JohnRoberts said:
One misperception is that health care in the US is substandard. We have the best care in the world, but most expensive because of the anticompetitive manipulations of payments by insurance companies (I hate calling it insurance.) So poor people without coverage, don't get the same level of treatment as the rich and famous. It is routine for world leaders from around the world to come here, for care.
Very true.
It's worth noting there is a difference between Health Care and Health Care Systems.
I'm Canadian, was born in Canada, worked in the Ontario health care system for 6 years an moved to the US 10 years ago. I've had bad back problems and I'm thankful everyday I'm being treated in the USA and not Canada. Now my big disclaimer is that I have great coverage by my employer, if I didn't maybe the situation would be different?
The Canadian health care system is a mess, going bankrupt and failing many people. My mother recently became Ill because she was forced wait 2 years for a surgery in BC. When her time came up the doctor refused to do the surgery because it had been "too long" and was "too dangerous" now.
At last check the Canadian SYSTEM was ranked 30th in the world and the US SYSTEM was 37th (WHO, 2000). Considering the divide in QUALITY (and timeliness) of care that is nothing for Canada to be proud of.
I'll openly admit that I'm the most left wing tree hugging, prius driving pinko you'll ever meet. And it's fine to say "we care and want everyone to have free health care", but there is a practical reality to it. You need to do it in a way that is cost effective and doesn't harm the quality of care. Canada's system is failing on both points.
JohnRoberts said:
PS: Anybody who thinks there are simple answers for this, hasn't really studied the problem.
Amen John.
Mike