Im Canadian...Free healthcare is not free. I can only speak for the provinces in which Ive lived...Newfoundland & Labrador and Nova Scotia, but many of my friends/family that live in other provinces have experienced the same. My parents lose approximately 50% of their income..yes you read that right...in taxes. The majority of that tax goes to fund our free healthcare. My Uncle, Grandmother and Great-Uncle all had to wait 6 months for open heart surgery. All needing double or triple bypasses. Their cardiologist (who takes approx. 6 months to see when you need a visit) told them to go home and take it easy and pray they got their call for surgery in time. When they did get their call, they had to be at the hospital in 24 hours or they would lose their spot in the OR and the next person would get a call. They would then have to wait another 6 months if they didnt make it. Most canadians have to wait weeks to get in to see their family doctor so they all just go to the ER and wait up to 12 hours to get treated. Medication is not free...you have to buy secondary insurance...my parents have BCBS...just so they dont have to pay full price for prescriptions. Cancer medications are not free...I have an Uncle with a rare Lukemia that has to pay $12,000 a month for his shots that are keeping him alive...he cant afford it so family members have fundraisers and they have to get help from various organizations. Dental and Vision are out of pocket...the free healthcare doesnt include that. If you want a private room when you have a baby its $100 a night...add an extra $25 if you want a phone or tv in your room. If you cant/dont want to pay then you are placed on a ward with 3-5 other women and their newborn babies. Oh and it has to be paid upfront. My oldest child was born in Canada. I have been living in the United States now for the past 12.5 years. I love the healthcare system. I can get in to see my doc same day, Ive had three surgeries and the longest Ive had to wait is a week. MRIs are done same day. My mom broke her foot in Canada this summer and had to wait 3 days to get x-rays and a week to get them read. If you get bloodwork here you often get it back the next day...in Canada you will wait 2 weeks to get blood results back. Ive had 3 babies here in the US and cant say enough about the quality of care I recieved. In Canada most doctors dont care because you are not the one paying them....the government is and alot of doctors are leaving the country because the government has not been paying them ontime. If you are old and need surgery...good luck...you are not worth the governments money...the doctor will tell you there is nothing they can do for you. If you are old and get Cancer...good luck...the doctors will tell you there is nothing they can do for you. You will suffer in a hospital until you die. Ive seen it happen to many times...and not that long ago. My cousin had a baby last year with a heart problem. The baby needed treatment in a Toronto hospital for sick children, they had to wait in NL for a bed to become available in Toronto. The baby died before he could be transported...he was in the Childrens hospital in NL for nearly a month waiting on a transfer. The Affordable Care Act is not affordable. Nor is it good for this country. The Canadian healthcare system is amazing as long you stay healthy.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 14:01:16 +0000
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