That's because people get Insurance mixed up with Health Care.
This is what we do. I believe it costs us less, and the HSA account is such a great benefit.
My wife is an "actual Canadian". She and her family has gone through the Canadian health care system and in a word, it sucks. I obviously never had to deal with it but I have watched my in-laws deal with it and all I can say is I'm thankful and grateful to have the healthcare we have here. I really don't know where to start. Yes, there is health care in Canada but unless you have money you'll have to deal with the wait. Need a specialist? Forget it unless you can wait months or even years. My wife's mother dies from Lupus over 10 years ago mainly due to miss/late diagnosis. It was so difficult to get an appointment that they just don't even bother unless the condition is really bad or until it's nearly too late. Her father had to have an above the knee amputation decades ago due to poor circulation. With proper early diagnosis and treatment they could have saved his leg. Her brother had mental health issues. He couldn't get the help he needed and committed suicide last year. Those are just a few things that I was able to witness. Yes, the healthcare is there but nobody talks about the availability and quality of care. When we got married and my wife was able to use my insurance she was amazed at the quality, variety, and availability of health care we have here. She thought the Canadian healthcare system was fine until she was exposed to ours because she didn't know any better. Every time she hears someone praising the virtues of the Canadian social healthcare system she just goes nuts. Just to be fair, I did experience a positive side of their system. One year while we were there visiting her family I cracked a tooth and the pain was unbearable. Obviously I couldn't just drive to my dentist but I had to manage the pain long enough for us to get back to the States. With her being a Canadian citizen she was able to get me Tylenol 3, which is a prescription strength pain killer, for about $1 and change Canadian. So that's my $.02 based on our actual experience.
While that all sucks, I've seen all those scenarios play out here in the US as well, especially the mental health stuff. We are severely underprepared for the amount of mental health issues we have in this country. There is no perfect system, there's pros and cons to all of them. If we switch to a universal healthcare system here, would we have the same waits? Possibly. When you consider the fact that most people in the country are underinsured, or uninsured, and then they all get insurance overnight? Yea, could cause some delays in care that we aren't used to. There's gotta be a way though, some kind of middle ground. But one thing's for sure, what we have here isn't working, it's going to implode if we don't come up with something.
I was only comparing the Canadian healthcare system with ours here in the US. I am by no means suggesting that our system is perfect but is far better. I didn't want to go there but since you mentioned it, I will offer up my thoughts on universal healthcare, or anything that's "free". Politicians just love to promote free universal healthcare and free college but as we all know the devil is in the details. They get people excited about them but they never promise or even mention the quality of care or education they will be given for free. What surprises me is that nobody is asking. Whatever version the universal healthcare people get, do you think those politicians are getting the same level and quality of care? Do you think the care Johnny Voter is forced to get will be at the same level of quality that Bernie Sanders gets? When people who are all for universal healthcare hears the promise of it I think they assume they'll get the same level of care they get when they have to pay for them. They must have that assumption or else they would be against it, right? Who wants less care? Same with education. The politicians promise free public college education but they never mention the quality of that education. Also, when it is being funded by the Government (with tax payers' money) then the Government has control over what care is being administered in hospitals and what lessons are being taught in schools. See where I'm going with this? If you don't like what you're given what recourse do you have? None. What are you complaining about? You're getting it for free so shut up and take it. When ever you get anything for free you can be sure that it is an inferior version of what you get when you have to pay for it.
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Believe what you want. I'm not here to argue with you or anyone else. I'm just expressing my personal experiences and opinions. So you never heard any politician say free healthcare? BTW, I get to keep my health insurance even after I decide to retire. I'm still working and it is not because of healthcare. Take care.What a load of horseshit. We pay more per capita than any other country on earth for healthcare...by a lot. No one is calling Medicare for All free. I've yet to hear that once. What I do hear is that it will save us money:
22 studies agree: ‘Medicare for All’ saves money
Whether you call it single-payer or “Medicare for All,” it isn’t some socialist pipe dream. It’s a sensible, efficient and effective way to guarantee excellent health insurance to every…
Healthcare being tied to your job is the single easiest way for employers to keep power over employees as well.
How did we end up with health insurance being tied to our jobs? - Marketplace
It started with a national wage cap during WWII.
Thats a seriously jaded statement from someone choosing to be here (at the moment). I have no problem with you having that position and Im not going to try to go point by point but there is some grey out there to work with. I had a boss who was from the Netherlands. He came over once for a meeting. I took him shopping so he could buy stuff to bring home. The one that stuck out was basic stuff like screwdrivers etc. I had to ask why and was told because it was so crazy expensive there with the taxes. Its just something I remember. Either way you pay. Its just a matter of how / where you pay. The push for nationalized healthcare here had little to do with year on year cost increases and thats where they lost me.
while I don't see an implosion....I do agree with you for the most part. There are serious issues here and the politics of (potential) change don't (yet) address the core issues...or so I feel. There are issues here that make me nuts...and "needing" an insurance company as your pimp to get you a "real" price for something is one of them. The crazy year on year increases (vs inflation) are another.
