Canadian Healthcare free?
By bcote212
@bcote212 (1112)
United States
2 responses
@jormins (1223)
• United States
25 Feb 08
That's a very good question. Actually the Democrats are pushing this issue very hard this election. Republicans are against it, but I think its time we did it. I do think they pay higher taxes in Canada and there are some shortfalls in the system but it blows what we have out of the water. We might pay some more taxes over here but I see it coming from the upper class as the middle and lower classes are already over burdened from the last 7 years of Bush.
1 person likes this
@nova1945 (1612)
• United States
25 Feb 08
Yes, it is paid for because your taxes will be higher. Which is fine by me since the alternative is astromonically high health insurance premiums. I have heard that America is the only country in the western hemisphere that does not have a universal health care system. You can find a lot more eye-opening facts about this in Michael Moore's movie Sicko. The U.S. tried something like this about 30 years ago but they did it wrong and only offered it to the very poor and those on welfare. So the doctors and dentists were poorly paid resulting in really poor quality doctors. I am all for universal health care if it is truly universal and not selective.
1 person likes this
@isabeliever (164)
• United States
26 Feb 08
I'm a Canadian that now lives in the USA. Technically, yes, health care is free. HOWEVER - about 50% of every dollar you earn goes back to the government in one tax or another to help pay for all the 'free' things we have.
If you live in an affluent community the health care is great. If you live in a small town the health care...like small town USA is pretty sad.
When I lived in Canada, medicare (standard for all Canucks) paid for BASIC health care but I needed a job with health & dental to cover prescription costs or out of the ordinary health care (specialist stuff) and dental care.
If you don't have supplemental health care, you can wait a REALLY long time to have non-emergency surgery...like hip/knee replacements etc.
My 80 yr old mother has a TERRIBLE doctor who treats her like a child. She can't change doctors as there is no one in her town taking new patients.
Free health care sounds great...but nothing is perfect.
