A friend on Facebook asked what I thought, and I couldn't resist sharing my perspective on the US and Canadian health care systems since I have thought a lot about it.
First of all, I would like to say that I am proud to be an American. My Husband is also proud to be a U.S. citizen. Although we have lived in Canada (and we love Canada too) in the past and happen to be living here now, we might very well end up in the U.S. for the rest of our lives. Then again we might live in Canada. We just aren't sure.
Okay, let me share my experiences.
Having A Baby...
In the U.S.
You have a huge recovery room with fake hard wood floors, impressionist paintings on the walls, fake flower arrangements, a decent sized flat screened TV, a hide-away-bed for your spouse, a stake and shrimp dinner complete with cheesecake and sparkling apple cider (I kid you not....I'm talking about a hospital in Idaho here, but I'm sure they're not the only ones) free deluxe milk shakes whenever you want, Jacuzzi bath, free breast pump, free blanket with the hospital's name embossed on the corner, free onesie, free lanolin, free diaper bag, free bottle, and some other stuff they throw in there.
I say "free" and I mean it...it was free for me. Tax dollars paid for every cent. I was on medicaid.
I had a bill over $70,000.00 dollars and I didn't pay one penny (emergency cesarian.)
As far as care and quality goes, I have found, that unless you are careful and are well educated, the U.S. system as a whole encourages you to have an induction, if you haven't had an induction and have gone to the hospital on your own but are moving along rather slowly, it is standard to encourage you to get some sort of "drip" to speed you along (kind of like a rude waiter at a busy restaurant.) And as far as cesarians go....congratulations USA, you are number one for frequency of cesarians! One out of three. Also, the United State's infancy mortality rates are higher then almost all of the other first world nations.
In Canada
You have a small recovery room with stark white walls THAT YOU SHARE with one other mother (delivery room is private though). The only decorations are faded posters warning you about post-pardem depression and shaken baby syndrome. There is no place for your husband to stay. The food is gross microwaved dinners. There are no freebees.
As far as care and quality goes, inductions are discouraged. Going on stimulates to help you go faster once you are at the hospital is discouraged. The cesarian ratio is lower (about 1 in 5) and Canada is below the United States in infancy mortality rates. Your health care covers midwives, even if you want to have a home birth.
Conclusion: Okay, maybe I'm weird, but I'm way against inductions and unnecessary cesarians, (or cesarians that were caused by hurrying things along) and so even though you get total comfort and deluxe treatment in the US, I'm going with Canada on this one.
Ultrasounds....
I'll tell you right now that U.S. wins BIG with this one.
I HATE CANADA'S ULTRASOUND PROCEDURES!!!
First of all, I guess because there are tons of East Indians and Asians here, there is a high percent of people aborting if they find out they're having a girl. Therefore it is often (but not always...what's up with that?) policy NOT to tell you the gender. Depending on the technician you have, you most likely will NOT even see the monitor screen!!!
The technician is most certainly Not your doctor and it will be up to who knows what whether or not they will write the gender in their report. They tell you nothing, and I mean nothing about anything. They send their info to the doctor, and only she/he can tell you anything. UGG!
The U.S. ultrasound system is a dream :)
This leads me to the subject of
Miscarriages....
Let me just share what I've been through.
In the US I went to the doctor. Right away we did an ultrasound and as the doctor was finding out it was a miscarriage, we found out as well. The doctor encouraged a D. and C. which I had.
I was in Canada on a small island on a holiday (I think it was Canada Day) with the next miscarriage. This island didn't have an ultrasound, and the doctor told me how I could get on the ferry, drive an hour and get an ultrasound, but that I could just wait and see, and a D. and C. was not necessary if it was indeed a miscarriage. I opted out of traveling to the ultrasound and I was very glad I did not have a D. and C.
That second experience, however, doesn't really show what Canadian vs US truly is.
The last Miscarriage, however, does a bit. I went into the doctor in Canada. He scheduled me for an ultrasound in one hour. Okay folks, I live in a tiny town an hour away from a REAL hospital with the REAL ultrasound capabilities. This doctor had just barely gotten this ultrasound that was meant for emergencies only and had used it about ten times in total. He couldn't see a heartbeat so he immediately sent me to the experts. I went right in, got seen immediately by their stinken ultrasound technician who of course didn't show me the screen and didn't say a word (but was rather nice and asked me about my family) and then...THEN I had to wait THREE hours while they tried to find someone with the right "authority" to tell me the news!!! But when that doctor did tell me he talked and talked about the pros and cons of a D. and C. (I chose not to have one.)
Conclusion: U.S. because of peace of mind with ultrasounds, but I didn't like how quick they are to do unnecessary surgeries.
Emergency Rooms....
I haven't found very many differences. Both places have about the same amount of wait times. The quality and comfort are about the same. How nice the doctors are etc. Just not that different.
Family Doctor care....
When I was in British Columbia, the family doctors had either no or very few nurses. I actually liked this. You didn't have to tell your whole story to the nurse just to tell it yet again to the doctor. The doctor was the one totally in charge. He personally got your weight, blood pressure etc, and I liked that. Here in Alberta they seem to have nurses. Whatever.
Second opinions, changing doctors, all of that kind of stuff is easily done in Canada.
So again, not much difference.
Labs....
In the States, we don't even think about labs. There is a lab in every doctor's office. Convenient but costly.
In Canada, only in the big cities do you get labs RIGHT NEXT TO the doctor's office (not in) and in small towns, you go to your local tiny hospital for the labs. This means blood work, and most other testing is inconvenient. I get why, but I've been spoiled.
Cancer....
My mother-in-law (in Canada) got diagnosed with breast cancer this year. She immediately got scheduled for a surgery to cut the cancer out. After surgery, she was unsure about whether or not she really wanted radiation. She got several different opinions from all over B.C. and then, I guess since she was visiting Alberta....(I'm not sure how this worked) she got opinions from Alberta as well. She ended up getting radiation in Alberta promptly and efficiently. She is now getting checkups done in B.C. but things look hopeful that she is on her way to remission already.
She has told me that friends of hers in the States did not have things go as quickly and efficiently as she did. I have no data to back that up...but as stated in the title; this is MY perspective.
When you have an issue that is not threatening in any way, and is not time dependent...
In the U.S....
They take care of it right away anyway.
In Canada....
You wait....and wait. Dustin has tons of warts (over a hundred I think)....(I'm sure that Dustin isn't pleased that I'm sharing this, but I have a feeling not very many people are actually reading this...maybe some of the Barlow clan is...I love you Carroll! Don't hate me after this blog!) They don't bother him at all, but after trying several things his whole life, he is ready to get serious about this problem. To get to a specialist who will help him get serious he got an appointment that was SIX MONTHS in the future.
Okay, after looking at the consumer portion, now let's look at the business and insurance portion.
Doctor's pay and treatment...
Contrary to what many Americans believe, Canadian doctors (especially Alberta doctors) are often paid MORE then U.S. doctors. I know this for a fact.
Canadian Family doctors are a bit more stressed. Perhaps. You see, an American doctor can have thousands of patients and hardly ever sees any of them. A Canadian doctor has WAY less patients, who come in tons more about every little thing. They both work the same amount of hours, but the U.S. doctors tend to deal with legitimate cases on strangers, while the Canadian doctors deal with pittley cases on patients they see over and over.
In the States, insurance companies hurt small business
"What!?" You might ask...well let me tell you why I believe this.
Unless you are a big enough business to afford and manage you and your employs getting an insurance "benefits" package deal, insurance will suck you dry and people might not want to work for someone who does not have benefits.
My friend Laura had a husband who needed her to get "full benefits" for his health issues. She felt stuck to a dead end job that was giving her carpal tunnel for the express purpose of getting benefits. She had no time for education and could not dream of entrepreneurship.
The insurance companies themselves seem to be just a monopoly. I called every insurance agent in the book, and they all seemed to be affiliated with blue shield and blue cross! What's up with that?! Where's the capitalism?
Insurance on it's own (without the connection of a job with benefits) costs outrageous amounts and will only cover you after you've already spent $5,000 dollars, but have all these exceptions and conditions like transplants and lifelong problems.
The States already has a Social Health Care system that is more "socialized" then Canada's
I was on Medicare for some time in the states, and let me tell you, it was socialized medicine. Like I said, $70,000 for a baby and a lot of that was unnecessary things, and taxes paid it all.
In my opinion, Medicare and Medicaid is more extravagant then Canada's whole system. But those who are paying for it, aren't getting anything from it.
Canada's system is locally driven
The province, not the national government, put together their own health care. Alberta happens to be a very rich province, so we have a great health care system (thus my previous statement that Alberta doctors get paid better.)
The entire population of Canada is less then that of California, so when you break it up into pieces, you actually really do get a say. I personally know our Southern Alberta MP (governor.) Because it's small government, we have more say in our health care issues.
Taxes in Canada are not worse
Okay so I don't have any data on this, but Dustin moved his business here because after talking to lots of accountants from both sides of the border, it seemed the best choice for tax purposes. So in my PERSONAL experience, taxes are actually nicer in Canada.
But Lastly
I DO NOT AGREE WITH OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE!!!
I think it is an EVIL system that seems to favour the pharmaceutical companies and hurt the doctors. Don't get me started on how corrupt I think the pharmaceutical companies are! This blog is too long already! It does not follow Canada's model at all.
In conclusion....wow this blog is long....over all, the U.S. system is comfy cozy but a little knife happy, but the insurance system behind it is broken.
I am not a socialist, but maybe for healthcare I am because I've been satisfied with Canada and would much rather a socialist program that's working well then a "capitalist" program that has big time socialism in it that actually hurts small time entrepreneurs.
whew....done.
5 comments:
I am so glad you posted this Linds, I have wanted some comparison for years. I hate it when people in the US put down the Canada health system without knowing anything other than what disgruntled politicians may be saying to drum up votes. My limited personal experience has been very positive here in Canada. I don't have as much experience as you, however so I really appreciate your take on things. Between friends and family (like Cheryl) who have gone through cancer and other health issues all I hear is positive. Cheryl would be bankrupt and dead if she was in the states for her health issues.
Lindy, I agree, I do not like what Obama is trying to do with health care. This is why I am so interested with what others have to say about different countries health care policies. I want to vote and know what I am talking about. Thanks for taking the time to write.
I have a different view about birth survival rates. Knowing how statistics are often taking out of perspective you have to realize one of the major things that drives down other countries birth fatalities is their willingness to abort pregnancies that look iffy. I have been amazed at the great care that was given to Tiffany's two babies born at 24 weeks and 28 weeks--amazing stuff, they survived.
I know there are a lot of cut happy doctors--for their own personal gain, they get more money with a C-section, med groups get more if you use a drip. I'd say it is the doctor. I had a great doctor in Indiana. The state and the doctor you pick have a big affect on your birth experience.
I hope for all of our benefit that we can get manageable health care.
Interesting topic Lindy! I like the insight you provided. I have a question real quick (i was kinda tired when i started reading so if the answers already in the blog...oops!) You say that doctors hear encourage more c-sections, etc. versus Canada. But why is Canada discouraging them? I tend to lean towards the idea that such procedures cost money, so they don't want to pay for it. That's my understanding of it. Medicaid is nice (I was on it too, thanks taxpayers!) What needs to happen though here, is frivolous lawsuits need to stop. Doctors make a lot here, but much of their money goes to paying for malpractice insurance. This is why healthcare is so expensive. Private insurance companies need to compete, ie someone needs to make an insurance company that provides affordable rates for people with pre-existing conditions for example. I agree with you Obamacare is the death knell of decent healthcare, as well as small businesses.
Erin...It's not that Canada doesn't want to spend money on cesarians, it's that cesarians often have bad after effects. The U.S. has so many because of the "convenience" of them for patients and doctors, because inducing and hurrying along mothers often results in a cesarian, and because doctors in the U.S. are taught that if they are in any kind of doubt about what to do, no one will sue them if they just caesarian them.
Natalie...I have no idea if Canada aborts iffy pregnancies. That sounds horrific and I haven't heard of anyone in Canada going through that, but of course that's not something you would tell everyone. I know how wonderful those Utah doctors were with Tiffany's babies. What a miracle!
Great post! Scott (my hubby) is finishing up his fourth year of podiatry school, so I'm very interested in what happens to the healthcare system! The corruption in the government and insurance & drug companies is terrible. (Btw..I'm enjoying reading your blog! I didn't realize you had one until you left a comment on mine!)
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