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I'm not interested in arguing politics here but I am curious about the history of how Canadians made the transition to the universal healthcare system.
I heard a claim that the American healthcare system is unique in the world for having employment tied to healthcare, where people get plans based on the job they have is supposedly not common as an idea elsewhere.
But, did Canada have this too at some point? I ask, because it seems that Canadians can get some extra benefits (like dental) from their jobs but the basic medical care is not tied to employment. Does this mean that Canada transitioned from the American-style employer based model to single-payer style with only the non-essential health services left to be private? Or was the system set up totally different to begin with?
I'm not interested in arguing politics here but I am curious about the history of how Canadians made the transition to the universal healthcare system.
I heard a claim that the American healthcare system is unique in the world for having employment tied to healthcare, where people get plans based on the job they have is supposedly not common as an idea elsewhere.
But, did Canada have this too at some point? I ask, because it seems that Canadians can get some extra benefits (like dental) from their jobs but the basic medical care is not tied to employment. Does this mean that Canada transitioned from the American-style employer based model to single-payer style with only the non-essential health services left to be private? Or was the system set up totally different to begin with?
Good question. I can't find anything on it so far, just that it was private insurance. I'm assuming that some companies must of offered it and that it varied from profession and areas of the country.
Some people arranged for private insurance, some people had health insurance benefits through their places of employment, some people didn't have any insurance and paid out of pocket for their health care needs.
My dad asked the family doctor at the time how he felt about the switch to a single payer system and the doctor was quite happy that he would not be paid in chickens any more. This doctor at least and I suspect most doctors were the same, at least in rural areas, wouldn't turn patients away for lack of ability to pay and I guess our family doctor was paid in a lot of chickens.
Some doctors in the South were paid with hams. Before you laugh, you should remember that for a poor family to give up a ham (or even a chicken) was a big sacrifice.
My dad asked the family doctor at the time how he felt about the switch to a single payer system and the doctor was quite happy that he would not be paid in chickens any more. This doctor at least and I suspect most doctors were the same, at least in rural areas, wouldn't turn patients away for lack of ability to pay and I guess our family doctor was paid in a lot of chickens.
Here's a tale for you from my childhood but with a twist to it. My sister had an accident and needed cleaning up and delicate stitching for a really bad gash on her forehead. The doctor said he would treat her for free if our family would take his border collie farm dog and give it a good home. He had to find a new home for the dog because he was moving into a different residence in town and nobody wanted it and he didn't want to put it down. So sis got her treatment and very neat stitches and the whole family got the best trained farm and livestock guard dog we had ever owned.
My dad asked the family doctor at the time how he felt about the switch to a single payer system and the doctor was quite happy that he would not be paid in chickens any more. This doctor at least and I suspect most doctors were the same, at least in rural areas, wouldn't turn patients away for lack of ability to pay and I guess our family doctor was paid in a lot of chickens.
A friend from Saskatchewan says the same thing…however, have you seen the price of chicken lately???
Here's a tale for you from my childhood but with a twist to it. My sister had an accident and needed cleaning up and delicate stitching for a really bad gash on her forehead. The doctor said he would treat her for free if our family would take his border collie farm dog and give it a good home. He had to find a new home for the dog because he was moving into a different residence in town and nobody wanted it and he didn't want to put it down. So sis got her treatment and very neat stitches and the whole family got the best trained farm and livestock guard dog we had ever owned.
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Haaar! that triggered a memory for me. One wintry evening a knock came at our kitchen door and the local doctor was out there having gotten his car stuck in a drift while answering a maternity call-out to a neighbours farm.
My dad was one who still had a team of Clydesdales, he could not bear parting with and that did not need a strong battery in the winter to get started, so hitched them up to a draw bar and proceeded to pull the doc's 46 Ford all the way to the needy woman's farm with him and the doc comfortably ensconced inside with the engine and the under-dash heater running.
Dad made out like a bandit as I later had my tonsil's removed free and the neighbours kept us in preserves for years; even driving into town and delivering them to us after we sold off the farm.
Those were the days that what went around, came back around.
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