Canadian national healthcare system is also in crisis
In 1962, Canada implemented a national healthcare system funded by the government. The Canadian system was founded on 5 principles set forth in the Canada Health Act. The principles are:
- Universally available to permanent residents
- Comprehensive in the services it covers
- Accessible without income barriers
- Portable within and outside the country
- Publicly administered
The system is funded jointly by the federal government and the provincial and territorial governments. The main source of revenues is taxation. This includes taxation on personal and corporate income, sales tax in some provinces and an annual fee in some other provinces. Some provinces cover prescription drugs as part of the health plan and some provinces have instituted their own prescription drug plan.
In 2008 the Canadian Health Association published the results of its 10th annual Health Care In Canada Survey. The most important concerns cited by the public were wait times, access to care and a shortage of doctors.
In 2007, when the survey was conducted, only 57% of the Canadian public thought they were receiving quality health care. Waiting times to see a specialist and for diagnostic testing has become a critical issue. Waiting times for services have increased steadily over the years.
In 1999, the waiting time to see a specialist or have a diagnostic test was 13.1 weeks
In 2003, the waiting time was 17.1 weeks
In 2004, the waiting time was 17.9 weeks
In 2007, the waiting time reached an new high of 18.3 weeks
Canada is experiencing a national health care crises just as dire as the crisis in the United States. Many Canadians are questioning the sustainability of their health care system. Canadians are asking, will I be able to get care when I need it?
In addition to the long waiting times for the services mentioned above another major issue fueling the health care debate is the shortage of doctors. In 2002, the Canadian Nursing Association published a report that alerted the country to serious shortages in personnel and the need for improvements in medical technology.
Immigration from Canada to the United States is generally low except in the area of healthcare professionals. Doctors especially make up a significant proportion of the workers who have chosen to leave Canada for employment in the United States.
The 2008 survey reported that 49% of the public felt that access to even a family doctor has gotten worse in the last 2 years. Curiously as the US debates the merits of a publicly funded health plan, Canadians who have lived under such a system since 1962 are debating the merits of allowing individuals to purchase private insurance even for services already covered under the national system. The survey results are enlightening.
63% though allowing private insurance would result in shorter waiting time.
62% believed that private insurance would increase the shortage of doctors and nurses because they believed doctors and nurses would prefer to work in the private system
59% believed that creating a two tiered system would result in those who could afford to pay for private insurance getting better care
57% thought adding a private insurance system would improve access to health services for everyone
56% thought the result would be increasing costs of health care
55% thought it would lead to improved quality in health care services
Some Canadian provinces have attempted to reduce the burden of healthcare funding by contracting out healthcare services to private companies. Although this move is controversial, the public is beginning to recognize that the there may be a need for some middle ground between completely government funded plans and full private health insurance systems.
Perhaps before we rush too quickly into a government controlled health plan, we should pay some attention to the experience of our Canadian neighbors.
For more information: The complete 10th annual Canada Health Survey is available here in French or English
Comments
My view is that human health, in a sense, may precede all the other basic human rights as everything means nothing for someone without it.
As far as I know, the major role of government will be to protect basic rights of the public from any threat. That is why all of the developed countries have public policy in place, I guess.
Unluckily, the employment-based system in the U.S. does not have measures ready for the critical economic conditions, just as an automobile without 'a safety system', which comes at at price, yet is even better than a fatal accident.
Some say the capitalism is being challenged, but I think, it might be correct that the monopolies by vested groups are being defied risking fair competitions and the overall economy.
We can hardly expect the sports team with the so many injured to win the game.
If health care is so bad in Canada, or in fact, in other European countries with government health care, why don't we see a huge influx of immigrants from those countries in to the US as we did in the early to mid 1900's?
Also, Canada's banking system is in relatively good shape as they did not taken on these risky investments that US banks did.
AMERICA’S NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY!
It’s official. America and the World are now in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A World EPIDEMIC with potential catastrophic consequences for ALL of the American people. The first PANDEMIC in 41 years. And WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES will have to face this PANDEMIC with the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed World.
STAND READY AMERICA TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
We spend over twice as much of our GDP on healthcare as any other country in the World. And Individual American spend about ten times as much out of pocket on healthcare as any other people in the World. All because of GREED! And the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare system in America.
And while all this is going on, some members of congress seem mostly concern about how to protect the corporate PROFITS! of our GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT NATIONAL DISGRACE. A PRIVATE FOR PROFIT DISGRACE that is in fact, totally valueless to the public healt
Being from Canada, I'd like to point out that the data in the article is 100% false. You will be hard pressed to find a Canadian who is A. unsatisfied with the system. B. Has waited to see a specialest or C. Actually wants a private option. I know I haven't met any.
To John from Canada
I have to stand by the facts in my article. The data was taken directly from the 10th Annual Health Care in Canada survey. You can find a complete copy on line.
The survey was reported by 10 different organizations including the Canadian Health Care Association, the Canadian Home Care Association, the Canadian Medical Association,
the Canadian Nurses Association, the Health Charities Coalition of Canada, the Universite de Montreal- Groupe de rcherche en gestion therapeuticque and 3 research firms.
I doubt that all these organization conspired to lie about the results of the survey. It's nice that you and your acquaintances never had a problem, but I suggest you read the survey for yourself before you attack a person's credibility
Thank you for your comment but your personal opinion does not square with the published data.
Well my friend's mother died from the progression of a lower bowel tumor that took her life after she had to wait 6 months to see a specialist. So look at the 10th Canadian Survey and see the top two complaints: #1 waiting (regional hospital was miles away) #2 Physician shortage. So John, the report very accurate in my opinion.
I tend to agree with John, the are OECD UN WHO surveys that can be trusted. This survey was conducted by elements of the health care industry that use this annual survey to represent their own interests versus Government policy. Chiroprators, massage therapists, private nursing homes, drug companies, doctors, nurses and so on all lobby the government. Health care policy and practice receive continual assessment and debate to improve and adapt. Our first interst is the health of our citizens. There is no debate in Canada over single payer universal health care, we will never give it up.
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