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Canada versus united states healthcare coverage
Comparison of the healthcare system in Canada and the United States
Compare and analyze the Canadian and the U.S. health care systems
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Both Canadian and American health care systems have become a significant part of my culture. I have recently been diagnosed with two major ailments for which both countries hospitals have become dear to my heart. Without the use of both systems I firmly believe I would not be here today. There are many differences between the American and Canadian health care system, both of which I have used and have experience in. I will discuss their fundamental differences and give my opinion as to what aspects I like and dislike about each. There are major differences between the Canadian and American Health Care Systems. The Canadian Health Care is publicly based which means it is governed by the Canada Health Act. It was created to ensure all Canadian citizens have access to health services. Costs are paid through funding from income tax where virtually all essential basic care is covered. Several practices like psychology, chiropractic, physiotherapy and medication (services not deemed critical) are not covered by the government but can be insured by private companies issued through employers or purchased individually. If the patient lacks private insurance, they have to pay out of their own pocket. The United States health care system is privatized and is profit based. Americans do not automatically have health coverage. They pay out of their own pocket for all services which means people may go untreated if treatment is unaffordable. For many Americans health insurance is a perk given by an employer to help cover the cost of basic health services. Americans can also purchase health insurance individually at an astronomical price (Parente and Bragdon). When it comes to looking at the fundamentals of both private and public systems, I of... ... middle of paper ... ...it comes to the fundamentals of both health care systems I firmly support the idea that everyone should be given the right to health care regardless of their financial standings, which Canada has a grasp on. In my situation I am very lucky that I have a family who supports me and has the money to put towards my physical health. For those that do not have enough money, Canada is a more viable place to live. Works Cited Parente, Stephen, and Tarren Bragdon. "Why Health Care Is so Expensive in New York." The Wall Street Journal [New York] 16 Oct. 2009. Print. "Comparison of the Health Care Systems in Canada and the United States." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. . "Medical Diagnosis with Dr.Sleeman." Telephone interview. 15 Sept. 2011.
The health care system in Canada today is a combination of sources which depends on the services and the person being treated. 97% of Canadians are covered by Medicare which covers hospital and physician services. Medicare is funded at a governmental and provincial level. People of First Nation and Inuit descent are covered by the federal government. Members of the armed forces, veterans, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also covered by the federal government. Several services such as dental care, residential care, and pharmaceutical are not covered. The 13 provinces have different approaches to health care; therefore, it is often said that Canada has 13 healthcare systems (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). The access to advanced medical technology and treatment, the cost of healthcare, and the overall health of Canadians fares well in comparison with other countries such as the United States.
What is the difference between a.. How is the payment system organized? An analysis of the US and Canada’s systems reveals advantages and drawbacks within each structure. While it is apparent that both countries could benefit from the adoption of portions of the other system, Canada’s healthcare system offers several benefits over the US system. Who receives the healthcare coverage? Due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law on March 23rd, 2010 health care in the US is presently in a state of much needed transition.
On a global scale, the United States is a relatively wealthy country of advanced industrialization. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is among the costliest, spending close to 18% of gross domestic product (GDP) towards funding healthcare (2011). No universal healthcare coverage is currently available. United States healthcare is currently funded through private, federal, state, and local sources. Coverage is provided privately and through the government and military. Nearly 85% of the U.S. population is covered to some extent, leaving a population of close to 48 million without any type of health insurance. Cost is the primary reason for lack of insurance and individuals foregoing medical care and use of prescription medications.
The public health care system in Canada is still flawed, proven through the wait times that many patients have to go through. Canadians may wait up to six to nine months for “non-urgent” MRIs . The waiting list is dreary for Canadians, unlike Americans who can get their services immediately through paying out-of-pocket, the long public sector in Alberta waits up to a year for services, the wait for cataract surgery was six weeks ; these waits for some patients put the public health care system to shame, and helps push the idea of the privatized health care system a bettering option for the future of the nation. Additionally, 41 percent of adult Canadians said they experienced a difficulty in accessing hospital and physician care on weekday nights and weekends . Furthermore, it is still evident that Canadians in fact pay a higher income tax compared to Americans, due to the fact that they are paying the fund the health care system through their taxes; however, it is still significantly less to pay for a public health care system than it is privatized . Privatization is further proved as a superior choice with regards to the discharge situation many Canadians face. In Canada, it is common to see patients discharged earlier than recommended due the rising amount of patients using the free-of-charge public health care system, patients are released “quicker and sicker” because of this . Additionally, when discharged, the public health care system does not cover home care and private nurse care ; further proving the notion that there is still some forms of privatization already in the health care system in
Health care has become an issue because of the shortage of doctors in Canada. Many of them are either going to the U.S.A. or going to other countries to practice in hospitals and clinics. The earning cap imposed by the government has forced doctors to work fewer hours than are necessary to serve the public. Many Canadians are without a doctor to help them with their needs, and emergency rooms are filled to capacity with no available beds for those who have to be admitted to the hospital. Waiting time for specialist and specialty tests has become so long that someone diagnosed with a major illness may die before they can be properly treated.
Canadian Government has created The Canada Health Act and developed it in all provinces and territories to provide better health care for its country residence. There are thirteen provinces and territories in Canada that works according to The Canada Health Act. Those health care services described by health Canada are as following: Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Health and Community Services, Prince Edward Island Department of Health and Wellness, Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, New Brunswick Department of Health, Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Manitoba Health, Saskatchewan Health, Alberta Health, British Columbia Ministry of Health ,Yukon Department of Health and Social Services, Northwest Territories Department of Health and Social Services, Nunavut Department of Health. Health Canada provided annual reports to keep Canadian resident updated for overall view of year (Health Canada, 2013). The Canada Health Act works based on its five main principles which include Public Administration, Comprehensiveness, Universality, Portability, Accessibility. Public administration requires that only public authority with non-profit basis have are allowed to carry out the admiration of provincial health insurance. Comprehensiveness conforms that very important needed health services such as hospital, physician and surgical dentists must be fully insured. Universality looks over all insured residents to provide them all with equal level of health care. Portability cover residents for health care when the...
Niles, N. J. (2011). Basics of the U.S. health care system. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
The first content being analyzed is a book, which covers an aspect of health care that deals the “focus on wait times” for patients in Canada. This book begins by recognized the detect in Canada’s healthcare, as it pertains to wait time. Canada has a history of delayed wait times that great surpass that of other countries. The book offers an example that support this claim, through a contrast done in 2010 with 11 different nations proved that Canada is among the least efficient countries with regard to wait times. In addition,Canadian have the longest waits for specialists, with 41% of people having holds up of two months minimum. Nevertheless, Canadians have said to find the wait times worthy, though the global measures show otherwise. Furthermore,the
In Conclusion, the health care systems in both countries have their strong points as well as their weaknesses but I would still much rather have our own health care system. I hope these facts about the different systems will help you better understand them.
As stated, wait times are a large issue in the Canadian health care system, with many often having to wait weeks to see a doctor. These wait times are potentially due to the global budgeting system that Canada has in place, in which health facilities are given a particular budget for the year. This budgeting system is in place in order to control overall costs in the country, however, Canada is still spending nearly the same amount of GDP on health care as other countries with single-payer systems in place, such as the United Kingdom. In order to reduce these long wait times, Canada could attempt to put fewer restrictions on the budgeting system, functioning more so like the United Kingdom where wait times are not an issue. Smaller budget cuts could be made in other departments to allow for the budgeting of health facilities to rise leading to smaller wait times. Furthermore, Canada can also expand on their coverage of medications by following the model in the United Kingdom in which they are covered by the government. A 2012 study by the University of British Columbia found that one in ten Canadian’s currently struggle to or simply cannot afford to purchase prescription drugs. Through following the United Kingdom’s lead in having prescription drugs, and other services such as optometry, covered by the government, Canada could potentially have a more efficient health care system. Moreover, physicians in Canada are paid on a fee-for-service basis meaning that the quantity of care is arguably more important for some over the quality. This method in which physicians are paid contrasts from the United Kingdom as in the country they are paid by a method of “salary, capitation, and pay for performance, with heavy emphasis on capitation”. The latter method is conceivably more efficient as the
This essay will be comparing the defining characteristics of the Australian and United States healthcare system. The key features of Australian and United States healthcare systems will be discussed as well the jurisdictional roles and responsibilities of the three-tiered governance within the two countries. The pattern of fund distribution in both countries will also be examined to provide an understanding of national healthcare system. The positives, negatives and challenges of the Australian and United States healthcare system will also be discussed in this paper to acknowledge the problems that are within the Australian and United States healthcare system. A final comparative discussion will be provided in this essay in order to fully grasp the similarities and differences of the two healthcare systems.
Some of these aspects include long wait times, uneven distribution of care, and most importantly, the various costs. Canada's system is certainly not the worst, but it is not the best either. The provision of care for Canadians is not flawless, however it is significantly better than some of the forms of care in other parts of the world. In contrast to the United States, Canada's healthcare system is thought of as a shining example of what they wish to achieve, but there are a few holes that need to be filled before any country can look up to Canadian healthcare. One of the issues that need to be address in Canada's healthcare system is about delivery, as there can be some bias as to who is eligible for things like proper treatments and surgeries. Another example could be being referred to a specialist that is not covered under a patient's insurance, resulting in possibly high costs. Lest Canadians be forgetful of no hospital bills or be ungrateful for the quality of the care and facilities, many still need to be educated on why the healthcare system is not entirely perfect. Therefore, this paper will outline why Canada's healthcare system has
Looking at various systems around the world and how they came into existence provide useful comparisons and illuminate how different countries have responded to very similar needs of their citizens as well as how to mitigate limitations and marshal opportunities offered in the diversity of these systems (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). This paper analyzes several health systems throughout the world, specifically focusing on Japan, Australia, Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom and compares how these systems differ from those in the United States.
We live in a country where we have the privilege of having free universal health care for all citizens. You should not have to worry about your income to protect and save yourself/loved ones from medical issues. People that are unemployed, students, disabled or homeless are covered under the system and do not need to worry about affordability. Although our system is very beneficial, many Canadians suffer from long wait times, limited coverage for additional healthcare services/testing, and safety of food in facilities.
As a Canadian, I am proud to say that my country provides public health care to its citizens. Canada provides health insurance plans that supply coverage to its entire people. Under the health care system, individual citizens are provided care and medical treatments from physicians as well as access to hospitals, dental care and additional medical services. Most citizens qualify for health coverage regardless of medical history, personal income, or standard of living. In this paper, I will argue that public healthcare is the better option because it provides individual right, equality, and a better lifespan.