Canadians: Is healthcare itemized on your paycheck?

[IEatChildren]

Out of every tax we pay to the government, a part of it goes towards health insurance. This covers things that are absolute necessities.
If you break your leg and you go to the ER, that's free. You get a heart attack, require open heart surgery, get kidney stones, need your appendix removed, brain tumor, cancer treatment, etc, that's free. But if you go for a checkup, you're paying for that yourself. Also, health insurance doesn't include dental benefits.

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: IEatChildren
Out of every tax we pay to the government, a part of it goes towards health insurance. This covers things that are absolute necessities.
If you break your leg and you go to the ER, that's free. You get a heart attack, require open heart surgery, get kidney stones, need your appendix removed, brain tumor, cancer treatment, etc, that's free. But if you go for a checkup, you're paying for that yourself. Also, health insurance doesn't include dental benefits.

eh? checkups are free where I live.

 

[IEatChildren]

Hmm, they might be. I haven't taken one in many many years

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: Kaiser__Sose

What's our excuse? Our excuse is that we don't need universal healthcare. The majority of working people already have adequate healthcare coverage. Why would you take that away from them to provide healthcare for the minority of people who don't have it? Why mess up a system that works for the majority of people to provide healthcare to a minority of people?

well.. we believe that ALL citizens should have healthcare.. not just those who can afford it .. or are on social assitance

The people who can't afford it should get help from the government. But only limited help so that people don't abuse the system. No reason to mess it up for everyone else just to help those few people.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: Kaiser__Sose

What's our excuse? Our excuse is that we don't need universal healthcare. The majority of working people already have adequate healthcare coverage. Why would you take that away from them to provide healthcare for the minority of people who don't have it? Why mess up a system that works for the majority of people to provide healthcare to a minority of people?

well.. we believe that ALL citizens should have healthcare.. not just those who can afford it .. or are on social assitance

The people who can't afford it should get help from the government. But only limited help so that people don't abuse the system. No reason to mess it up for everyone else just to help those few people.

 

[desy]

OK
Canada pays $2400 per person a year in Health Care where everyones gets it
The US pays $4400 per person but 50 million in the US don't have Insurance
The US is Ranked 24th according to the WHO for overall care and Canada 20th.
So neither system is the cats arse
Canada tries to guarantee Universitality which means everyone gets the same level of care.
You can get better care if you pay for it IE my Group Benefits from work covered a Private room for my wife during her pregnancy
I paid a small deductable.
Our system has longer wait times and the US has the Best quality of care BAR none if you can afford it.
Our system could stand IMO token user fees to keep people out of emergency, I drove a roomate there for a migrain at 2 in the morning once PMO!
Our overhead is much lower cause there is only one person who pays the bills, gov't, EI Toronto hospital accounting staff of 4 , Boston hospital accounting staff of 50. Since the gov't is also the sole purchaser of drugs and supply there is a lot of overhead savings there.
France pays $2400 per person a year according to the WHO and places first with a combined public/private system. Although makes you wonder when all those bodies didn't make it during the heat wave last summer. Doesn't look like they have enough disaster recovery built into their system.

 

[Ernieb]

Originally posted by: Colt45

Originally posted by: IEatChildren
Out of every tax we pay to the government, a part of it goes towards health insurance. This covers things that are absolute necessities.
If you break your leg and you go to the ER, that's free. You get a heart attack, require open heart surgery, get kidney stones, need your appendix removed, brain tumor, cancer treatment, etc, that's free. But if you go for a checkup, you're paying for that yourself. Also, health insurance doesn't include dental benefits.

eh? checkups are free where I live.

body check up = FREE
Eyes Check up = FREE too, (only once every two years)

 

[eakers]

Originally posted by: Colt45

Originally posted by: IEatChildren
Out of every tax we pay to the government, a part of it goes towards health insurance. This covers things that are absolute necessities.
If you break your leg and you go to the ER, that's free. You get a heart attack, require open heart surgery, get kidney stones, need your appendix removed, brain tumor, cancer treatment, etc, that's free. But if you go for a checkup, you're paying for that yourself. Also, health insurance doesn't include dental benefits.

eh? checkups are free where I live.

you only get one free per year or something. its if you need a checkup for some work and they need to fill out forms then you will be charged.

 

Thanks for the different responses, folks. I am curious about the Canadian system. However, I've read some contradictory statements here, so I hardly know which is right and which isn't. I'll just keep on reading!

"EI (employment insurance, the newly PC version of UI, or unemployment insurance)."

What has become of Canada? I can't believe they even changed unemployment insurance to read employment insurance to be politically correct. Ah, maybe "employment insurance" makes sense. . . .

"Hell in germany or sweden you can flot though life w/o ever working.. I know my aunt has done this.. she's 60 and worked a total of 4 years and somehow is'nt homeless.. in fact she's still taking classes."

Haha! Your aunt somehow did that? :Q Hey, Zebo, where have you been? You've been hiding, and I just realised you're one of my favourite posters. I didn't realise you had changed your nickname. Good to see you around!

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Spencer278
can I take a quick trip to canada if I need health care or something and get it for free or do they make us americans pay for thier own health care up north?

Um, no. We all basically get a goverment credit card which is good at all hospitals/etc. On your way in they ask for your card, you give it to them, and they let you through.

So that means I need to get a fake ID before I can cash in on your free health care. J/k of course I have health insurance now only because my college requires it. I have wasted so far 400 dollars on health care and didn't get a damn thing for it. That would make me made if I had to pay for everyone else going to the doc. for stupid stuff.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: desy
OK
Canada pays $2400 per person a year in Health Care where everyones gets it
The US pays $4400 per person but 50 million in the US don't have Insurance
The US is Ranked 24th according to the WHO for overall care and Canada 20th.
So neither system is the cats arse
Canada tries to guarantee Universitality which means everyone gets the same level of care.
You can get better care if you pay for it IE my Group Benefits from work covered a Private room for my wife during her pregnancy
I paid a small deductable.
Our system has longer wait times and the US has the Best quality of care BAR none if you can afford it.
Our system could stand IMO token user fees to keep people out of emergency, I drove a roomate there for a migrain at 2 in the morning once PMO!
Our overhead is much lower cause there is only one person who pays the bills, gov't, EI Toronto hospital accounting staff of 4 , Boston hospital accounting staff of 50. Since the gov't is also the sole purchaser of drugs and supply there is a lot of overhead savings there.
France pays $2400 per person a year according to the WHO and places first with a combined public/private system. Although makes you wonder when all those bodies didn't make it during the heat wave last summer. Doesn't look like they have enough disaster recovery built into their system.

Thank you, these are the kinds of numbers I was interested in. I'm surprised to learn that you guys pay less per person than we do. I thought your healthcare system was going broke? Or maybe that's why...

 

[desy]

Its going broke on the budget allowed to it. Which means artificial increased wait times. There is some waste in health boards and beurocracy.
The Fed has had gov't surpluses so they could be putting more in, but they are choosing to pay down debt instead 'not something I disagree with'

Also, the discrepancies vary from province to province, as each province pays about 80% of health with the Fed kicking in about 20%
All provinces adhere to the health care act, but interpretations as to what an essential service is and budgeting is different across the country which is why some places cover eyes other don't etc. For example freezing of warts anywhere used to be covered, now only ones on the feet are considered.
Our health care is facing the same crunches yours is
Shortage of health care workers, aging population, more expensive drug and surgical treatments. All of these factors are going to be worldwide problems
In short stay healthy til the baby boomers pass through the system,