De-Mythifying Canadian Health Care

Well, here I am only 3 months into my AARP membership, and I'm already reading their newsletter. The article I'm linking here was an eyeopener for me.

Let me just get this out there right now: I'm an advocate of single-payer health care. Seriously. So, when I saw the article, 5 Myths About Canada's Health Care System, I had to take a look. I'm embarrassed to admit, however, I was surprised by what I read. I was certain I would find AARP doling out the usual b.s. about unavailability, rationing, and dissatisfaction. Living in a border state I frequently hear a colleague or acquaintance comment on someone they know who came to Michigan for joint replacement or some other surgery. Some of these discussions are so derogatory one would think Canadian doctors implant used parts or something.

I had the opportunity to sit next to a university professor from Canada last year. He had dual citizenship and hails from Illinois, having moved to Canada in his 30's and living there for the past 20-some years. "How do you like the Canadian healthcare system?" He couldn't say enough about the luxury of not having to be concerned with doctor visits, medication costs, and hospital services. That professor gave Canadian care a solid "A."

Of course, there is a substantial population of individuals in the U.S. who also have no such concerns. Two populations as a matter of fact: Those who have excellent health insurance and access to everything they even think they need, and those who have no money and no insurance and know better then even thinking about obtaining medications or care.

It's amazing how effectively misinformation can be manipulated to generate the fear and misunderstanding necessary to convince people to support the wrong thing. The facts of the matter seem well presented in this article. The unstated fact of the matter is that, as long as the interests of a market driven economy are driving healthcare delivery, you will never have truly patient-centered care. Instead, you will have what currently exists: Healthcare modulated by the constant tug-of-war between patient needs and private profits. And that, as the saying goes, is no contest.