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Good, glad you admitted that. But you still don't understand why there are "doctor and specialist" shortages. Care to take a guess?
Also you say the provincial governments are trying to address the wait time issue, how? How will they address the issue? Is it a problem they can even solve?
The feeling is mutual. Many Americans would not subject themselves to the shared misery of 41 week wait times to see a specialist. Ever. Those wait times are 3rd world long and pathetic for a country that claims to offer a universal system. Universally bad is all I see.
One of the main reasons is the same reason you have shortages in the US.
"The main argument for a physician shortage is that we aren’t adding enough new doctors to keep up with changing demographics. "
Wait time issues are being addressed in by making more use of existing infrastructure. Having MRI's work longer hours and purchasing more of them to meet the increasing demand.
For things like hip and knee replacements, the average non-urgent wait time is 40 percent wait over 6 months, meaning 60 percent get it before 6 months, in BC only, which has the longest wait times in Canada for that type of surgery. Which doesn't mean that someone may get it within a week or two.
What they plan to do is start to dedicated operating rooms specifically for those surgeries. Which streamlines the process, and add more support staff so that there is just one point of contact for the patient. It gets them through the system faster.
This has already been done in one hospital near me, with good results.
You seem to be ignoring your fellow Americans who never see a specialist, never go for regular check ups, and those that find financial hardship just because they are ill.
Also you're wrong about your fellow Americans not wanting UHC of some sort.
"What gives us hope, however, is that the American people do not agree with this approach. A recent poll in The Economist shows that 60 percent of Americans want to see publicly-funded Medicare expanded to cover all citizens, and some political leaders are beginning to respond to their voters’ concerns."
One of the main reasons is the same reason you have shortages in the US.
"The main argument for a physician shortage is that we aren’t adding enough new doctors to keep up with changing demographics. "
Wait time issues are being addressed in by making more use of existing infrastructure. Having MRI's work longer hours and purchasing more of them to meet the increasing demand.
What you're describing is a supply side problem. But you're not describing how the problem will be solved. If Canada's demographic changes are causing the shortage, how do you fix it?
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You seem to be ignoring your fellow Americans who never see a specialist, never go for regular check ups, and those that find financial hardship just because they are ill.
Is that because they don't have access or they don't go? How many are financially crippled because of medical hardship? You have any data? Show me.
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Also you're wrong about your fellow Americans not wanting UHC of some sort.
I'm not wrong, you're just not being 100% truthful about how this question is usually framed, in fact I understand why people are in support of universal health care. If someone cold calls with a survey and ask "Would you be in support of free universal health care?" You're going to get lots of people who immediately say YES SIR! Heck, if you ask someone if you want "free universal churros", you'll get at least 60% yes answers from that question. The problem is "nothing is ever free", and people who don't understand that will always say yes to "free stuff".
Now if you told them that "free healthcare" would mean potential 41 week waits for a specialist, and higher individual tax burdens, then their answers tend to change. That's why cold call surveys of the "yes/no" variety mean very little to me since we have no context of how the question was originally framed.
What you're describing is a supply side problem. But you're not describing how the problem will be solved. If Canada's demographic changes are causing the shortage, how do you fix it?
Is that because they don't have access or they don't go? How many are financially crippled because of medical hardship? You have any data? Show me.
I'm not wrong, you're just not being 100% truthful about how this question is usually framed, in fact I understand why people are in support of universal health care. If someone cold calls with a survey and ask "Would you be in support of free universal health care?" You're going to get lots of people who immediately say YES SIR! Heck, if you ask someone if you want "free universal churros", you'll get at least 60% yes answers from that question. The problem is "nothing is ever free", and people who don't understand that will always say yes to "free stuff".
Now if you told them that "free healthcare" would mean potential 41 week waits for a specialist, and higher individual tax burdens, then their answers tend to change. That's why cold call surveys of the "yes/no" variety mean very little to me since we have no context of how the question was originally framed.
I suppose the same way you guys are going to address your doctor shortages. Your demographics, as is the westerns worlds, are changing as well.
This article explains how more doctors are graduating and practicing in Canada all the time. My province is BC.
This increase is from 2015 to 2016.
"British Columbia saw the largest increase in the number of doctors – 5.8 per cent."
Trying to make this a unique issue in Canada is odd. Just for fun I Googled " shortage of doctors (then a country name ). Seems it is a problem almost everywhere. You are trying to blame UHC for it.
I'm not sure if you are being willfully ignorant about the issue of Americans not being able to afford care, even with insurance. The media is full of stories.
I think you are underestimating your fellow citizens. Most polls show support for UHC in the US growing. Most people aren't idiots and understand paying more taxes is not a burden, when you get more in return. Imagine no one EVER going bankrupt of facing ANY financial hardship because of medical needs. Imagine not worrying about being a doctor having to cater your treatment to a patients insurance coverage?
"Canadians may not pay that much more than Americans — and, on occasion, as a nation, they have even paid less — but they do get a lot more from their government in terms of social services. That's part of what makes Canada one of the Top 10 happiest countries on earth, ranking seven spots higher than America."
Trying to make this a unique issue in Canada is odd. Just for fun I Googled " shortage of doctors (then a country name ). Seems it is a problem almost everywhere. You are trying to blame UHC for it.
I never said health care rationing is a unique issue to to Canada, in fact, I realize it's a universal problem because I understand economics.
But the wait times Canadians are experience are 3rd world level. That may be good enough for Canadians, but that wouldn't work for most people here in the U.S.
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I'm not sure if you are being willfully ignorant about the issue of Americans not being able to afford care, even with insurance. The media is full of stories.
Those articles say nothing about people actually not being covered (through medicare, or a work plan), it says 25% worry about the costs. That's a completely different question that you just answered. Show me the amount of people in the U.S who go to the doctor and are not covered in some way and are crippled financially. Can you show me the data? I'm not saying there aren't isolated situations where someone is just screwed, but what is the percentage? This is the third time you've tried to make this point and you still haven't provided any real data.
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Most people aren't idiots and understand paying more taxes is not a burden,
Uh, I disagree. Most people thought Trump's tax plan would cripple the middle class until they got their next checks after the reform passed.
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"Canadians may not pay that much more than Americans
That may be true, but to implement the Canadian system in the U.S would increase the individual tax burden here in the U.S. This is the part most UHC advocates try to gloss over.
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So as I said. There is reason Canadians would not trade our system for yours.
No one is asking Canada to take a privatized system, not sure why you keep bringing this up. You can keep your 41 week specialist wait times, and I'll go ahead and keep my 1-7 day wait times. Also, I'll happily compare Medical patents between the US and Canada, who do you think is winning that market battle?
I never said health care rationing is a unique issue to to Canada, in fact, I realize it's a universal problem because I understand economics.
But the wait times Canadians are experience are 3rd world level. That may be good enough for Canadians, but that wouldn't work for most people here in the U.S.
Those articles say nothing about people actually not being covered (through medicare, or a work plan), it says 25% worry about the costs. That's a completely different question that you just answered. Show me the amount of people in the U.S who go to the doctor and are not covered in some way and are crippled financially. Can you show me the data? I'm not saying there aren't isolated situations where someone is just screwed, but what is the percentage? This is the third time you've tried to make this point and you still haven't provided any real data.
Uh, I disagree. Most people thought Trump's tax plan would cripple the middle class until they got their next checks after the reform passed.
That may be true, but to implement the Canadian system in the U.S would increase the individual tax burden here in the U.S. This is the part most UHC advocates try to gloss over.
No one is asking Canada to take a privatized system, not sure why you keep bringing this up. You can keep your 41 week specialist wait times, and I'll go ahead and keep my 1-7 day wait times. Also, I'll happily compare Medical patents between the US and Canada, who do you think is winning that market battle?
A bit of hyperbole with the 3rd world stuff is it not? Also you are still going with this blanket number of 41 weeks as if everyone in Canada waits 41 weeks for all surgeries of all types etc. You are bing disingenuous.
Did you even read the links I gave you fully? Did you not click on the links that gave you the data? Do you seriously believe that the US would be having this MAJOR conversation about healthcare costs if it were just a few " isolated incidents?"
As for Trumps tax plan, the actual story was that within 8 years when those tax breaks end, and the government is basically unable to afford the basics, the middle class and the poor will suffer harder if he had increased taxes on the wealthy. Besides, a lot of people got very little. It's the old company trick of offering a one time payout to union members to get a contract signed. In the end, the members end up with less.
The question is how much more in taxes will it add to an American's tax bill?
Once you get rid of premiums, co-pays, deductibles and gain ease of use, less stress dealing with a health issue, mobility of use meaning no restrictions on what doctor is covered by your plan etc, most might think it's worth it.
I never said anyone was asking Canada to get a privatized healthcare insurance system. I did say that Canadians get angry when people post misinformation about our system. I also have mentioned that our system is constantly under threat ( although it would be political suicide ) by big insurance companies.
As for medical advancement and patents, Canada does well for a country it's size. So stop trying to turn this into a pissing game.
I never said health care rationing is a unique issue to to Canada, in fact, I realize it's a universal problem because I understand economics.
But the wait times Canadians are experience are 3rd world level. That may be good enough for Canadians, but that wouldn't work for most people here in the U.S.
Those articles say nothing about people actually not being covered (through medicare, or a work plan), it says 25% worry about the costs. That's a completely different question that you just answered. Show me the amount of people in the U.S who go to the doctor and are not covered in some way and are crippled financially. Can you show me the data? I'm not saying there aren't isolated situations where someone is just screwed, but what is the percentage? This is the third time you've tried to make this point and you still haven't provided any real data.
Uh, I disagree. Most people thought Trump's tax plan would cripple the middle class until they got their next checks after the reform passed.
That may be true, but to implement the Canadian system in the U.S would increase the individual tax burden here in the U.S. This is the part most UHC advocates try to gloss over.
No one is asking Canada to take a privatized system, not sure why you keep bringing this up. You can keep your 41 week specialist wait times, and I'll go ahead and keep my 1-7 day wait times. Also, I'll happily compare Medical patents between the US and Canada, who do you think is winning that market battle?
Oh and this from another CD thread. This would never happen in Canada since he wouldn't of been refused a scan etc by his "insurer ".
A bit of hyperbole with the 3rd world stuff is it not? Also you are still going with this blanket number of 41 weeks as if everyone in Canada waits 41 weeks for all surgeries of all types etc. You are bing disingenuous.
Not as disingenuous as someone who was painting the Canadian health care system as vastly superior without flaw before I pointed out the obvious elephant in the room.
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Did you even read the links I gave you fully? Did you not click on the links that gave you the data? Do you seriously believe that the US would be having this MAJOR conversation about healthcare costs if it were just a few " isolated incidents?"
I did, your articles are totally devoid of real statistics. Did you read those articles before you posted them? Show me the numbers of people not covered and financially crippled by lack of coverage in the U.S. This is the FORTH time I've asked you to show the numbers. One has to think if you had those numbers you would post them for all to see and shut me up.
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As for Trumps tax plan, the actual story was that within 8 years when those tax breaks end, and the government is basically unable to afford the basics, the middle class and the poor will suffer harder if he had increased taxes on the wealthy. Besides, a lot of people got very little. It's the old company trick of offering a one time payout to union members to get a contract signed. In the end, the members end up with less.
I agree. They should be permanent.
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The question is how much more in taxes will it add to an American's tax bill?
Why don't you answer that question? Bernie Sanders answered it, and the UHC bill they tried to float in Congress died in committee without seeing the light of day.
What do you think it would cost to fund UHC in the U.S (show your estimates please), and then, the most important part... how would you fund it?
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As for medical advancement and patents, Canada does well for a country it's size. So stop trying to turn this into a pissing game.
You're right, Canada does okay for it's size but we're talking 1000 to 1 in terms of medical technology patents, Canada isn't even on the same planet when it comes to advancement. That tells me the U.S is doing something right.
The stabilization bill scuttled last week was introduced by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). It would have restored cost-sharing reduction payments for insurers and provided federal funds for reinsurance in the individual market, which would reduce costs for insurers and therefore presumably bring down premiums.
The cost-sharing reduction payments, it may be remembered, are those that compensate insurers for the reductions in deductibles and co-pays given to the lowest-income families buying insurance through the ACA. President Trump canceled them last year in the fantasy that this would cause Obamacare to "implode."
Not as disingenuous as someone who was painting the Canadian health care system as vastly superior without flaw before I pointed out the obvious elephant in the room.
I did, your articles are totally devoid of real statistics. Did you read those articles before you posted them? Show me the numbers of people not covered and financially crippled by lack of coverage in the U.S. This is the FORTH time I've asked you to show the numbers. One has to think if you had those numbers you would post them for all to see and shut me up.
I agree. They should be permanent.
Why don't you answer that question? Bernie Sanders answered it, and the UHC bill they tried to float in Congress died in committee without seeing the light of day.
What do you think it would cost to fund UHC in the U.S (show your estimates please), and then, the most important part... how would you fund it?
You're right, Canada does okay for it's size but we're talking 1000 to 1 in terms of medical technology patents, Canada isn't even on the same planet when it comes to advancement. That tells me the U.S is doing something right.
I'm done. You are obviously someone who has no comprehension of previous posts. You have posted saying that I have stated things that I never did.
I'm done. You are obviously someone who has no comprehension of previous posts. You have posted saying that I have stated things that I never did.
Not playing anymore.
Have a nice day!
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Bernie Sanders answered it, and the UHC bill they tried to float in Congress died in committee without seeing the light of day. 
