U.S. Government Health Care

Americans often ask me how I like our Canadian health care system and I honestly answer them that it isn't perfect but it beats the hell out of what they have in the U.S.. Americans can't imagine the freedom of seeing a doctor, having medical treatments, surgery, or a hospital stay without having to face a bill at the end of it. True, we pay higher income tax here in Canada than in the States but not having to worry about health care makes it worthwhile.

I watched CNN this morning and was disgusted to see an ad claiming that government health care in Britain (wonder why they didn't use Canada??) meant someone was refused a pap smear, life saving drugs, and delayed life saving treatments. Ads like this are meant to frighten Americans into believing they'll be higher taxed for a system that will fail them miserably and it got me wondering just who would benefit if the Americans refuse to accept universal government health care. I didn't get the sponsor of the ad but I'll be looking for it the next time the ad airs.

Here is how our system has worked for me...my husband suffered from esophagus cancer for a year and in that year he received excellent and timely treatments. We had home care nurses throughout his illness and who arrived daily at the end of his life. He used a host of medications that increased as his illness progressed. He had 2 short stays in the hospital, once at our request. A hospital bed, bathroom equipment, medical supplies, etc. were all provided for us at home. We were never presented with a bill for any of this.

When I arrived home from Florida this year I was concerned about a spot on my forehead and called my dermatologist who agreed to see me within a few days. She removed the spot and gave me a prescription for an antibiotic cream. Last week I was a little worried about a cut on my leg so I called my family doctor and he saw me within the hour and gave me a prescription for an antibiotic pill. My only cost for these two visits was a dispensing fee of $6.11 for each prescription.

It is a shameful reflection on the powerful United States government that they haven't provided their citizens with a health care system similar to ours. I can only believe that the medical field is so lucrative and their lobbyists so powerful that they've been able to prevent universal health care by underhanded means. I remember how some of our own doctors, limited by how much they could charge our government for their services, threatened to move to the U.S. where they'd earn more money and some did. It all boils down to money, doesn't it?

Americans have questioned me about the long waits for treatment they've heard about. It's true there can be long waits for elected surgeries such as knee and hip replacements and that's not a good thing here. Our hospital emergency rooms are also pathetic and in dire need of improvement. Like I said, the system isn't perfect.

I know of more than a few Americans who continue to work in their senior years because they need the money to pay for their drug prescriptions. There is no way this is right. In Canada a senior pays a lump sum of $100 per year plus the $6.11 dispensing fee but low income seniors pay less than that.

Americans should insist that the people they vote for support a universal health care system that will be paid for in slightly higher taxes. No-one wants to pay more taxes but, in this case, the cost is justified.

There's still a good chance that Obama will bring in a decent health care program for the American citizens but I worry when I see ads like the one I saw this morning. Someone is attempting to brainwash viewers into accepting the status quo and I wonder who they are. I'm betting it's unscrupulous doctors and drug manufacturers. Hmmm!