How could you say “No”?
I live in Canada and one of the things I am greatful for each and every day is free health care. It is an immense relief to know that if a car jumps the curb and hits me, no one is going to be putting proof of insurance as a higher priority than saving my life. Any serious injury is financial downfall enough from the time needed off work alone, the injured person doesn’t need to be stressing about a ten grand hospital bill as well!
When I go to the doctor because I feel sick, and it turns out to be nothing more than a basic flu that will pass in a few days, it’s fantastic that I don’t have to hand over 25 or 50 dollars just for the priviledge of 2 min with Dr. A telling me I’m fine. It’s been said that when people know healthcare is free, they are less likely to take care of themselves, but nothing could be farther from the truth. When people have to pay out of pocket for every visit, they don’t want to waste money to hear “you’re fine” and therefore postphone the seeing a doctor until the ailment is critical, and in some cases until it’s too late. Trust me, when a percentage of every paycheque goes to the healthcare system, you do NOT hesitate to go to the doctor when you feel ill; after all, you’ve already paid for it!
Perhaps some Canadians say that socialized medicine is not all it’s cracked up to be, but you have to remember that healthcare is under provincial jurisdiction and is delivered differently in every province. Some places swing towards two-tiered systems (where private healthcare is available). Many Canadians do not agree with privatized health care because it increases the gap between the rich and the poor (a huge problem in the U.S. you have to admit.) When the poor cannot afford healthcare, they get so sick that either their work performance suffers or they cannot work at all, resulting in even more poverty for themselves and their familes.
Another perk of socialized medicine is that Canadian doctors do not suffer from “mechanic syndrome”. Doctors here do not push medically unnecessary procedures onto patients just to make money. In dentistry, which is not covered by the government, this happens all the time; I would hate to have privatized medicine, because I’m not a doctor, I don’t know what may be needed for me to get better, but do I really want to be afraid to trust my doctor? My health should be his motivation, not money.
Your health is more important to you than money…does your doctor feel the same?
You shouldn’t even have to ask that question.