Uh Oh! It's Nader: "21 Ways Why Canada's Health Care is Better."--Any DU Canadians Care to Discuss?

[JBoy]

63. Several inaccuracies, to varying degrees:

Tackling them in the order presented, here's what jumps out at me:

#16 - Depending on the province, some funding comes from monthly fees. Full time employees will typically have these paid by their employer, though it would be a taxable benefit. If you're self-employed, you're mandated to pay that fee (unless you fall below an income threshold). Fees are not outrageous, something like $40/mo for individual, $80 for a family.

#14 - Don't know where they get the notion that costs are controlled. We're suffering from escalating health care costs, like every developed nation. I suppose costs are controlled by limiting services. You can't just walk into a hospital and expect a quick MRI. Elective surgeries can have significant wait times.

#13 - Nobody will go bankrupt due to injury or illness in the short term, but medication is often not covered. If you need expensive medication, you could suffer severe financial hardship, until you get so poor that you get your medication covered that way.

#8 - Even the better employer extended health plans, which provide coverage for medication, will typically have a deductible or copay. And note - dental, other than "medically necessary" services, are not part of Canada's health care system. Employers will often provide that coverage, typically with a copay of say, 20%. Without employer coverage you're on your own. Get a cavity? Well, if it gets real bad and they need to yank it out in a hospital, then you'll get that covered by the government. Preventive dental care is not covered.

#3 - I don't know where they get this info from, or what it means. To the extent that funding the system comes from general revenue, and the fact we have a progressive income tax system, then funding the system is progressive. The percentages don't look right to me. The lowest income people would pay no income tax, and get credits to offset some of the sales taxes they pay. Higher income people's tax rates would be well over 8%. I'd need to see the math on how they come up with those figures.

#2 - I'm sure they're saying this metaphorically. They don't "give you a card when you're born", like "here's your card, kid".