Oh, Canada, where health care for all 33 million is free

[Tony_FLADEM]

By Susan Taylor Martin, Times Senior Correspondent
In Print: Sunday, July 19, 2009


WINDSOR, Ontario

Ask Emily Whitehead, a Canadian, what she thinks about her country's health care system and she'll tell you a little story.

Years ago, she and a friend had babies at the same time. Afterward, they compared notes.

The friend, who lives in Michigan, was in the hospital for two or three days. Her bill: more than $3,000.

Whitehead, a diabetic, was in the hospital for two months. So was her premature infant, who at one point had to be transported in a specially equipped ambulance with two nurses and two paramedics.

Total bill for the Whiteheads: $16.95, for TV and a long-distance call.

[Oregone]

1. Not free

Affordable due to income based funding that has a redistributive effect. But without copays, fees, deductibles, and denials, it remains equally accessible to all

[HeresyLives]

2. Part of general taxes.

Nobody even thinks about it, we've had it for years.

[sharp_stick]

3. Not free in Alberta

when I went to grad school there in the 90's. I had about $130/month taken out of my pay to go to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan.

[Oregone]

4. No premiums anymore there

Still $108 a family in BC. Im curious if premiums exist when a Province's costs exceed the federal contribution too much. I just think of it as a tax really. Its definitely not what people pay in the states, especially with no deductibles and copays

[whosinpower]

5. We pay for our healthcare with our taxes

Our taxes are probably higher than yours, however, nobody goes bankrupt due to medical bills. Nobody is faced with a choice of a roof over our head, or a lifesaving medical procedure of one of our loved ones.
Our healthcare is not perfect, but we are covered - cradle to grave.

Thing is - America is one of the wealthiest nations on the planet - and for the powerbrokers to state that you cannot afford universal healthcare is a big fat lie. Cut your defense spending - invest that into healthcare. Your taxes would not increase that much. And you would have a healthier populace.

[Oregone]

6. "Our taxes are probably higher than yours" - May not be true

A Denver Post writer cited that its actually a wash when you add back in deductions and benefits (especially for families in Canada). Except in the US, you still have to purchase health care with what you have left over.

[provis99]

12. Lower and middle class Canadians pay less tax than Americans of same income

Partly because the lower and middle classes in the US have a higher share of the tax burden than they do in Canada, but also because Canada does not have massive taxation to feed a giant war machine.

[adnelson60087]

13. Can you provide a link to that Denver post article?

I need to send it to several people.

[CHIMO]

14. Don't Know

If this is the article, but until he Oregone has a chance to reply perhaps this is the one?

http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_12523427

[Puzzler]

8. Even with (possibly) higher taxes, Canadians pay far less per person than Americans do...

... often by a factor of thousands of dollars.

[Cronopio]

9. Which is why the public healthcare option is also the second economic stimulus bill.

Next year, tens of millions of people will have up to $1800 more in their bank accounts every month with the public option.

Every month. Not a one time payment - in perpetuity. That's serious economic medicine.

[cascadiance]

7. We in the U.S. probably pay for health care with our taxes too...

We at least pay for those on Capitol Hill to have theirs... And we pay for the elderly to have Medicare through payroll taxes. And we pay for those going to emergency without insurance too, which I'm guessing would be a LOT less if we had single payer and their ailments were taken care of before they became catastrophes. So one way or the other we're already paying for this AND our health insurance when we're viewed as a liability to our companies with the rising cost of health care programs that they are helping fund, or passing part of the bill to us now.

[elleng]

10. Please keep this in mind:

"WE" do NOT pay for 'those on Capitol Hill,' certainly not more than other employers pay for their employees.

U.S. government employees, INCLUDING members of Congress, Senators, Federal judges, etc., have the same type of plan AS many have who have insurance through their work. Employees (including congress members) pay a monthly premium, and the government also contributes a 'premium.' The system gives all a number of choices of insurers plans from which to choose.

http://www.opm.gov/INSURE/HEALTH/

[handmade34]

15. thanks for the link

I checked and if I had been a government employee last year when I was insured, I would have paid fully 50% less than I was paying.

[bemildred]

11. If I can pay half as much as taxes as I do as insurance, why is that a bad deal? nt

[handmade34]

16. no such thing as a free lunch but I understand the gist

not free, but available and affordable for all is what I ask. I will gladly pay extra taxes when I know that we all can get preventative care and health care when needed.