The best health care: Canada or US?

[islander]

Who has the best health care, Canada or US?

Thanks.

[Leon]

Depends on how much money you have.  Canada has health care for all, US only for some.  Canada's health care may not be perfect, you may have to wait sometimes but in the end, you will get the care you need.  In the US, you can get care faster if you can pay.  If you can't pay, forget it.

[HBeach78]

There are Pros and Cons to both....

In the US... We have very good doctors, state of the art equipment, ( not to say that Canada does not)...
The doctors will see ANYONE, but it's true that if you are covered (with health insurance or have $ you will be seen before a person who does not have health insurance, no $ and waited 45 minutes before you walked in the door)  Even though you may have health insurance, you still may be responsible for a co-pay for every office visit ($5.00-$30.00), a co-pay for your prescriptions ($0.00- $30), but at least you are not paying full price. In the US, we tend to offer more options for prescriptions and are a bit more laid back with what is sold over the counter for medicine/ dietary supplements.

In Canada,  I'm all about the Universal Health Care and hope the the US will adopt such a system...  And the waiting time to be seen could be better. Typically speaking you are paying full price on your prescriptions unless you have coverage through your employer, the same goes for Dental.

In all honesty, Being a resident of the US and coming from a State that made it mandatory that ALL residents have health insurance (or we get penalized)... I have health insurance through my employer... I went with the "Single" plan as my husband is a Canadian citizen and is already covered.  Every week $36.34 is taken out from my pay check for health insurance... In the 3 years I've had insurance, I have only had to use it once.... Paid $20 for the office visit and $ 3.00 for a 3 day prescription... I am looking forward to moving up to Canada to be with my husband and not having to pay for health care I don't use!

In my opinion, I should not have to pay out of pocket for an office visit... That money is taken out every week... Health Insurance is a joke and loop holes are found so that the insurance company doesn't have to pay out any more than they have too.  After spending close to $1924.00 a year, I should be entitled to a free office visit and not have to pay for a 3 day prescription....  But who am I to say...

[Leon]

In Canada, you are also paying for the healthcare.  It's just in your taxes.  Some provinces also have monthly health care premiums on top of that.  There is normally nothing more to pay though.  No co-pay at the doctors, no co-pay if you go to a hospital etc.

Some employers will offer you supplementarly health insurance as a part of their benefits package and might cost you $40 per month or something and you might not be able to opt out of it if you don't want it.  It will cover things such as percentage of medication, dental and vision care, sometimes massage, chiropractors etc. as well.  If you don't have that through your employer, you can buy it yourself starting around the same price.  As with any insurance, there are people that don't use it and there are people who do.  If you have a choice, it's your risk to take but if you ever need some really expensive medication or dental work, it's nice to have the supplementary insurance.

[rascojenkins]

Canada Has  better health care Than the US. They even said on CNN sometime ago.

[haver]

I am in Canada for over 12years. Today I tried to visit to see the doctor who speaks the same first laguage I speak.
I was refused to have an apointment. The doctor says he does not accept the new patients.

I would prefer to pay for the visit but to be better served.

[Leon]

Even if you paid for the visit, it's still possible that the doctor you want is not taking new patients.  You just have to find another doctor.