Utopia!

[Bono]

http://blog.acton.org/archives/2318-Utopia!.html

Utopia!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Continuing with my posts highlighting just how wonderful things will be here in the United States when the government finally does its job and takes over the healthcare sector of the economy, I’d like to bring your attention once again to the fabulous success story that is the Canadian health care system:

    Last year, the Canadian government issued a series of reports to address the outcry over long wait times for critical tests, procedures and surgeries. Over a two year period:
    • Wait times for knee replacements dropped from 440 to 307 days.
    • Wait times for hip replacements dropped from 351 to 257 days.
    • Wait times for cataract surgeries dropped from 311 to 183 days.
    • Wait times for MRIs dropped from 120 to 105 days.
    • Wait times for CT scans dropped from 81 to 62 days.
    • Wait times for bypass surgeries dropped from 49 to 48 days.


Sure, you might have to wait a couple of months for that lifesaving bypass surgery. But remember: it’s free!

[Bono]

Better still to have the option of either course of action.

Well I'm taking that as a given

Too bad Canadians can't do the same.

[Bono]

Better still to have the option of either course of action.

Well I'm taking that as a given

Too bad Canadians can't do the same.

Don't about 30% of Canadians opt for private sector healthcare?

No, 30% of health expenses in Canada are private, which is simply because Medicare doesn't cover outpatient prescription drugs, non-physician services like physical therapy, optometry, dentistry and some procedures like laser eye surgery.  Accepting private payments is illegal, although Canadians can just cross the border to circumvent waiting times, and growing numbers are doing so. In June 2005, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Chaoulli v. Quebec  that Quebec's prohibition against private health insurance for medically necessary services laws violated the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, however, this hasn't translated into much real reform so far.