I am happy for Canadian Dave as he seems to have found his definition of perfection in America. Unfortunately, Dave is out of touch with the current state of waiting times and treatment in Canada. In the past year the wait times for heart and cancer treatments have been cut to weeks from months. Also, we are seeing more private clinics doing colonoscopies etc. and billing the province for the cost. Canadians are adamant that they want to preserve their universal health care system. Getting changes is a slow process with much public resistance. If the system is so flawed why do we cherish it so?
I lived in the Netherlands from 1996-2000. During that time we paid a family health premium of about US$75.00 per month and that included dental as well as medical. The Dutch provide much preventive care as part of the service. That premium provided top level health care including all drugs, therapies etc. with NO bill ever presented. I developed a neurological problem and within two weeks I had seen my GP, a neurologist and had cat scans + other tests in our local hospital. Perhaps there are lessons to be learned there. The impression from America is that anything socialised is somehow tainted and unpatriotic. Until Americans can remove the blinders they will not be able to correct the obvious flaws of your health care system.
