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I know this thread is supposed to be about the differences between Canada and the US but we seem to have segued into a discussion about health care. Oh well, I'll add to it.
When my DH was employed we had great, excellent coverage through his company. We paid $1,000 per month. Insurance paid 70% of what was 'reasonable and customary' leaving us holding the bag for about two grand or so a year. We were lucky enough to be able to set aside 'pre-tax income' which we could use toward the co-payments.
Now he's retired. He's on Medicare with a supplemental plan. I am not covered by anything and am trying to find a company which will accept me and our two daughters. My high cholesterol levels (which must have gone down due to treatment) is making me an undesirable applicant. I just hope nothing happens to any of us before we get accepted somewhere. We are NOT HAPPY CAMPERS about this. We're hoping to pay under a thousand dollars a month for the three of us, including dental and eyeglasses.
I don't know if you've made up your mind already after reading these posts ... but I'll put in my two cents anyway. I'm originally from Toronto but live in Memphis, TN with my husband. Recently my husband received his VISA to immigrate to Canada so we can be closer to my aging parents ... haven't been able to achieve our goal yet (husband couldn't get a job, economy started downturn, etc.) so we're looking to move next year.
My husband is not keen on moving to Canada in general, especially to Toronto. Mind you Toronto is unique in itself as an expensive urban center ... but reasons that top his list: lower wages (he works in IT industry), expensive housing, cold weather, more traffic, higher taxes, more expensive goods, a little too "politically correct" for him (ha ha - he's from Memphis!) to name a few. Of course Canada is a big country and you could escape many of these things depending where you choose to live ... but why not move to Knoxville instead, for example? Which leads me to ask ... what is compels you to consider this move?
If it wasn't for my family, I think we would stay in the US, just not Memphis.
<snip>
In the states, health insurance is generally paid by an employer. Some employers pay 100% and others have the employee pay $50/month (give or take). The poor and elderly are covered under Medicare and Medicaid (government programs). Yes, you can still get health insurance after a heart attack.<snip>
These statements are incorrect.
In the US, certain segments of the population are covered by Medicaid... not "the poor", but just poor children, and pregnant women. Pregnant women get coverage for up to a year after the baby's birth, and low income women have access to pap smears and birth control for free but nothing else. While I am thrilled that there is coverage for children, the kids aren't helped much if mom or dad is ill with no health coverage.
Also, I have yet to hear of any employer covering that much of the premiums so that the individual only has to pay $50 a month. That would be awesome but where are you working that this is true? I have yet to have a job where I could afford to take advantage of health care coverage because the premiums are too high for someone making $7 to 10 an hour. The last job I had would have cost me $175 a month for me alone (and I made about 10 an hour). There is simply no room in the budget, even if I'd had a better paying job, for these kind of healthcare premiums when we also have to consider housing, utilities, food, and of course GAS.
My ex had coverage for all of us at $270 a month but he was making $750 a week so it was more manageable. Even then our co-pays ran us another $150 a month because the kids have asthma and allergies and monthly medication costs.
There are plenty of people in the US like me: we work but we cannot afford health coverage even when offered. My children, thankfully, are covered by Medicaid. If I get sick I'm screwed. I did go to the ER earlier this year after a car wreck... and have a $2000 medical bill (exam and x-rays.. no treatment) that I cannot pay which will now screw up my credit. There are a few community clinics with sliding scale options that attempt to fill in the gap but they are overcrowded, understaffed, and the quality of care is often questionable. I've used them though, when I had no other option, and in those cases paid about $50 for a visit, another $20 for meds (for something like a sinus infection).
My mother got cancer in the 80's and was able to find a charity hospital and had a hysterectomy, radiation, etc.. That five-figure debt has 'stalked' her for decades because she couldn't pay the money back for a long time and it ruined her credit.
The US system is better if you are upper or middle class and have a good plan. You get into the doctor quickly, are scheduled for procedures quickly and the facilities and equipment are cleaner, newer and nicer. On the other hand, the paperwork is awful and after it was over, you might get stuck with a nasty bill. Most bankruptcies are filed over healthcare costs.
If you aren't well off and have a good plan, the US system doesn't work well at all.
The Canadian system is easier to navigate and there aren't the same worries about costs, but the facilities and equipment are older and queues may be longer.
I also read somewhere that patient outcomes are slightly better in Canada than the US. I don't know if this is because many Americans wait longer to get treated or whether, despite the older facilities, etc., the Canadian system just works better.
Also, I have yet to hear of any employer covering that much of the premiums so that the individual only has to pay $50 a month. That would be awesome but where are you working that this is true?
A mentioned earlier in this thread. 21 of the 100 top companies Forbes magaine profiled pay 100% of health care premiums. Employees with those companies don't pay $50/month...they pay $0.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrooklynDan
The US system is better if you are upper or middle class and have a good plan. You get into the doctor quickly, are scheduled for procedures quickly and the facilities and equipment are cleaner, newer and nicer.
I agree completely. I have long believed the Canadian system is great for the lower socio-economic classes. The unfortunate part is that people with more money cannot buy better care.
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