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That didn't answer my question. Do you get to pick the doctor and/or specialist you want to see?
And further, do you get to pick the medical facility that will treat you?
The previous poster you responded to was an American describing circumstances in the U.S.
I will answer on behalf of Canada as a Canadian. Canadians can choose their family physician, they are free to choose their specialist, they are free to choose their hospital. Further.....if we become ill or are injured anywhere in Canada our Provincial healthcare coverage is reciprocal.
Our Provincial coverage extends worldwide and pays according to that deemed medically necessary service cost in Canada, so for out of Country coverage we top up with an optional Travel Policy that "piggy-backs" on the single payer.
If, in the remote circumstance of a particular procedure being unavailable in Canada due to shortage of specialist or equipment, it has also happened that Canadians have had that procedure done in the U.S. covered under our single payer system.
No Canadian is told what doctor, specialist or hospital they must attend.
All of that's the complete antithesis of the stupid "in network", insurance mandated stuff Americans put up with.
Some comes from profit seeking, some comes from socialism.
The privates follow Medicare's lead. And Medicare first off did not increase hospital visit reimbursements enough to keep the docs in attendance there.
In many if not most cases you can pick your primary doc.
The reimbursements were not enough for Wall Street. That is not what we should be basing our health care on.
The previous poster you responded to was an American describing circumstances in the U.S.
I will answer on behalf of Canada as a Canadian. Canadians can choose their family physician, they are free to choose their specialist, they are free to choose their hospital. Further.....if we become ill or are injured anywhere in Canada our Provincial healthcare coverage is reciprocal.
Our Provincial coverage extends worldwide and pays according to that deemed medically necessary service cost in Canada, so for out of Country coverage we top up with an optional Travel Policy that "piggy-backs" on the single payer.
If, in the remote circumstance of a particular procedure being unavailable in Canada due to shortage of specialist or equipment, it has also happened that Canadians have had that procedure done in the U.S. covered under our single payer system.
No Canadian is told what doctor, specialist or hospital they must attend.
All of that's the complete antithesis of the stupid "in network", insurance mandated stuff Americans put up with.
So you can do what we often times can not. One can also note, even your shortcomings are something we have to deal with. If I remember correctly the population of Canada is about equal to the population of California. Economy of scale will tell you that not as much is going to be available.
It's no different here. People in smaller states often times have to travel to a city in a larger state to get certain procedures done.
I live in WV but it's pretty common for someone to be sent to the Cleveland Clinic for many needs.
Oh? See this: "In Canada, "medically necessary" services are covered with public funds; however, the Canada Health Act provides no formal definition of medical necessity. The provincial and territorial health care insurance plans decide which services are medically necessary. As a result, coverage of hospital and medical services differs among provinces. Outpatient prescription drugs are not covered by public plans. The coverage for diagnostics and medications for rare diseases is also limited." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29095077
Presumably the doctors know what is covered and what is not, and hopefully inform the patient before performing some non-covered care, which may be what you mean.
Practically every medical need is covered. I have never heard of someone finding out that something needed wasn't covered.
As Chevy pointed out non-medical things like doctors notes, they may charge for. Mine charges $15.
Prescriptions generally aren't covered, except in provinces that have pharmacare plans for seniors and people of a low income. Prescriptions in general, are much cheaper than in the US, and there is talk of getting a national plan for them. Most people have plans through work that cover them. I'm covered by my partners plan for prescriptions, 100 percent.
I have posted this time over time, and some people don't get it. I went through our system several times ( and am still doing so ) with family and friends that have had major illnesses,
Example.
Mother. Brian tumour, breast cancer, both hips replaced, kidney cancer, and cataract surgery. EVERYTHING was covered. All scans, all procedures, all medications while in hospital, all lab tests, EVERYTHING.
In the case of her brain tumour, since she lived alone, she even got 24 hour home care for several weeks. Included.
Other friends have had surgeries, and cancers. Again everything covered.
Besides prescriptions, Ambulances aren't covered. This differs by province. In BC it's $50 dollars if you call an ambulance, they treat you, but do not have to transfer you to hospital. It's $80 if they transfer you to hospital. No charge for those on income assistance. This include air ambulance. That's right. If you live in a rural area and need to be transferred by an air ambulance helicopter, it's still $80.
Another point I've made, that seems to get lost in this dialogue, is how EASY our system is. Throughout my mothers ordeal, there were no insurance forms to fill out. No one asking what kind of insurance we had, no worry about sudden hidden costs, no deductibles, etc. All you do is how your healthcard. The only forms were medical questions forms. We never saw a bill.
I've been very healthy my whole life, so when I had calcific tendonitis last year, I got to experience our system personally. So when I see posters here saying it takes 6 weeks to see a GP, I just shake my head at the misinformation. In my case, being a guy, LOL I tried to ignore the pain, until one day I had to see a doctor. Mine was on holiday, so I walked to a walk-in clinic nearer to me. Was seen in 20 minutes. Was given a form for an ultra-sound. Made an appointment for the next day, and back to the doctors the day after that. No bill, no fuss, no stress.
Practically every medical need is covered. I have never heard of someone finding out that something needed wasn't covered.
As Chevy pointed out non-medical things like doctors notes, they may charge for. Mine charges $15.
Prescriptions generally aren't covered, except in provinces that have pharmacare plans for seniors and people of a low income. Prescriptions in general, are much cheaper than in the US, and there is talk of getting a national plan for them. Most people have plans through work that cover them. I'm covered by my partners plan for prescriptions, 100 percent.
I have posted this time over time, and some people don't get it. I went through our system several times ( and am still doing so ) with family and friends that have had major illnesses,
Example.
Mother. Brian tumour, breast cancer, both hips replaced, kidney cancer, and cataract surgery. EVERYTHING was covered. All scans, all procedures, all medications while in hospital, all lab tests, EVERYTHING.
In the case of her brain tumour, since she lived alone, she even got 24 hour home care for several weeks. Included.
Other friends have had surgeries, and cancers. Again everything covered.
Besides prescriptions, Ambulances aren't covered. This differs by province. In BC it's $50 dollars if you call an ambulance, they treat you, but do not have to transfer you to hospital. It's $80 if they transfer you to hospital. No charge for those on income assistance. This include air ambulance. That's right. If you live in a rural area and need to be transferred by an air ambulance helicopter, it's still $80.
Another point I've made, that seems to get lost in this dialogue, is how EASY our system is. Throughout my mothers ordeal, there were no insurance forms to fill out. No one asking what kind of insurance we had, no worry about sudden hidden costs, no deductibles, etc. All you do is how your healthcard. The only forms were medical questions forms. We never saw a bill.
I've been very healthy my whole life, so when I had calcific tendonitis last year, I got to experience our system personally. So when I see posters here saying it takes 6 weeks to see a GP, I just shake my head at the misinformation. In my case, being a guy, LOL I tried to ignore the pain, until one day I had to see a doctor. Mine was on holiday, so I walked to a walk-in clinic nearer to me. Was seen in 20 minutes. Was given a form for an ultra-sound. Made an appointment for the next day, and back to the doctors the day after that. No bill, no fuss, no stress.
Oh oh; I think you just informed them all we're thinking of upping our 'socialist' quotient by going with a national Pharma plan. Heads are gonna 'splode.
My wife and I are fully covered through our defined benefit pension plan for a host of surplus items...from acupuncture, through eyeglasses and grief counselling, to drugs, but we would both willingly pay commensurate increased tax to cover everyone with a Pharma package.
Tell me, do you get to pick the doctor you want or do you have to take what your social health system gives you?
You can pick any doctor. There are no networks.
You should understand that it's the insurance, not the medical profession that is " socialized ". Doctor are not government employees. They set up there own practices and clinics. Labs etc are also private. It's just that they bill one insurer.
You should understand that it's the insurance, not the medical profession that is " socialized ". Doctor are not government employees. They set up there own practices and clinics. Labs etc are also private. It's just that they bill one insurer.
Having dealt with both BCBS and the government Medicare system let me just say BCBS was a lot easier to work with.
If private insurance tries to rip you off you can go to the government. When the government screws you you have little recourse.
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