On Jul 25, 5:07 pm, "Chom Noamsky" <***@bbq.yum> wrote:
Since there are so many references and discussions about the USA in
this forum and this thread refers to the current discussion about
universal health care there, Ill take the bait and pitch in. From a
Canadian perspective.
1) If I was at the scene of an accident, here in Canada, and had to
drive or accompany an injured person to the nearest hospital etc.
(This would perhaps be somewhere, say, well out of town) there would
no question of who the person was and whether they had insurance or
not. The only reason their name etc. would be taken would to advise
nearest relatives and tie in police investigation of what happened. In
all other respects the person would be treated the same.
Later if committed to ongoing hospital care, it might be the person
might have some private insurance that might cover a private room if
one was available and/or not needed for isolation of other patients.
Otherwise no difference in treatment.
2) Personal experience as a male in mid 70s, living for the last 50+
years in one of the Can. provinces that has had some difficulties and
delays has found that when something is medically urgent one is
attended to generally in reasonable time period. More routine tests
etc. have sometimes taken a long time to schedule. Making routine non-
urgent appointments with our local medical practice is completely
satisfactory and when 'my' doctor' is not available or away there is a
replacement.
Also the cancer treatment my wife received, was completely
satisfactory and successful.
3) the sytem is not perfect but it works well; there are opportunities
to hold politicians and the medical care organization to account. The
lack of multiple systems (except some differences between provinces)
means lower administration costs than the myriad of US 'Medical
Insurance' schemes.
4) It is possible to buy or have through say an employer, additional
medical insurance that could for example transport myself, perhaps an
attendant and my auto vehicle back to my Canadian province of
residence from outside Canada, whereupon the universal health care
system here would take over. I certainly don't mind paying my Canadian
taxes for the universal coverage!