American Health Care VS Canadian Health Care

[gerobbins]

As a Canadian, I honestly don't understand how Americans can survive on your health care system

An American friend of mind said she was finally approved for surgery on her hip she was recovering from a motorcycle accident . I asked Approved by whom?
The Doctors?

She said her insurance company. That blew me away. Up here if we need surgery, we don't need to get approval, we just get it and at no cost to us.

I am asking my American friends here, how do you deal with that?

Up here, Health care is just not an issue for us. (Despite what you may hear to the contrary)

 

[McBell]

don't get sick

 

[Mister_T]

As a Canadian, I honestly don't understand how Americans can survive on your health care system

As an American, I don't either.

I am asking my American friends here, how do you deal with that?

Don't make middle class wages and not have any insurance with your employer.

 

[Twilight Hue]

As a Canadian, I honestly don't understand how Americans can survive on your health care system

An American friend of mind said she was finally approved for surgery on her hip she was recovering from a motorcycle accident . I asked Approved by whom?
The Doctors?

She said her insurance company. That blew me away. Up here if we need surgery, we don't need to get approval, we just get it and at no cost to us.

I am asking my American friends here, how do you deal with that?

Up here, Health care is just not an issue for us. (Despite what you may hear to the contrary)

Since Obamacare was railroaded and crammed down people's throats, the Canadian system is something that should have been closely examined and served as a model in the first place. But you know how intelligent and meticulously adept our politicians are, "You have to pass it to know what's in it."..... Seems to be a universal mantra these days.

I think Toronto's ex mayor Rob Ford would have done better. While on crack to boot.

 

[SkylarHunter]

France has a lot of weird stuff going on, but I love our health system.

I just hope no one starts making changes to save money. We're very blessed with the healthcare services here.

 

[dust1n]

As a Canadian, I honestly don't understand how Americans can survive on your health care system.

Easy. I can't afford the MRI necessary to do anything, so I don't go to the doctor anymore, even with insurance.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

When didn't have health insurance for years, I just never went to the doctor except for when I went to the ER for wanting to kill myself. They're still calling me and hounding me for the money. I got Medicaid last year, though. My mom only got health insurance this year because she got cancer.

The health system in America is extremely inhumane and it's all about $$$. America worships money and considers people only as far as they can make a buck off of them.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Canada is above the curve, however, the government tries to get some people to pay for things like facial reconstruction because its quote "A cosmetic surgery." Our government can be quite similar to the insurance people in the US. Looking for loopholes and excuses to not pay for things.

It's like how most insurance plans in America refuse to cover treatment for transsexuals and the law doesn't require them to except for California, as far as I know. I'm a female to male transsexual and my insurance plan won't cover my hormone therapy because they view it as "experimental" and "not medically necessary", even though medical sex changes have been happening since the '30s. But they'll happily cover the cost for scams like hormone therapy for men with "low T" (nevermind when they have a heart attack and die from it).

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yeah, thats pretty stupid that they won't cover it. However, I can understand certain insurance plans not covering it because it isn't a medical necessity, but the low testosterone hormone therapy is quite hypocritical and one sided.

Canadian government says it covers trans-surgery and hormone treatments, but they scam lots of transgender people into paying into their own. Fortunately, that is progressively changing.

I think the state should have an allotment to pay for surgery for trans people despite their health care system.

Well, it is medically necessary for transsexuals as transsexualism is really a medical problem. But that's another topic.

It also sucks because most trans people can't afford to pay the costs out of pocket. Who really has tens of thousands of dollars just sitting around for surgical costs? Luckily, I get my testosterone from a pharmacy in Oregon that has pretty reasonable prices and provides the injection supplies for free. When it comes to the surgery I need, I have no options at the moment.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Well, its more psychological then a direct (if you don't get X treatment you will die or get sick) like most conventional medical problems. People aren't dying from not being able to transition, just not being able to cope with not being to transition (not that that is any better.)

(Clarification: Not trying to belittle trans-issues, just pointing out a difference which allows insurance companies to make loopholes.)

It effects quality of life by increasing dysphoria, making the person more at risk for suicide and not being able to function due to depression and stress.

Best of luck with your current situation, hopefully trans-treatments become state covered in America one day.

Thanks.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Thats psychological, not medical.
Frankly, insurance companies don't give a **** about mental state.

The psychological symptoms are a result of the medical condition of transsexualism, which is similar to intersex conditions.

 

[SkylarHunter]

When didn't have health insurance for years, I just never went to the doctor except for when I went to the ER for wanting to kill myself. They're still calling me and hounding me for the money. I got Medicaid last year, though. My mom only got health insurance this year because she got cancer.

The health system in America is extremely inhumane and it's all about $$$. America worships money and considers people only as far as they can make a buck off of them.

I'm really sorry you have to find yourself in that situation. It's beyond me how something like that is possible in a country like the United States.

In the European Union health care is a human right listed in the constitution. Even if you are not a citizen of the EU, if you are here and you find yourself in need of medical care you can go to a hospital and they are not allowed to refuse to treat you, insurance or no insurance. We have plenty of problems and corruption here, but at least on that level we are still all right.

The United States is my favorite country and the health system was one of the things that kept me from moving there.

I don't know what your government does with your taxes. You pay a huge chunk of your income into taxes (like us) but you also have to save to pay for a private college, you have to pay health insurance or they will let you die and you have to save for retirement, Where are your taxes going to?

Here private universities are for people who don't have good grades and can't get into free public schools. Good students have free education. Our healthcare is paid by our taxes. Most people have insurance to complement it, but it's not compulsory and if your company doesn't give you that benefit you'll be fine anyway and retirement works the same way.

 

[Penumbra]

As a Canadian, I honestly don't understand how Americans can survive on your health care system

An American friend of mind said she was finally approved for surgery on her hip she was recovering from a motorcycle accident . I asked Approved by whom?
The Doctors?

She said her insurance company. That blew me away. Up here if we need surgery, we don't need to get approval, we just get it and at no cost to us.

I am asking my American friends here, how do you deal with that?

Up here, Health care is just not an issue for us. (Despite what you may hear to the contrary)

According to the World Health Organization, Canada's health care system is ranked #30th in the world, while the US is ranked at 37th. The precise numbers vary a bit depending on who is doing the ranking, and when. Rather consistently though, the US performs behind most developed countries while Canada does somewhat or significantly better, but not the best.

According to the World Bank, Canada spends $5718 USD per capita on healthcare each year. The US spends the most in the world at $9146 USD per capita.

So the way we deal with it, essentially, is to throw money at the problem. We spend a little under twice as much money as you folks do, to get slightly worse but still semi-acceptable care for at least most of us, but not all. Because like, what you folks are doing up there, is socialism, and we wouldn't want that.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

don't get sick

Or get a serious injury, such as torn ligament and cartilage in the same knee. Out of all the crap in my life, that leaves me the most bitter that my insurance company did not approve of a very necessary surgery that I needed, not just to be active like people in their 20s normally are, but just so I could have a better chance at finding work, because damn near everything here requires you to be on your feet all day.

It's like how most insurance plans in America refuse to cover treatment for transsexuals and the law doesn't require them to except for California, as far as I know.

Washington plans sold through their exchange also cover treatment for transsexuals. My state insurance here covers some aspects, but not many.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I am asking my American friends here, how do you deal with that?

For several years I was very lucky in that my sister is a physicians assistant, and when I got sick I could call her and she would call me in some medication. But that doesn't help at all when you need surgery.

 

[Draka]

As many problems that there are with the VA system it is actually a system I think would work much better as a whole than what we have. The problems with the VA stem from funding really. Well, the denial of funding by the Republicans in Congress, but that aside, when you are able to be seen you are treated well. At least in my experience.

Instead of taking care of you once you are sick, the goal is more preemptive care. In that, the "annual" isn't just a once over and on your way, but extensive blood work and a full sit down with your provider to go over anything and everything that may be an issue in the future and what can be done now to prevent those possible issues.

If your doctor thinks you need a certain treatment or surgery, you get it. No fussing over what is and is not "covered".

If healthcare were treated like this in general we'd be much better off.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I was hoping for a Canadian like arrangment givin people had no choice or say in the matter.

Obama plainly and recklessly ramrodded it down people's throats without any consideration for researching and testing the implications first. I'm dead set against Obamacare and am hoping for a reworking of the system that doesn't include a mandate for compulsory insurance. Rather just fund it through the normal tax system.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Washington plans sold through their exchange also cover treatment for transsexuals. My state insurance here covers some aspects, but not many.

I have Medicaid. They don't cover anything related to it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Obama plainly and recklessly ramrodded it down people's throats without any consideration for researching and testing the implications first.

Actually our system is based on the Dutch system of healthcare, but there are some major differences, such as everyone in the Netherlands is automatically enrolled for a basic care plan from the state.