I've always approach the America/Canada question on a basis of different costs:
- Canadians pay their expenses with time. You wait and wait and wait until you've paid up, then get health care for whatever you paid in taxes, as often as you like as long as you're willing to pay the waiting fee. Sometimes it becomes an issue. American politicans like to scare up a boogymen image of waiting for months for a surgery in Canada, and they're not exactly lying. That's the single biggest flaw IMO.
- Americans pay purely with cash. It's the most amazing health care in the world...should you be able to afford it. Minimal wait time ready on your call with fancy toys everywhere. My family once went down to the US and needed some health care while there. We were shocked when we were told "If you haven't seen a doctor in 15 minutes, please talk to the receptionist.". Sure enough, 5 minutes in, we go attention and were out after half an hour. At the same time, it was extremely expensive for a one time visit. I could see how a lot of lower earning Americans could go without health care. Not to mention study after study shows that it's the most inefficient health care per dollar.
I'm not sure either system is great. I prefer Canada's. Without a doubt in my mind. Both have large issues though. Azure's friend is a great example of that. I've always wondered about two-tier health care, but it sounds like there are large issues of that too (especially from the medical professionals I've talked to and attracting public side doctors).
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