all this talk about private healthcare gives me a headache.
then again, I'm Canadian, and I pay a fraction of what you americans dish out for broad medical coverage (about 1/10th of your prices, depending on the person)
I'll give you a different perspective on healthcare, just so you have something to sink your teeth into:
as a Canadian, I get my healthcare (up front) for free. the tax rate of my househol sits at approx. 45%-55% (depends on province) when you add Municipal, Provincial, and Federal rates into the mix.
Canada's Federal government contributes 16% (approx) of the healthcare budget for each province. the rest is paid for by the province.
This basic coverage, when also mixed with premium coverage at about 100-150 dollars a year gives me all the necessities of medical care, with less long term stress on tax payers.
I can walk into an ER with my head split open and not have to worry about insurance coverage, because only cosmetic surgery is not covered.
There is no siginificant portion of the population without coverage at all, so there is no extra bills for the government to cough up the cash for.
Canada's socialized healthcare is not perfect, and I will be the first to admit that, but as a portion of the GDP, Canada spends less, while the U.S. tops the list of countries (GDP spending) on healthcare despite the privatized system. This is all despite the fact taht over 44 million american citizens do NOT HAVE MEDICAL COVERAGE.
So, for the whole, which is better? a system that punishes the poor but provides the best service that money can buy, or a system that allows everyone to access a system on equal grounds, hence ensuring the health of the populace?
I realize, as americans, you embrace the idea of private healthcare, and minimal economic interferance by the government, but as a Canadian I see any corporate involvement in essential services as a bane on society.
just my 2 cents. carry on folks, nothing to see here.
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