Medical Care in America vs. Canada

[crooked22]

I am in California, if that perhaps makes any diference.

I just read a thread with someone poking fun at Canada and how it would probably take 3 weeks for them to take care of your STD (if Canada had STD's capability)....
Amusing but....

this makes me think, how long is the usual wait in Canada? For me, medical care is important, and I think that you should be able to see a doctor ASAP. I have had two plans in the last 3 years, one of them was Kaiser Permanente, the other is CIGNA. Im currently with CIGNA because it allows me to choose my own doctor of my choice versus a KAISER doctor. However, I wait an average of 3 weeks (sometimes up to 4) in order to get a visit. Kaiser was 4-5 weeks on average. Both are unnaceptable for me. Two weeks ago I made an appt because I have been in pain for 2 months due to an injury, and my appointment is not up until Nov 8. Pretty sh!tty if you ask me. Add to that im out of my anti-inflamatory medicine and thats a very sh!tty week and a half I got ahead of me.

This wonderfully crappy medcare cost me $175 a month (plus another $125 for my son). Now, this is not ultra expensive Medcare... But, is the one I can afford (employment provided). Hell If I had to wait 3 weeks and not pay anything I would be happier. Hell the only reason I have a plan is for my son (9 mos old) and the occasional hey-doctor-check-me-up vist. But I think I could save more paying cash per visit.

So, my wait on average is 3 weeks for a visit.
I think Canada has it better.
My solution? Government provided care. Not necessarily free, but at least sensible in relation to income.
You should still be free to choose any provider you want.

 

[shiner]

Pffft....it's 4pm here and I could call my doctor right now and get in before he closes at 5pm.

My medical insurance cost? $219 a month for my wife and I. That includes dental and is a PPO rather than an HMO.

 

[SirStev0]

i was just at a seminar on the politics of health care on tuesday...

the other prob with canadian health care is that there is less frequency in the use of technological equipment...

the one statistic i remember was that in all of canada they do about the same amount of mri's a year as the entire state of pennsylvania...

then of course there is the wait which is usually, if i remember correctly, about 1 to 6 monthes longer then here... depending on the procedure... and this is only on things that can be waited on... like optional surguries and the like...

doctor salaries are lower then the us and there are also less doctors...

england has a somewhat similar problem with the wait but it is less extreme... they are also more socialized then canada... which is not completely socialized... it is considered a mix between the american system and the english system... it will take me a few mins but i think i still have the websites that they gave...

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
Pffft....it's 4pm here and I could call my doctor right now and get in before he closes at 5pm.

My medical insurance cost? $219 a month for my wife and I. That includes dental and is a PPO rather than an HMO.

The typical "family plan" costs well over $219/month. You could call your doctor right now if you like but if you needed a dermatologist, endocrinologist, ophthalmologist, or urologist . . . be prepared to wait. In essence, your anecdote doesn't help.

If there's something seriously wrong, access to care in Canada and the US is comparable (ER access). If you have a chronic health condition access to care is likely "faster" in the US (if you can pay) but it is virtually nonexistent in the US (if you cannot pay). Access to specialty services in the US follows the same pattern.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: SirStev0
the one statistic i remember was that in all of canada they do about the same amount of mri's a year as the entire state of pennsylvania...

Interesting statistic. However, considering Canada's population is only little more than twice that of Pennsylvania, I'm not sure it's all that significant.

 

[3chordcharlie]

In Canada here - to see my GP, it would honestly depend on how badly I needed to see him.

If I walked into the office and said it was important, no more than 20 minutes. To schedule a routine physical? Maybe a couple of weeks.

Seeing specialists can be more problematic - an average of 1-2 weeks if you're willing to take any available appointment, or respond to 'call-back'. More like 3-4 weeks if you have a schedule as well.

I 'waited' three motnhs for routine surgery last summer, but that had more to do with finding a convenient time than anything else (I could have been in under 2 weeks, but I had some important stuff at work and the surgery was elective).

Cancer treatment waits bother me though, in Canada.

 

[sandorski]

Seeing a GP in Canada is no problem, usuually the same day and you can see any Doctor you want, but if you need a Specialist the wait could be 2-3 weeks. As for Surgeries, if your situation is Urgent and Life threatening you'll get preferential treatment, but if it's not it can take Months(depending on the particular condition) before the surgery takes place. Recently more Funding has been put into the system specifically to reduce wait times which should improve things significantly, but time will tell how successful that is.

Your Income Taxes will be higher in Canada partly because of the HealthCare system and your Insurance payment seems rather low(from what I've heard from others), so if the Bottomline is an important factor in your choice you may want to compare your current Income Taxes + your Health Insurance to the Canadian Income Taxe Rate. Not exactly sure where you can find this info, but the Official Canadian Government website would be a good place to start.