The Perils of Public Health Care

[hyylo]

we have public health in the UK. it is terrible. we have more administrators then doctors

[Kansasgrandmother]

@givethemahand I have lived long enough to do all the things you talk about. Ive not had problems with my Insurance companies. Ive had problems because the Government told my Ins Co what they could & could not do. The Gov has so many rules & Regs: its landmines everywhere. I couldnt buy a policy because the Govermnt wouldnt let the company sell it to me. And Gov, FDA etc refuse let even terminally ill try new meds because Gov wants control.

[givethemahand]

Kansas-" I've not had problems with my Insurance companies."

I am happy for you ( seriously)..I have not had bad luck either.

But,my sons insurance (Untied) was awful..it cost him over $5000 cash when my granddaughter was born..he thought it was covered..but no.

Worse though: My wife works at a Cancer Clinic...she says that fully 1/3 of the patients that think they have "good" insurance, end up financially ruined by costs that the insurance does not pay...often several thousand dollars a month.

[givethemahand]

Anyone that "likes" their current insurance in the US, has probably not tried to make a major claim.

Wait till you get Cancer or MS or have a problem pregnancy...Boy.. are you in for a surprise.

Insurance in the US is often bogus...a legalized scam.

Hard working Americans ( with insurance) go bankrupt all the time...every freakin day of the week..because their "good insurance" let them down.

Wake up folks! You are being played by the insurance companies.

[turok4lyfe]

Ummm do you even have a clue how insurance companies make money??

[maurojuszczak]

AMEN!

The insurance companies don't WANT to shell out the money for your chemo, heart transplant or knee surgery. They'll do whatever they can to make sure they don't pay for you. Their goal is to collect their premiums.

[sibs123]

STUPID AMERICANS CRITIQUING OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM?

1. Stop crossing our border to buy your medicine

2. Stop going bankrupt because you cannot afford kemo-therapy

3. In Canada, the doctor decides. In America, your HMO decides what treatment you get

4. America will gladly go to WAR and spend TRILLIONS to kill people, but providing health care seems to be a problem

5. Stop traveling to INDIA to get heart surgery that you cannot afford since your HMO will not cover the entire cost....

[hoshnasi]

The man in this video is a Canandian and had to go to AMERICA to get his brain surgery in a timely manner or he would have DIED... HE is the largest critique of your system because your system makes you wait, the government rations out your care and puts you on a list. Sure the doctors decide the treatment, but Canadians have to wait for it to be cost effective.

[TheTrue101]

it is true that we need to wait for non critical stuff. If you ask all canadian if they prefer this compare to poor coverage that US has, guess what will be the answer.

the HC systerm in US cost 3 times per head compare to Canada for less coverage.

Your system let people die, do you realize that?

[hoshnasi]

How is brain surgery "non-critical"? This video is about a man who came to AMERICA to get his surgery.

Look, I don't hate the Canadian system. I just don't want to pay more taxes to get it, nor do I want to pay more for my fellow American to have it either... I want my fellow American to GO TO WORK to buy their own coverage so the country gets better economically... Not just makeing a big government system!

[domyinik]

@hoshnasi if you're sick you can't work. If you have cancer, you cannot go to work. It's easy to understand. If you have some pre-existing sickness, your insurance is not useful any longer. You do not want to pay taxes? You prefer health insurance (which, btw, is more expensive) who leaves you without a cure, if you can't afford it. Look, I'm Italian (Universal Health Care), but when I had vacation in US, I fell from stairs. They asked me 900$. In Italy they asked me 12 €. Guess what I chose.

[jamesk48]

why is he playing Solitaire at the end?

[mikanally]

Therapy?

[librano]

I am very libertarian in my views but I am not sure about health care and education... and this is why.

The future of individuals should not be dictated by unfortunate circumstances they may find themselves in or they have no control over.

E.g. A father is an alcoholic and financially irresponsible. Don't his kids have the right to a decent education and health care in spite of him. In a privatized system how is this possible? The children should not have to be disadvantaged for life...

[librano]

Another e.g. What about a family that is afflicted by a genetic disease? They work hard but their unfortunate situation is just too much to bear financially. And no insurance company will insure them because it is not good business. What are they to do?

If someone can explain how a private medical and education system would be better for these people, I'd be grateful.

I think it is our obligation *as individuals* to help our fellow man not through govt. But we still have many homeless ppl.

[bmusicinoc]

librano,,

RE: your comment on the Sicko movie

I am an American who would take Canada's HC any day because I was denied health insurance due to my herniated disk.

The longer wait times in your country are due to low funding , not inefficiency. Canada's per capita medical spending is only $3,000 versus $6,000 for the U.S.

America's HC is run by insurance companies who have to deny coverage to millions to make a profit.

[librano]

bmusicinoc: I tend to agree with Sicko on the idea that health care and education should be services just like the police and the fire department (all inclusive). However, I think these systems should be as small as possible and managed locally. The same goes for education.

I think this would eliminate a large part of the bureaucracy that makes nationalized HC inefficient. Also, it would preserve the competitive spirit essential in a free market. Local systems would compete for members.

[freemarketcure]

Yes. Tax payer money is no object when other people need health care services n the public dole. Other viewers may note the similarity of the above comment with the excuses made in the US for abysmal public school systems such as in Washington DC. No matter how much money is thrown at them - it's always conservatives to blame for not throwing more.

[PsionNinja]

You can thank the conservitives in the Canadian government for slashing their HC budget.

Don't blame the canadian system for this. Blame the right-wing con-artists for gutting the Canadian system in the first place.

[ChrisBennett18]

free health care is worst to begain with if you wait 8 months it could be to late here in america you get is as soon as possible and you cant wait you need the treatment now if you have it an health care is a privllage not a right because not every country has health care in africa some places there they dont have any Hospitals or any kind they do it the spiritual way

[FutureScientistOfUSA]

no, it's not that great. if you cant pay for it your screwed like a piece of shit. if you cant pay a hundred thousand dollars to get that tumor out, your left for dead. have you watched sick. if not plz watch it.

[ChrisBennett18]

no thats why you ask for some kind of payment plan to pay this much for this many months or days free health care is runing Europe, Canada Economy thats why people from canada or Europe is comeing down here to get there health care they need because my dad friend died from a tumor on a waiting list from that fucken free health care shit remember you get what you pay for so you get no treatment so free you get nothing ok nothing in life is free

[FutureScientistOfUSA]

no thier not. in sicko, michale moore's parents live in canada. michale moore lives in the us. he interviewed his parents but they refused to got the the us to do it because they didnt want to take ther risk if they got hurt. he had to come to them. just watch the fucking movie.

[ChrisBennett18]

no havent you heard you get what you pay for

no listen there is more of a risk waiting 8months to 2 years to get the health care needed in canada in america you get it right there and then you dont have to pay it emideitly more free health care higher taxes were does the money come from us from everyone thats ruining the economy and causing people to pay more thats why the government needs to step out and not interfear with the health care system thats not what government is for they dont help

[FutureScientistOfUSA]

when you say "more free health care higher taxes" you havent seen the movie, in sicko he goes to either england or france. one family made 8,000 or so euro's or maybe dollar conversion (not sure), but only 1-2 thousand of those__ went to takes. thats about 1/4th of thier money goes to takes. well guess what, here in america it's way higher. and not everyone necessarliy get's it right away. the fact of the matter is that in the us, if don thave the money, you dont get it.

[ChrisBennett18]

you need to check your spelling were ever you get ur info is wrong were do free clinic get there money from taxes from the government and the government is taking that money away from us causing higher taxes you know what probley they dont get it that emidietly is that its not that server and can wait a few days normaly they would get it treated were it can hold a few days longer and get more free health care isnt free soemone is paying for it

[gavcomedy]

the problem is in USA corrpution is the rule, big corps can charge whatever for drugs and services, while canada single payer get nice medical machines since it is the only consumer, and doesnt cahrge 5000 for an MRI, canadas culture of cnon corruption and non scumbag businesses and insurance corps liek AIG make it easier for the dollar there to goto the patient not be consumed by red tape paperwork and insurance corp profits......

[FutureScientistOfUSA]

yeah in alot of countries you can get normal perscription meds for a dollar or less. we need a 3rd party in gov. democrats and republicans are friends. REAL change wont happen untill then. even glen beck agrees

[gavcomedy]

USA need 100% coverage .... my onyl problem as a capitalist is that how is usa ecnomy so great if we don't do it that way? can canada realyl do it better cheaper and cvoer 100% of peopl? I think it can due to cultural differences adn no insurance biz being scumbags and profiteering GO CANADA

[SupremeMajinBuu]

WOW. CBC showed something CONSERVATIVE. Usually they show some left propaganda

[hrosemd]

Keep up the good work.