Quake3World

....here's the first of a two-part series aimed at busting the common myths Americans routinely tell each other about Canadian health care. When the right-wing hysterics drag out these hoary old bogeymen, this time, we need to be armed and ready to blast them into straw. Because, mostly, straw is all they're made of.

shadd_ wrote:the best thing we can do is encourage people to smoke, drink and eat fast food so they die at 65 not 95.

1. Canada's health care system is "socialized medicine."
False. In socialized medical systems, the doctors work directly for the state. In Canada (and many other countries with universal care), doctors run their own private practices, just like they do in the US. The only difference is that every doctor deals with one insurer, instead of 150. And that insurer is the provincial government, which is accountable to the legislature and the voters if the quality of coverage is allowed to slide.

The proper term for this is "single-payer insurance." In talking to Americans about it, the better phrase is "Medicare for all."

scared? wrote:lets see the only other western country with longer lines than america is canada and it doesn't cover everything...i'll take the french system...

EtUL wrote:So. Socialized medicine the doctors deal with the state. This is different, because they deal with an insurance company. Btw that company is the state.

Nightshade wrote:
9 times out of 10 I can see a doctor within a week for non-emergency issues.
1. Do you think this is excessive?
2. Do you have numbers to back up Canada's alleged longer wait times? I have no idea what they are.
3. fuck u...

EtUL wrote:I just had to stop reading after the first one cause i was laughing too much

1. Canada's health care system is "socialized medicine."
False. In socialized medical systems, the doctors work directly for the state. In Canada (and many other countries with universal care), doctors run their own private practices, just like they do in the US. The only difference is that every doctor deals with one insurer, instead of 150. And that insurer is the provincial government, which is accountable to the legislature and the voters if the quality of coverage is allowed to slide.

The proper term for this is "single-payer insurance." In talking to Americans about it, the better phrase is "Medicare for all."

So. Socialized medicine the doctors deal with the state. This is different, because they deal with an insurance company. Btw that company is the state.

In the previous post, I looked at ten of the most common myths that get bandied about whenever Americans drag Canada into their ongoing discussions about healthcare. In this follow-up, I'd like to address a few of the larger assumptions that Americans make about health care that are contradicted by the Canadian example; and in the process offer some more general thinking (and perhaps talking) points that may be useful in the debates ahead.

MKJ wrote:did she die?