gutter, oor they patch you up then bill you for thousands?

[Project-Shadow]

I'm more than happy with the Health care in the U.K.
When I was in the U.S the doctor charged me $90 for a 5 minute checkup, then charged me $50 for this tiny bottle of medication. [perferated ear]

Highway fucking robbery.

[bringer]

Originally posted by loco12
You mean you pay money to see a doctor or have surgery in the USA? Thats totally fucked!!!!

In the UK it's all totally free. If you want to go BUPA its extra and quicker, but if it's not life threatening why pay?

What the fuck went wrong in the "land of the free" so you have to pay to have an important operation?

What happens if you get knocked down and are unemployed? They leave you in the gutter, oor they patch you up then bill you for thousands?

TOTALLY FREE?!?! maybe if you dont pay taxes

[just a punk]

Paid US healthcare just sucks. Canadian one rules

[bringer]

Originally posted by Project-Shadow
I'm more than happy with the Health care in the U.K.
When I was in the U.S the doctor charged me $90 for a 5 minute checkup, then charged me $50 for this tiny bottle of medication. [perferated ear]

Highway fucking robbery.

my copay is $10/visit
meds are the same
im not rich nor do i get free health care so stop your bitching.
i keep seeing FREE FREE FREE everywhere
you pay for it somehow unless you're poor
if that's the case, someone else is paying %75 of their paycheck to taxes to pay for your "FREE" healthcare

[Paul Waters]

The doctors have one of the most effective lobbies in the US. Back in the 70's when Milton Friedmon wrote his book "Free to Choose" he used the AMA as his example of what is wrong with unions....