Canadian Health Care not all what it seems to be.

[WWEFAN_100]

Do we get free Health Care? Yes

However what some of you don’t know is that we can’t use it. It’s totally ridiculous how our heath system is now. It makes me laugh when some say oh Canadians are lucky because they get free heath care. Yea we are lucky alright if we are able to use it.

My family and I have a family doctor that we have been seeing for over 30 or 40 years now and we have to resort to walk in clinics because we can never see him.

We have to call 2 or 3 months ahead prior to when we are sick in order to make a appointment.

I don’t see why so may complain about paying heath care. I would be happy to pay it if that means I can see my family doctor on a regular basis.

The Health care is a huge problem in Canada today. You can be waiting hours or even months before you can be seen.

It took me 4 trips to the walk in clinic last year to finally get the medication that I needed in order to get well.

 

[Uncle Chester]

Do we get free Health Care? Yes

However what some of you don’t know is that we can’t use it. It’s totally ridiculous how our heath system is now. It makes me laugh when some say oh Canadians are lucky because they get free heath care. Yea we are lucky alright if we are able to use it.

My family and I have a family doctor that we have been seeing for over 30 or 40 years now and we have to resort to walk in clinics because we can never see him.

We have to call 2 or 3 months ahead prior to when we are sick in order to make a appointment.

I don’t see why so may complain about paying heath care. I would be happy to pay it if that means I can see my family doctor on a regular basis.

The Health care is a huge problem in Canada today. You can be waiting hours or even months before you can be seen.

It took me 4 trips to the walk in clinic last year to finally get the medication that I needed in order to get well.

Either you do this or lose your life savings. Pretty shit options. Luckily I live in Australia. Hospitals are decnt and shit ani't too expensive.

 

[Xemmy]

Do we get free Health Care? Yes

However what some of you don’t know is that we can’t use it. It’s totally ridiculous how our heath system is now. It makes me laugh when some say oh Canadians are lucky because they get free heath care. Yea we are lucky alright if we are able to use it.

My family and I have a family doctor that we have been seeing for over 30 or 40 years now and we have to resort to walk in clinics because we can never see him.

We have to call 2 or 3 months ahead prior to when we are sick in order to make a appointment.

I don’t see why so may complain about paying heath care. I would be happy to pay it if that means I can see my family doctor on a regular basis.

The Health care is a huge problem in Canada today. You can be waiting hours or even months before you can be seen.

It took me 4 trips to the walk in clinic last year to finally get the medication that I needed in order to get well.

It's still the better option. And you're still lucky. My mother has paid insurance, and it still takes her 2 or 3 months to get in with a M.D.
At least you have walk in clinics. We don't have any in my city. It costs ten s of thousands of dollars to get emergancy treatment for things like re-attaching the end of a finger.
And on top of that, at least you don't have to worry about being screwed out of your paid care over minor insignificant details, like leaving out a past yeast infection on the form, because the company if for profit, and will do anything to keep money. You have to deal with inefficiency. We have to deal with inefficiency AND corporations. I'd still take your healthcare system ANY day of the fucking week.

 

[Arkham Noir]

Xemnas said it perfectly.I live in Canada, and I never take for granted how fortunate we are to have our healthcare system.Ever hear those stories of Americans having to sell their damn house to afford surgery?

Stop crying. Yeah it can be slow as hell sometimes, but your still going to get in if you have a heart-attack, and you aren't going to be leaving with a damn bill.

 

[SalvIsWin]

As a Canadian I can only speak from my own experience, and even though we have a lack of doctors, it is still free, and I have never had to wait remotely close to how long you have described. I live in Niagara Falls, population of 80,000 and if you need to visit the Doctor is takes about one - two weeks to get an appointment, maybe three at the most. However, there are walk-in clinics if you can't wait, and of course the hospital. The clinics and hospital make you wait, usually between four to five hours, but obviously if it's very serious you don't wait.

The American system is far, far, far worse than ours. Many of their surgeries cost thousands, and thousands of dollars, and some aren't even life-threatening surgeries. I think to have your tonsils removed in the USA will cost you around $4,000 to $5,000 if you don't have coverage - that's a lot of money.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I can't speak for Canadians, but I bet you guys have better service for people there than here in America. You may have to wait, but at least you aren't turned away for having a preexisting condition or cancer. Thousands of Americans die each year or go bankrupt because health insurance companies drop their coverage and they can't afford their medical bills. I'm not saying you have the best situation in the world, but America is far down on the list when it comes to health care.

 

[WWEFAN_100]

I'm different then you guys. I have nephew and nieces and It's crazy that they have to wait a month before they can see there doctors and yes I would gladly pay if that means my nieces and nephew get to see there doctor. I'm sorry but there is no point in having free health care if we can't even use it. What good is being sick for a month because we don't have our proper doctor checking us out and giving us the proper medication. There is a lot of issues with the health care today.

I am curious those, that those that say they have to pay are you able to see your doctors?

 

[SalvIsWin]

What city do you live in? There's a shortage of doctors all across Canada, but like you said, there's always the walk-in clinic.

 

[WWEFAN_100]

The walk in clinic sucks just as bad. Took me 4 trips to 4 different walk in to get the proper medication because they don't give it to you unless you are worse.

My sister was very sick and went to the walk in clinic they told her she was fine. The next day she went back and she had a chest infection and was coughing up green.

I'm sorry but just because we don't pay that don't mean that we don't have issues and does not mean that we should be happy.

 

[Xemmy]

The walk in clinic sucks just as bad. Took me 4 trips to 4 different walk in to get the proper medication because they don't give it to you unless you are worse.

My sister was very sick and went to the walk in clinic they told her she was fine. The next day she went back and she had a chest infection and was coughing up green.

I'm sorry but just because we don't pay that don't mean that we don't have issues and does not mean that we should be happy.

Nobody's telling you to be happy. You started this thread to say that Canadian Healthcare sucks, and that you think it's funny when people say Canadians are lucky because they have free healthcare.

THEY FUCKING ARE.

According to The World Health Organization- Canadians have better healthcare than both of your neighbors to the South.

30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America

61 Mexico

Yeah, you're not in the top ten, but you are still ahead of 160 other countries. So with that in mind, quit giving us the sob stories. I'm sorry your sister was coughing up green. I have to cough up my house if I get cancer. What about you? Everyone has horror stories. EVERYONE!!!
You're whining about a non-existent misconception. People don't look at Canada as a shining light in healthcare. They look at France. Try talking about ways to improve your healthcare system, instead of whining about how other people have it better.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

Dude, I wouldn't even be bitching about Canada's heath care. I mean, I live in the United States. While I know Canada's health care system isn't perfect, and there are some flaws that need to be fixed, I wouldn't take free health care for granted. I'd rather wait a couple of months for a doctor appointment than go into a financial black hole for 20 years simply for the convenience of being seen and treated in a single day.

Don't even get me started on the borderline evil shit insurance companies do to their clients.

 

[Davi323]

The doctors in Canada get paid, the nurses get paid, the hospitals in Canada have bills that need to be paid, pharmacists need to get paid, Canadian health care providers have expenses just like American providers do...if Canadian health care is free, where the hell does the money come from to pay for such things?

The answer is simple. "Free" health care is not free. It never has been. There is no such thing as free health care. What it is instead is taxpayer funded. If someone who was paying 20% of their income in taxes to the government now has to pay a higher % of their income in taxes to pay for health care, IT ISN'T FREE. That is the biggest mistake a lot of people make. You assume that free is actually a valid adjective to describe single payer medicine. You still pay for it, and I can't believe that some people are actually stupid enough not to see that. Whether its a health care insurance premium taken out every paycheck in the US, or a higher personal tax rate or higher sales tax rate, such as in Canada, those health care costs still get paid for by the consumer. Just because the money comes out of column A instead of column B does not make it "free".

 

[LSN80]

No healthcare system is without its flaws. And no, you dont have to be happy about it, but if you continue to reside in the country that has the regulations and restrictions around healthcare, then you have to live with it.

What good does complaining about this do? I could honestly understand if you were asking a question, but you're doing nothing more then telling a story. I could sit here and tell you about a family member of mine thats disabled and has disability insurance. Despite being disabled and unable to work, said family member has to be holding a job in order to maintain their disability insurance to stay on the medications that keep them alive. Why do they have to work? So a portion of what they make can be deducted from their paycheck. Ive talked to this family member many a time about the frustration of barely being able to get out of bed in the morning, but forcing themselves to do so in order just to maintain the insurance they're paying for anyway.

My point to you is this: While your system is undeniably flawed, its inherantly better then anything we have here in the United States. I have health insurance, and I had undetected pneumonia last year for 2 months. Why? Because I was turned away at the hospital emergency room due to a long wait, and the "walk-in" clinics we have in my county dont accept my insurance, and just to be seen by a doctor, it would have cost me 140$. And thats before they run tests. And Im someone who takes extremely good care of myself.

I hope this helps to put in perspective the benefit and blessing you have in getting free healthcare. I understand that freedom doesnt always equal "free", but Id take your system over mine any day of the week.

 

[WWEFAN_100]

What blessings do i have when i can't see my own familly doctor?

You want me to be grateful?

Let us actually use our family doctor and then i will be grateful but there is nothing to be grateful about.

I would be more then happy to pay for heath care if that means that i'm able to see my family doctor on a regular basis.

and i'm not going to be attacked because I happened to think our health care can use improvements.

 

[LSN80]

What blessings do i have when i can't see my own familly doctor?.

Calm down chief. One of the things I asked you in my post was "what are you asking in this thread?" but anyway, to respond.

Its a blessing that you have......(1.)free healthcare. (2.)You arent forced to work even if its beyond your capability (3.)in order to pay for insurance for the medication that will keep you alive. Did you read that part about my family member? Simple question.

You want me to be grateful?

I dont much care what you do. Be bitter and angry. It doesnt affect me in any way. I just find it sad, that's all.

Let us actually use our family doctor and then i will be grateful but there is nothing to be grateful about.

I PAY for my insurance and I cant see my family doctor. I have to PAY to use a walk-in clinic because they dont accept my insurance. Whose in the better situation?

I would be more then happy to pay for heath care if that means that i'm able to see my family doctor on a regular basis.

Would you be willing to pay if your family doctor wasnt available? Because thats the reality for many of us here in the United States.

and i'm not going to be attacked because I happened to think our health care can use improvements.

Youre not being attacked. I told you a story, and made a point. If you take that as an attack, thats sad. I also acknowledged that your system is flawed, but less so then ours. That was my point. Im reitereating it now. As so many of us have said, its either go bankrupt for many of us or pay for healthcare. That's NOT my situation, but I know those for whom that is very much the reality.

 

[WWEFAN_100]

Again just because I don't pay don't mean taht I should be thrilled with the health care. So because I don't have to pay you guys are saying that I should be happy that I don't see my family doctor and I shoudl be happy that it takes us 4 trips to teh walk in clinic to get the right medication.

Like I said not going to be made to feel guilty because according to some of you because I dont pay I have to be happy.

 

[Davi323]

That's just it though, WWEFAN_100...you do pay. You don't pay for it directly, the transaction isn't between you and your doctor, but you do pay for your health care. Its just that the Canadian government is the middleman. You pay them in higher tax rates, they pay the doctor using the money received from those higher tax rates.

Lets say I pay 50 dollars a paycheck for my health insurance premium. I get paid every two weeks, or 26 times a year, meaning that would total 1,300 dollars annually.

Now, under a single payer system, like Canada has, instead of having 50 dollars taken out of my paycheck, my tax rates go up...if my tax rates go up that same 1,300 dollars, and that money gets applied to health care, did I end up paying for health care, or was it free?

According to the logic of some people, the ones bashing you for not thinking the Canadian system is all its cracked up to be, they would say that my health care is free, because I don't pay the doctor directly. That is the logic they are using. Even though I still get money taken out of my paycheck that gets applied to health care costs, as long as the government gets that money first, that means it was free, and I didn't pay anything. What a bunch of bullshit. You pay for your health care just like Americans do. The money used just goes through a different process.

To all of you that want to disagree with me, fine. Here is your chance. Explain to me how Canada's system is truly free if its paid for by Canadian tax dollars. If each Canadian citizen pays taxes to fund it, money that comes out of their paychecks, explain how they are getting health care for nothing. Or will you be forced to admit that calling it free is a crock of shit?

 

[Arkham Noir]

That's just it though, WWEFAN_100...you do pay. You don't pay for it directly, the transaction isn't between you and your doctor, but you do pay for your health care. Its just that the Canadian government is the middleman. You pay them in higher tax rates, they pay the doctor using the money received from those higher tax rates.

Lets say I pay 50 dollars a paycheck for my health insurance premium. I get paid every two weeks, or 26 times a year, meaning that would total 1,300 dollars annually.

Now, under a single payer system, like Canada has, instead of having 50 dollars taken out of my paycheck, my tax rates go up...if my tax rates go up that same 1,300 dollars, and that money gets applied to health care, did I end up paying for health care, or was it free?

According to the logic of some people, the ones bashing you for not thinking the Canadian system is all its cracked up to be, they would say that my health care is free, because I don't pay the doctor directly. That is the logic they are using. Even though I still get money taken out of my paycheck that gets applied to health care costs, as long as the government gets that money first, that means it was free, and I didn't pay anything. What a bunch of bullshit. You pay for your health care just like Americans do. The money used just goes through a different process.

To all of you that want to disagree with me, fine. Here is your chance. Explain to me how Canada's system is truly free if its paid for by Canadian tax dollars. If each Canadian citizen pays taxes to fund it, money that comes out of their paychecks, explain how they are getting health care for nothing. Or will you be forced to admit that calling it free is a crock of shit?

Nothing is absolutly free. Money doesn't grow on trees and obviously they need to be funded somehow, but there is a big difference between paying $20 000 for surgery and having to pay some extra taxes. Most people can't pull that kind of money out of there ass when the time comes, but by paying abit extra in taxes helps those whose can't pay for it afford treatment.

The canadian health care system doesn't go by an everyman for themselves attitude. Those heartless bastards.

 

[SalvIsWin]

That's just it though, WWEFAN_100...you do pay. You don't pay for it directly, the transaction isn't between you and your doctor, but you do pay for your health care. Its just that the Canadian government is the middleman. You pay them in higher tax rates, they pay the doctor using the money received from those higher tax rates.

Lets say I pay 50 dollars a paycheck for my health insurance premium. I get paid every two weeks, or 26 times a year, meaning that would total 1,300 dollars annually.

Now, under a single payer system, like Canada has, instead of having 50 dollars taken out of my paycheck, my tax rates go up...if my tax rates go up that same 1,300 dollars, and that money gets applied to health care, did I end up paying for health care, or was it free?

According to the logic of some people, the ones bashing you for not thinking the Canadian system is all its cracked up to be, they would say that my health care is free, because I don't pay the doctor directly. That is the logic they are using. Even though I still get money taken out of my paycheck that gets applied to health care costs, as long as the government gets that money first, that means it was free, and I didn't pay anything. What a bunch of bullshit. You pay for your health care just like Americans do. The money used just goes through a different process.

To all of you that want to disagree with me, fine. Here is your chance. Explain to me how Canada's system is truly free if its paid for by Canadian tax dollars. If each Canadian citizen pays taxes to fund it, money that comes out of their paychecks, explain how they are getting health care for nothing. Or will you be forced to admit that calling it free is a crock of shit?

No one is arguing with you that Canadians pay for their health care via their taxes. You're seemingly directing a rant at people who aren't involved in this conversation. No one's going to attempt to show that Canadian health care is free, because it can't be shown because it's not true. It's called free because you don't have to worry about it. You pay a flat rate, and you cant be turned away, denied care, left to die because you have a pre-existing condition, etc - it's simply a term.

If you want to say that it's the same as the American system because you might pay a similar price to your insurance company as what I do to my government, that's completely different and I would most definitely disagree.

 

[WWEFAN_100]

I think what he is trying to say that either way we are still paying for health care and nothing is free in this world, we are paying some how for heath care.

Even if it was free, i'm not going to be grateful for something that I am not able to use. Sure we get free health care "Sake of argument" but why shoudl i be grateful?

I haven't seen my family doctor in years. That's nothing to be grateful about.

Us Canadians dont' have to be happy with our health care just because we don't pay. So we can never complain about our health care because we don't pay. That sounds stupid to me.

 

[Arkham Noir]

I think what he is trying to say that either way we are still paying for health care and nothing is free in this world, we are paying some how for heath care.

Even if it was free, i'm not going to be grateful for something that I am not able to use. Sure we get free health care "Sake of argument" but why shoudl i be grateful?

I haven't seen my family doctor in years. That's nothing to be grateful about.

Us Canadians dont' have to be happy with our health care just because we don't pay. So we can never complain about our health care because we don't pay. That sounds stupid to me.

We aren't saying you need to be grateful, just realize that there are members of this forum in countries that have much worse health care systems. It's like hearing a rich guy complain that he has to wait for his limo: annoying as fuck.

Case and point for the canadian healthcare system; this autumn I seriously fucked up my legs. Not broken bones are tears or anything like that, but a had skin burned off my shins. Almost to the point that there was rings of raw skin that ran around my shins. I went to the hospital , registered my health card with them, and waited an hour . They than gave me prescirption creams and told me where to buy the bandages to heal. No money to get in. Nothing. If I had to pay to get in a I would not of had the money with me and my legs probably would have gotten infected.

Sure there's problems, but realize that other on here have it much worse than you and don't want to hear your complaing about it.

 

[Xemmy]

I think what he is trying to say that either way we are still paying for health care and nothing is free in this world, we are paying some how for heath care.

Oh, so you're responding to him? What about the others that have put you in your place. Nothing is free, we get that. Salv already pointed out, that when we've said "free" we're using it abstractly because you're paying for it through taxes. They same way we would say libraries are free.

Even if it was free, i'm not going to be grateful for something that I am not able to use. Sure we get free health care "Sake of argument" but why shoudl i be grateful?

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!! Stop saying that. I've already explained why!
You have best healthcare in North America. You have superior healthcare to 160 other fucking countries. THAT is why you should be grateful. I'm not saying it's perfect. I'm not saying you shouldn't try and weed out the imperfections. BUT you still have more than billions of other people. File complaints, organize protests, do whatever you have to do to get Canada's problems changed. Or better yet, shut up and move to France.

I haven't seen my family doctor in years. That's nothing to be grateful about.

Us Canadians dont' have to be happy with our health care just because we don't pay. So we can never complain about our health care because we don't pay. That sounds stupid to me.

Starting a thread just to whine is stupid. You started this thread (or so it seemed) to point out the misconception that Canada's healthcare wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
Everyone and there grandmother has pointed out that you have Universal healthcare, which is an all around better system than either of your southern neighbors. I gave you a list from the W.H.O. And yet instead addressing these criticisms with evidence, statistics, or anything tangible, you've mearly given personal horror stories. That's not how we do it in the Cigar Lounge. We argue logically, we present facts, and we debate. Get it together.

 

[WWEFAN_100]

YOu don't think I don't know that other countries have it alot worse? I'm not that stupid but that does not mean that I have to be ok with the health care in my country. So becauese other people have it worse I have to be satisfied that I don't see my family doctor at all and that walk in clinics are horrilbe here?

Please i dont;' have to be happy about anything and all I care about is the country that I live in and what is going on here. What go on in other countries, is really not my concern.

Also just because we don't have to pay that don't mean that these problems shouldnt' be fixed and we shouldn't complain about it.

 

[Arkham Noir]

YOu don't think I don't know that other countries have it alot worse? I'm not that stupid but that does not mean that I have to be ok with the health care in my country. So becauese other people have it worse I have to be satisfied that I don't see my family doctor at all and that walk in clinics are horrilbe here?

Please i dont;' have to be happy about anything and all I care about is the country that I live in and what is going on here. What go on in other countries, is really not my concern.

Also just because we don't have to pay that don't mean that these problems shouldnt' be fixed and we shouldn't complain about it.

Dear god, what do you want? The system has problems. It has been said countless times at this point that we know its flawed. I'm trying to make you aware of why people aren't sympathizing with you. Have you ever tried going to a different clinic ? Or making a damn appointment? There are thousands of people who are lobbying for the doctor's time just like you are.

Be patient.

 

[LSN80]

YOu don't think I don't know that other countries have it alot worse? I'm not that stupid but that does not mean that I have to be ok with the health care in my country. So becauese other people have it worse I have to be satisfied that I don't see my family doctor at all and that walk in clinics are horrilbe here? .

Nobody, and I mean nobody, has suggested that you have to be happy, satisfied, enthralled, genuflecting or freaking orgasmic over the Canadien healthcare system. What we're suggesting is that you respond to the questions that people are asking you rather then continue to say the same flipping thing over and over again. One of the things you said in your previous thread about a countries customs is that if someone doesn't like them, they shouldnt try to change them, they should just move. I dont care if youre a native Canadien or not, if its that big of a deal that you spend post after post saying the same darn thing, you should freaking move!!! We get it. U hate Canadien healthcare. Do you have absolutely ANYTHING ELSE to offer to this conversation?

Please i dont;' have to be happy about anything and all I care about is the country that I live in and what is going on here. What go on in other countries, is really not my concern.

On that same note, I live in the United States, as do the majority of the posters here on this site. Another question: Why should we care about your health care boo woo problems when you've just stated that you don't care about ours? You're digging your hole here.

Also just because we don't have to pay that don't mean that these problems shouldnt' be fixed and we shouldn't complain about it.

The problem is, this isnt "The Complaint Lounge". This is the Cigar Lounge. We bring up a topic, ask questions about it, and debate. We don't sit here and get mad because someone dares to question our opinion, or callously say we dont care about other people's problems or opinions. We may disagree with each other about alot of things, but at the end of it, generally theres a mutual respect that is established between each other because of those disagreements. Things tend to get heated in here, whether you like it or not. You continuing to bash your healthcare and bash people for questioning your opinion doesn't earn you respect, rather contempt. Do you follow what Im saying here?