Toro
Diamond Member
i read through some of it, and yes, it is wrongSo Is the OP wrong/incorrect? or just from a liberal source?
There is more right than wrong in that article.
I'd take issue with a few things.
1. Not really true. I think the point of it being "socialized medicine" is semantics. ~75% of all healthcare expenditure is spent by the government. I'd say that's "socialized medicine" even if the doctors' practices are private.
2. Sort of true. Doctor's do take a hit financially. For most of the past 35 years, that has been net immigration by doctors to the US, primarily to earn more money. I disagree with his contention that doctors are more focused and relaxed in Canada than in the US.
3. Not really true. Wait times can be horrendous. The author is downplaying this. My mother had her knee replaced recently. She had to wait six months. My father was in pain from neurological problems. It took him nearly a year to have it fixed. These are "lifestyle" issues so they are not given priority, and you get on wait lists. The doctor will say something like "We'll try to get you in in six months" but you don't know when since you have to wait for a phone call telling you they can now proceed. Try planning to go away on a vacation when you have to wait for the doctor to give you two weeks notice anytime within the next six to twelve months. However, for critical issues such as cancer or hypertension, you are in the hospital right now. There are no waiting times if needed.
4. Generally true but I've known people who lived in big cities who had to wait for some time before they could find a GP.
5. Absolutely true.
6. True.
7. Absolutely true.
8. Generally true. There is rationing - see (3.). But there is no rationing for critical procedures no matter what the age. So the elderly aren't rationed.
9. Generally true but not entirely. My wife's cousin is a nurse, and she has horror stories about the abuse of the system by a small part of the population.
10. Somewhat true. Medicare is eating up more and more of the government's budgets, meaning that other services are being cut to meet increased medicare spending.
I'd say this - Currently, I would rather be in the US than in Canada for healthcare. However, if I lost my job or I was poor, Canada would be a better option. One of my friends was a marketing professional in New York City. She could no longer work at her job due to a chronic medical condition, so she chose to go back to Canada because she would get better care at for better value in Canada.
Last edited: