Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Spend a considerable time on golf courses with Americans over 55 and you'll hear it all. They''ll often start a conversation with questions based upon the assumption we are on waiting lists for even the most routine of procedures with those times extending outwards the more serious the illness.
It's a pervasive mantra that can only have resulted from very effective marketing to forestall any change to the profit margin enjoyed by the insurance and healthcare-for-profit participant.
After some exchange of info, the questions invariably swing to a more conciliatory perspective with "well, do you ever get told by your "....followed by the dreaded description of request upon request for further information and diagnostic verification along with prolonged debate over the prescribed treatment.
I am now covered for what is called extended health through my defined benefit pension plan carried by Manulife Financial as an add-on to the Provincial coverage for things like out of Province health insurance for travel anywhere in the world. It encompasses all sorts of 'added on over the years negotiated items' such as private room, massage and acupuncture therapy, grief counselling, a plethora of stuff geared to those needs likely to be encountered while aging and I hate making a claim as it will ALWAYS involve more than one query with them prior to any reimbursement.
I too have had many conversations with Americans while visiting the US. Everything from " well you have to go to a government doctor " to " I hear you have to wait years to see a doctor ". As you pointed out, all because of propaganda put out mostly during the recent healthcare debate in the US.
Ah, I should have been more clear. Edward was referring to selecting a plan, so I addressed my remarks to simply selecting a plan.
Claims are a whole other matter; and you are correct, Nat, when you infer that claims under American policies can be a lot more complicated.
I would suggest even when selecting a plan, many find out later, that the plan, didn't cover what they thought.
It's a lot of fine print for us non-lawyers
The stats for claim denials, are of course only for those that appeal. I wonder how many, just don't bother?
Edit: Nat, if you actually feel like reading and learning something about the new law and its controls on Administrative costs, I have attached a credible guide detailing the "medical loss ratio" provision under the ACA. Basically a percentage of expenditures must be dedicated to actual care. Insurers are required to submit yearly data detailing their expenditures. If they do not comply with the percentage set, they must send a rebate to their customers each year.
At first with the introduction of a new law you are going to see a rise in administrative costs as these companies are adjusting to a new fiscal reality. Once they get the hang of it, this protection should help considerably. Or they will be writing quite a few checks to their customers as a penalty.
Here is my insurance companies blurb on FY13, they hit their 90% target. Of course they have been dealing with reform for much longer as they operate in Massachusetts. That is a preview for the Federal ACA.
Somewhere along this winding thread we've lost the gist of it.
The point I"m making is that in regards to health insurance, it is a LOT less complicated for Canadians, ESPECIALLY when they have a serious and/or long term illness.
The bee hive of thousands of workers in the US that work for hospitals, doctors and insurance companies bear this out. That bee hive of activity does surface up to the patients, especially when claims are denied,or their coverage isn't what they thought it would be.
Those costs and coverage issues many times ONLY come up when a serious illness is involved, but they are there.
In Canada...not so much. That is my point and I really don't believe you can argue against that.
Somewhere along this winding thread we've lost the gist of it.
The point I"m making is that in regards to health insurance, it is a LOT less complicated for Canadians, ESPECIALLY when they have a serious and/or long term illness.
The bee hive of thousands of workers in the US that work for hospitals, doctors and insurance companies bear this out. That bee hive of activity does surface up to the patients, especially when claims are denied,or their coverage isn't what they thought it would be.
Those costs and coverage issues many times ONLY come up when a serious illness is involved, but they are there.
In Canada...not so much. That is my point and I really don't believe you can argue against that.
My point is that unless you are familiar with the new law you should not be offering an opinion on this topic. Much of what you are claiming is dated information that you randomly Google and quite frankly do not understand. Nat, no offense but you can't even get a simple timeline as to when certain protections were phased in, so you end up sounding ignorant.
I never argued that the U.S. System is less complicated than Canada. The Canadian system is arguably the easiest to navigate in the world, maybe second to Cuba. At the same time the U.S. System is a lot less complicated than you try to portray. It is ironic that you were speaking about ignorant Americans criticizing the Canadian system above when you are partaking in the same low information type of discussion yourself. Show some pride and rise above that.
You take your chances. That's all I can say. My biggest problem with our health care system isn't necessarily the wait times or the taxes we pay or whatever. My biggest complaint with our health care system is the quality of doctors we have here. I haven't experienced any other country's health care system so I can't comment on that, but in Canada we get a lot of foreign doctors, and by foreign I mean doctors that barely speak english, never mind are competent in their responsibilities as medical professionals. That, and the fact that, whatever call me a racist, but from my experience they are extremely careless. If I had a nickle for every time they dismissed my health concerns before I even finished explaining them and wrote me off a prescription just to get me out of their hair and force me to spend money unnecessarily I would be a millionaire already. Cause literally every one of them that I had to deal with was like that. Just seems like they're less interested in their job and more interested in the money it brings. When you're dealing with peoples lives that becomes a problem. So, as a patient, I can't help but wonder how and why they were given such important positions in the first place. Anyone who says there is a shortage of domestic doctors is mistaken as I know that there are loads.
Last edited by billsfan1990; 05-29-2015 at 09:39 PM..
Probably my biggest problem with our system is the lack of mental health care coverage. I think it's a big problem needing to pay so much money for a therapist given how depression rates are so high in Canada. It would also be nice if prescriptions and medications were lowered and dental and vision care. But mental health care is a very important thing. I'm all about paying higher taxes if it means caring for the most important thing in your life, your health.
I'm confused, many people answer as if there is actually a nation wide healthcare system in Canada. than others will say each province has a different system.
I'm confused, many people answer as if there is actually a nation wide healthcare system in Canada. than others will say each province has a different system.
Haaaar! You're confused! We have the same problem.
In as broad a picture as possible without focusing tight enough to show pixels;
Canadian federal role is to assure Provinces are providing the legislated minimum level of care and to provide re-imbursements of taxes garnered federally to the Provinces to assist funding by agreed upon formulaes.
Each Province has the responsibility to fund and administer an individual plan that provides all those universally agreed-upon services. This link maybe explains it better:
I'm confused, many people answer as if there is actually a nation wide healthcare system in Canada. than others will say each province has a different system.
Okay, let's see if we can straighten things out.
I don't carry a "Canada Health Card" in my wallet. I carry an "Alberta Health Card." Fusion carries an "Ontario Health Card," Jambo carries a "Quebec Health Card," and Nat carries a "British Columbia Health Card." (Folks, these may not be the names of your provincial plans, but just go with them for now, okay?)
What may be confusing the matter is the federal Canada Health Act, which states that provinces deliver and pay for care, but the federal government will help to cover the healthcare costs for the provinces. This statute defines which services are to be covered at a minimum, but does not prevent provinces from exceeding the minimum. Nor does it tell provinces how those services are to be delivered. Outside of that, all the federal government does under the Act, really, is to help fund provincial plans. (It's been a while since I've read the Act; blame any errors on my memory.)
Every province in Canada must, by the federal law cited above, offer a single-payer health plan. And they do. Each province's plan is roughly the same as the others, and any differences are minor--for example, one province may cover doctor's notes for school absences, while another may not. All provinces look after the meaningful stuff: surgery, broken bones, x-rays, flu shots, lab tests, etc., etc., etc.
Plans are reciprocal among provinces. I live in Alberta, but if I need care when I'm visiting Ontario, then Ontario will provide it. Ontario will bill Alberta for my care. I can travel anywhere in Canada without having to buy out-of-province insurance coverage.
So, to Canadians, it seems as if we have national coverage, in spite of the fact that every Canadian's insurance is a provincial matter, and care is delivered and paid for at the provincial level.
Does that help, Vince?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
