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Table 5 · 08-02-2009, 08:19 AM

Honestly, Im not sure why any person, unless your fabulously wealthy, in the U.S. would not want the Canadian health system, warts and all. About 60% of all personal bankruptcies in the America were due to health care costs....and the real kicker is that almost 70% of those people had health insurance. To me that is mind boggling.

The issue is not when you break your leg or need your tonsils removed (George doesn't recommend holistic)...it's when something serious, but slow and long-term, happens and you have many years of issues and bills to deal with. Health insurance pays for the first while, but after you reach a certain spending limit, you are dropped and it's all up to you. A friend of mine recently had his appendix burst. When the 35k bill came, he was told that only half of his bill was covered by insurance, and he now owed over 17k. This is a young kid who had a fairly common procedure done. Imagine if you have some condition that is life-long and where treatment is expensive...then what? Another friend of mine is a hemophiliac who every once in a while has to get a shot of medicine that is $12,000 per dose. $12,000! If he wasn't German and had his insurance pay from back home, I have no idea what he would do.

Sure you pay higher taxes in Canada, but I know that if i get some long-term condition that requires many years of care and treatment, me and my family are not going to have our lives destroyed by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars. People sell their houses, liquidate retirement funds, move in with their children. All this, just because Americans don't want to be thought about as "socialists" ?

Even doctor's don't have it that great. My gf's dad is a very well respected family doctor in a small little town, and he pays over 100k/year in litigation insurance alone. The amount in insurance costs (both money and work wise) is so high, he basically dissuaded his daughter from entering medicine because the time you spend dealing with insurance companies just isn't worth it (never mind the couple hundred grand of debt you rack up going through Med school). He spends hours every day just filling out insurance claim forms, something which Canadian doctors are not subject to.

Canada's system isn't perfect, but I really have to laugh every time someone things the alternative down here is better. Sure you have to wait for certain procedure, but every time I've had a semi serious issue, I was always taken care of right away by great doctors, and walked out knowing my life savings wasn't in danger.

Ive had to utilize both, and there is no doubt in my mind which system I would want for me and my family.

08-02-2009, 08:19 AM	#32
Table 5 Franchise Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: NYYC Exp:	Honestly, Im not sure why any person, unless your fabulously wealthy, in the U.S. would not want the Canadian health system, warts and all. About 60% of all personal bankruptcies in the America were due to health care costs....and the real kicker is that almost 70% of those people had health insurance. To me that is mind boggling. The issue is not when you break your leg or need your tonsils removed (George doesn't recommend holistic)...it's when something serious, but slow and long-term, happens and you have many years of issues and bills to deal with. Health insurance pays for the first while, but after you reach a certain spending limit, you are dropped and it's all up to you. A friend of mine recently had his appendix burst. When the 35k bill came, he was told that only half of his bill was covered by insurance, and he now owed over 17k. This is a young kid who had a fairly common procedure done. Imagine if you have some condition that is life-long and where treatment is expensive...then what? Another friend of mine is a hemophiliac who every once in a while has to get a shot of medicine that is $12,000 per dose. $12,000! If he wasn't German and had his insurance pay from back home, I have no idea what he would do. Sure you pay higher taxes in Canada, but I know that if i get some long-term condition that requires many years of care and treatment, me and my family are not going to have our lives destroyed by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars. People sell their houses, liquidate retirement funds, move in with their children. All this, just because Americans don't want to be thought about as "socialists" ? Even doctor's don't have it that great. My gf's dad is a very well respected family doctor in a small little town, and he pays over 100k/year in litigation insurance alone. The amount in insurance costs (both money and work wise) is so high, he basically dissuaded his daughter from entering medicine because the time you spend dealing with insurance companies just isn't worth it (never mind the couple hundred grand of debt you rack up going through Med school). He spends hours every day just filling out insurance claim forms, something which Canadian doctors are not subject to. Canada's system isn't perfect, but I really have to laugh every time someone things the alternative down here is better. Sure you have to wait for certain procedure, but every time I've had a semi serious issue, I was always taken care of right away by great doctors, and walked out knowing my life savings wasn't in danger. Ive had to utilize both, and there is no doubt in my mind which system I would want for me and my family. Last edited by Table 5; 08-02-2009 at 08:27 AM.