Universal Health Care Message to Americans From Canadian Doctors & Health Care Experts

[GirlinContempt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXXBCFnhsUc

Worth watching.

If you guys wouldn't mind, would you please post any myths or untruths you've heard about the Canadian health care system? Even if you know they're not true, just tell me what you've heard. If you've heard things and are not sure if they're true, please let me know as well. I'm writing something about it, and I'd love to hear what you've heard.

Things like: You have to get picked out of a lottery. (just one example)

Thanks SO much in advance to everyone who can participate!

[Vincardog]

1. You have to wait forever for everything. That is why the Canadians who can come to the US of A when

when they really need care. I swear I heard this from my brother in law. He swears he heard it from Canadian truck drivers delivering pigs to his place.

[dflprincess]

2. I heard pretty much the same thing from my dental hygenist

you'd swear all border crossings into the U.S. from Canada were clogged with Candians "escaping" their health care system.

The good thing? - She listened to me when I told her that wasn't true and that she needed to change her radio station. I also told her to look up the number of Americans who go to other countries for care because it's cheaper and they can't afford it here - that really freaked her out. After confirming what I told her, she actually called me at home to tell me she'd checked it out and changed her mind.

[Vincardog]

3. Good for her. My BIL is not so opened minded. I don't bother making the effort to change his "mind"

[Oregone]

11. You just have to wait for elective procedures, on doctor maintained wait lists

There are not provincial or federal wait-lists--times depend upon the demand on the doctor you choose, the type of operation, and your need as the doctor sees it. Being that doctors are often private, this really is just more about sensible logistics.

Still, the wait times aren't so bad at all. Very comparable to what I experienced in the states for specialists. And as for getting into normal family practitioners for normal stuff, I venture to say its quicker than the states (walk-in clinics are very popular here).

Here our my provinces wait times:
http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/waitlist/

[PeaceNikki]

4. I am often told that Canadians have to come to the US for care because of the wait.

[Oregone]

12. Ive seen studies showing the US has far higher per capita medical tourists

One year, I think Canada had 63 or so according to this study. I have no link of course (read months ago)

[PeaceNikki]

5. Oh, and that you Canadian ladies schedule monthly abortions.

[Lucy Goosey]

7. You know what's crazy is that Canada has much more liberal abortion laws...

...and yet it has a lower rate of abortion. (I read it recently from a Canadian news source, I'll see if I can find the link.)

[PeaceNikki]

8. Here you go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6777721#6795230

[GirlinContempt]

13. Well THAT is true

They're federally mandated for all women once they've had their first period, whether you're knocked up or not! :yoiks:

[sandnsea]

6. From Canadians on vacation??

Who had an emergency and ended up at our hobunk hospital that we all think is a joke???

They were mightily impressed with the speed of the care and the fact that someone even brought them a cup of coffee. Of course, I'm guessing it wasn't a very complicated emergency or they'd have been shipped 60 miles away and would have had a completely different story to tell.

And that's the problem with comparing antecdotes on health care.

[GirlinContempt]

14. I'm not comparing anecdotes

I'm asking for myths... Of course there are competing personal experiences, my last hospital visit I got in to see the Dr after waiting less than 15 minutes (including check in). ER's have their own issues.

[sandnsea]

18. Myths are false anecdotes

That's the problem with them, all the way around. I have horror stories about our ER, but to this Canadian couple it will always be an example of superior American health care -- and all because somebody brought them a cup of coffee?

People really need to consider many things when making decisions. But if you want the Canadian myth from this Canadian couple, it's that their ERs are swamped and worn, and the staff is frazzled and rude.

[GirlinContempt]

19. Ok, but they aren't all 'anecdotes'

Saying that, for instance, people over age 60 aren't allowed hip replacements is a myth (well, lie, but people believe it sadly), and these people are presenting it as fact. To refute it and say that it isn't true isn't anecdotal, it's the truth.

Ditto lottery system example above.

Some things are facts. I'm just collecting what people have to say. And I've heard lots of complaining from my fellow Canadians, some of it grounded and some of it not. I'm just interested in hearing what's being presented.

[sandnsea]

25. "what people have to say" = anecdote

When the anecdote is found out to be a lie, and continues to be repreated anyway, it becomes a myth.

I have read the myths that Canadian ERs are crowded. I have heard an anecdote from this one Canadian couple. I don't have any more information then I had before.

I suspect a Canadian ER in a populated city is less busy than an ER in any large US city, based on statistics, anecdotes and debunked myths.

But I could be wrong. No system is perfect.

[GirlinContempt]

26. But, how is it 'comparing anecdotes' if someone says

as an example "Canadians have to wait five times longer than Americans for service X" and I say "Here is a link to an independent study that shows this is not true"? Or, "Canadians have to wait to be picked out of a lottery before they can see a doctor" and I say "Here is a link to Health Canada which shows that is a lie"? Not that I'm even doing that. I'm just asking for the information.

Anyway, my intent isn't to compare anything. I want to know what people are hearing out there, what's being said by lobbyists, friends, family, reporters, whoever. Whatever the information is, I'm curious to hear what disinformation is talked about.

Moving along....

[HughBeaumont]

9. I shite on the myths.

I would several BILLION times rather have your health care system than the WealthNonCare disaster we have now. Even under that tool Steven Harper you still get better daycare options than our mostly out-of-pocket racket.

[LynzM]

10. That elderly Canadians are denied care due to age.

Effectively, rationing based on survivability.

That Canadian cancer survival rates are much worse than American ones.

[inna]

16. not according to what i've read on this issue.

please provide links/evidence WRT your claims in your post. ty.

[GirlinContempt]

17. I'm asking people to post myths/possible myths they've heard

I want to know what they have heard others claim about the Canadian system...

[BrklynLiberal]

15. How about all medical procedures be price-fixed...as they are in Canada. THAT would go a long

way to help reducing health care costs in this country. The same applies to drug prices.

[saltpoint]

20. Good post. I wish the MSM would take your example and do

some serious coverage on the contrast.

[GirlinContempt]

27. hah good luck with that

[saltpoint]

28. True. I should probably get a hobby, or a life, or something.

:thumbsup:

[Lucy Goosey]

21. One thing I don't think all Americans know about the Canadian system...

is that the doctors aren't government employees. My doctor, like many (most?) family doctors is a small business owner - he employees a clerk, a nurse, and a part-time doctor (who's working only 2 days a week while her kids are still too young for school.) He gets paid for some things by cash or check, or by supplemental insurance plans, but for most things, he submits claims to the government and gets reimbursed from them. It's not really a socialist system, nor is patient care government run. The idea of a doctor having to call a beaurocrat to get permission to treat a patient is laughable.

Another myth that I hear a lot is that Canadians pay insane taxes to cover healthcare. Really not true.

[Canuckistanian]

24. Absolutely true

I often have conversations with my doctors over how their businesses are going. They gripe about the high cost of property rental, city taxes and the difficulties hiring the right people.

In other words, they're just like any other business people in any given town. In fact, they have it better, knowing that they can never be denied payment for their services.

In that respect, they're lucky.

[Vinca]

29. And the icing on your cake is that your country isn't wallowing in debt either.

It's amazing what you can do when you don't wage trillion dollar wars.

[dawson20]

32. yep

"Another myth that I hear a lot is that Canadians pay insane taxes to cover healthcare. Really not true."


This is one that Ive heard as well - while we do pay slightly higher taxes than our American counterparts - it is hugely offset by the fact that we DON'T pay insurance premiums or co-pays for any of our health care.

In the end its much cheaper up here - at least for those of us who use our health care system a great deal.

[Canuckistanian]

22. This "lottery" thing makes me nuts

It's a total lie. I've never even heard of it.

And if it were true even in one instance, people here would be condemning it.

And I'm pretty sure the College of Physicians and Surgeons (the offical medical license board) would condemn it, too.

[GirlinContempt]

23. I only heard that one recently

Hey, check your PM, if you don't mind

[GirlinContempt]

30. .

[dawson20]

31. wow

I'm floored at these myths!!

As a Canadian with seriously ill child who has literally grown up in our health care system so far, I am very well versed in the inner workings of Universal Health Care...

I'm also well connected with many families in the same boat south of the border, who face many of the same challenges we do - wait lists for example - contrary to alot of the propaganda i've heard from my American friends, wait lists exist on both sides of the border - it all depends on what procedure/doctor you need, and (south of the border) what kind of insurance you have. I know many families who have waited over a YEAR in America for appointments with genetics specialists who focus on my sons disease (mitochondrial disease) --- for the record we saw genetics up here within 2 weeks of the referral. And many more who were denied coverage for the diagnostic tests and treatment for the disease.


And the lottery - is this actually something people believe down there???

Ironically the only place Ive even *heard* of a health care lottery was recently in the news regarding influenza vaccination distribution in American schools... Ive never heard of anything of the sort up here... wow.


The biggest 'myth' i've heard is the idea that people die on waiting lists up here.

This is true - but in the big picture i'm willing to bet that far far far more people die because of insufficient coverage in America...
People who are deemed emergent don't typically languish on waiting lists up here - if someone dies waiting for heart surgery its not the fault of the system or the wait list but rather the doctor who failed to properly triage/assess the patient - someone who is close to death should not be on a waiting list, and typically is not - having had an emergent heart procedure within a day of it being deemed necessary i am a walking testament to this.

doctors make these mistakes regardless of where they are or what 'system' they operate in.




I'll stop ranting... ;)