10 Myths About Canadian Health Care, Busted

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

Canada and most other universal health-care systems are usually run in countries with highly centralized federal governments. The huge obstacle with a UHC system being implemented in the US is that it goes against everything the country was founded on. And there are simply too many states and counties to allow each state to manage their own system. The smaller and poorer states would inevitably have the worst system. UHC would have to be run on a federal level; Which goes against the foundation of this nation.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Canada and most other universal health-care systems are usually run in countries with highly centralized federal governments. The huge obstacle with a UHC system being implemented in the US is that it goes against everything the country was founded on. And there are simply too many states and counties to allow each state to manage their own system. The smaller and poorer states would inevitably have the worst system. UHC would have to be run on a federal level; Which goes against the foundation of this nation.

Who gives a rats azz about the poorer states anyway? Arkansas deserves it.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Currently if:

You are single and earned 17,450 or less in the last tax year you pay nothing (it goes up from there to a maximum of $ 44)

You are a family with no children and earned 26,200 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

You are a family with children and earned 32,210 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

They also allow for people having temporary financial difficulty - you can apply for a temporary waiving of premiums.

All Seniors are exempt from paying premiums.

what if you make more than that? what's the prices then?

Charles, it looked like to me that Trailmix explained that.

If you count someone as a single person who earns more than $17,450 a year, you pay $44; likewise, a family without children which earns more than $26,200 or a family with children that earns more than $32,210 pays $88. At least that's how I understood the figures proposed.

Personally... I've never had a problem with the U.S. health care system. If I want to see a physician, I can; no waiting at all. My medical insurance plan is really good and overall, I'm happy with things as they are right now. Could there be improvements? I'm sure there could -- no system is perfect. I think far too many people focus on the negatives of the American health care system while glossing over the positives.

from what a guy told me about the health care plan, he was spending about $500 a month. i'm finding $88 max a bit low given that.

I do have to admit... $88 does seem a bit low. Maybe that's why a lot of Canadian physicians move to the United States to practice medicine: the pay is much better.

Alberta's economy is doing very well -- I am sure the doctors there are being paid just fine!

Well... my wife is from Alberta and she's told me that, although the job market is quite good there right now, Canada as a whole (including Alberta) has a tough time holding onto it's physicians. It seems that even if the pay is "just fine" in Canada, it's still better in the United States.

[Cassie 8]

Currently if:

You are single and earned 17,450 or less in the last tax year you pay nothing (it goes up from there to a maximum of $ 44)

You are a family with no children and earned 26,200 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

You are a family with children and earned 32,210 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

They also allow for people having temporary financial difficulty - you can apply for a temporary waiving of premiums.

All Seniors are exempt from paying premiums.

what if you make more than that? what's the prices then?

Charles, it looked like to me that Trailmix explained that.

If you count someone as a single person who earns more than $17,450 a year, you pay $44; likewise, a family without children which earns more than $26,200 or a family with children that earns more than $32,210 pays $88. At least that's how I understood the figures proposed.

Personally... I've never had a problem with the U.S. health care system. If I want to see a physician, I can; no waiting at all. My medical insurance plan is really good and overall, I'm happy with things as they are right now. Could there be improvements? I'm sure there could -- no system is perfect. I think far too many people focus on the negatives of the American health care system while glossing over the positives.

from what a guy told me about the health care plan, he was spending about $500 a month. i'm finding $88 max a bit low given that.

I do have to admit... $88 does seem a bit low. Maybe that's why a lot of Canadian physicians move to the United States to practice medicine: the pay is much better.

Alberta's economy is doing very well -- I am sure the doctors there are being paid just fine!

Well... my wife is from Alberta and she's told me that, although the job market is quite good there right now, Canada as a whole (including Alberta) has a tough time holding onto it's physicians. It seems that even if the pay is "just fine" in Canada, it's still better in the United States.

Aye, I agree with that -- my point is that a lot of Nova Scotians are moving to Alberta for a reason

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My wife went to school in a small town in western Ontario and she told me during her four years there, news of ob-gyns leaving for the US was commonplace in the local papers.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Canada and most other universal health-care systems are usually run in countries with highly centralized federal governments. The huge obstacle with a UHC system being implemented in the US is that it goes against everything the country was founded on. And there are simply too many states and counties to allow each state to manage their own system. The smaller and poorer states would inevitably have the worst system. UHC would have to be run on a federal level; Which goes against the foundation of this nation.

As opposed as poor and middle class people (some with 2 jobs and no children - before the "well they should only have the kids they can afford discourse begins) in ANY state getting no health care at all because the decision between eating and buying diabetes supplies is pretty obvious? The logic is a little frail here, me thinksss.

Is health care then a right that relates to a basic human need or is it a privilege only for some (specially those with deep pockets)?

As per the health care in Canada, I lived in SK and AB. SK had no premiums that I can remember; and AB has indeed the 44 per person. I cannot complain about either provincial system (well, my doc in SK was a bit if a fat b1tch, but she was professional enough).

Edited February 12, 2008 by Len_and_Bren

[Krikit 1,164]

I lived in Ontario and New Brunswick and paid no health care premiums.

[trailmix 77]

Currently if:

You are single and earned 17,450 or less in the last tax year you pay nothing (it goes up from there to a maximum of $ 44)

You are a family with no children and earned 26,200 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

You are a family with children and earned 32,210 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

They also allow for people having temporary financial difficulty - you can apply for a temporary waiving of premiums.

All Seniors are exempt from paying premiums.

what if you make more than that? what's the prices then?

Still $ 44 for a single person and $ 88 for a family, whether you make 50 thousand or 10 million dollars a year, no matter, those figures are the maximum in Alberta.

As for Ontario, it appears they have an income based premium system - to a maximum of $ 900 a year:

The Ontario tax, which can cost an income earner up to $900 a year, has been assailed since it was introduced during Premier Dalton McGuinty's first term in government because it isn't earmarked specifically for healthcare spending, and because of the ongoing shortage of doctors and nurses in the healthcare system.

[Krikit 1,164]

As for Ontario, it appears they have an income based premium system - to a maximum of $ 900 a year:

*confusion* .......

I lived in Ontario and New Brunswick and paid no health care premiums.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

Currently if:

You are single and earned 17,450 or less in the last tax year you pay nothing (it goes up from there to a maximum of $ 44)

You are a family with no children and earned 26,200 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

You are a family with children and earned 32,210 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

They also allow for people having temporary financial difficulty - you can apply for a temporary waiving of premiums.

All Seniors are exempt from paying premiums.

what if you make more than that? what's the prices then?

Still $ 44 for a single person and $ 88 for a family, whether you make 50 thousand or 10 million dollars a year, no matter, those figures are the maximum in Alberta.

As for Ontario, it appears they have an income based premium system - to a maximum of $ 900 a year:

The Ontario tax, which can cost an income earner up to $900 a year, has been assailed since it was introduced during Premier Dalton McGuinty's first term in government because it isn't earmarked specifically for healthcare spending, and because of the ongoing shortage of doctors and nurses in the healthcare system.

how expensive are co-pays?

[Krikit 1,164]

how expensive are co-pays?

The first I ever heard of co-pays was when I moved here.

[trailmix 77]

Currently if:

You are single and earned 17,450 or less in the last tax year you pay nothing (it goes up from there to a maximum of $ 44)

You are a family with no children and earned 26,200 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

You are a family with children and earned 32,210 or less - no premium. (otherwise $ 88)

They also allow for people having temporary financial difficulty - you can apply for a temporary waiving of premiums.

All Seniors are exempt from paying premiums.

what if you make more than that? what's the prices then?

Still $ 44 for a single person and $ 88 for a family, whether you make 50 thousand or 10 million dollars a year, no matter, those figures are the maximum in Alberta.

As for Ontario, it appears they have an income based premium system - to a maximum of $ 900 a year:

The Ontario tax, which can cost an income earner up to $900 a year, has been assailed since it was introduced during Premier Dalton McGuinty's first term in government because it isn't earmarked specifically for healthcare spending, and because of the ongoing shortage of doctors and nurses in the healthcare system.

how expensive are co-pays?

Yes Crickey! I saw your post after I posted, i'm confused about the Ontario thing now too! Apparently Ontario had no premium and then in 2004 they brought them in? hmmm

And as crickey mentioned, there is no co-pay.

Edited February 12, 2008 by trailmix

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

900 a year is max for 1 person or family?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

how expensive are co-pays?

The first I ever heard of co-pays was when I moved here.

Yup - no thing as co-pay in Canada. Not for professional fees anyway - you will never pay one cent to a physician, nurse, social worker, etc.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Canada and most other universal health-care systems are usually run in countries with highly centralized federal governments. The huge obstacle with a UHC system being implemented in the US is that it goes against everything the country was founded on. And there are simply too many states and counties to allow each state to manage their own system. The smaller and poorer states would inevitably have the worst system. UHC would have to be run on a federal level; Which goes against the foundation of this nation.

You could use that argument to declare pretty much any federal program as going against the "foundation of this nation." How about, say, Social Security and Medicare?