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Politics: US Envy Canada's Free Health Care?
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by Barry Artiste | February 3, 2008 at 05:11 am
3041 views | 18 Recommendations | 8 comments
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Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor
Does the US envy our Health Care System?
Perhaps, but the US is mistaken when they believe our Health Care is Free. Nothing is Free, our Taxes pay for Health Care.
US Elections platform have Democrats wanting to fix the US Health Care system, perhaps Canada's Health System, though not perfect may be model the US can fine tune for it's citizens.
Though HMO's and other Medical Providers get billions from US Health Care plans and are safely ensconced in Politicans pockets.
Somehow I thinnk very few policitans will go against these Medical corporates and doubt any workable bill will pass the Senate. Though a workable system like Canada's could work if established on a state level in the richer states who can afford it.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — If you want to know what Americans think, try being a Canadian voice on their radio dial.
In search of election fever, I am sitting in the downtown studio at 590 WVLK, Lexington's most tuned in talk radio station — but the disembodied voices coming through my worn headphones want to know more about Canada's "free health care" system than rattle on about their own presidential election.
It's the first hour of Sue Wylie's morning show, and I'm live with the voices of America.
The hall leading in here is lined with 50 years of aging photos, dating back to when they first broadcast home-grown Bluegrass talent, went live from natural disasters and chased down crooked politicians. Back when AM was king.
The large, off-yellow microphone an inch from my nose smells faintly of coffee. Rules for an emergency broadcast are tacked to a soundproof wall. In a steady line of bright, blinking lights, callers crowd the phone bank, as others tap in e-mails, trying to add their two cents worth.
Nothing stirs the pot like American talk radio.
"He's come a long way to listen to you," Wylie prompts.
So has she. Her first gig was back in the 1950s — doing voices for The Storm, a Rod Sterling radio suspense show. She'd later become the first woman to do hard news stories in Miami's television news markets. She's also a democrat, speaking daily to a republican radio base.
Leaving the studio, I'll be stopped by a woman who will tell me she knows of Americans who plan to move to Canada if Hillary Clinton wins.
On this morning, only the last two callers will try to promote the virtues of Ms. Clinton, whose lead on contender, Barack Obama, is shrinking. It doesn't matter —no one seems to be getting what they want in this race.
"I haven't made up my mind on Bahama, or whatever his name is," says Jim, a caller who's joined a loud chorus who believe Republican John McCain is a liberal in wolf's clothing.
"I will hold my nose and vote for Senator McCain," 'Frank' chimes in.
Outside of the studio, during a break, Wylie reasons: "There is a sense of distaste that whoever is elected, there won't be much change."
I'm on — bookmarked by quick-talking and deep-voiced traffic and weather reports — for an hour. The last part of her show will be the popular "what ticks you" off segment.
What is perhaps ticking Wylie off is her listeners crowding in to ask about the wonders and worries of universal health care, rather than today's focus on the race to the White House.
But the two topics, for many Americans — especially those who can't afford coverage and those who don't believe it's a cure-all — are attached at a sore-hip.
"How much in taxes do individuals pay for universal health care in Canada?" 'Steve' wonders.
Others rave about Canada's natural beauty.
But at least one caller wants to know the Canadian government's position on protecting the U.S. border, to which I ask whether there's a fear Canucks are illegally streaming south.
No, I'm told by the engaged callers, keeping Canadians out is not a political issue. Though for one e-mailer named 'Storm', their northern cousins are nothing to salute at.
"Excuse me, but y'all did not support us in the war against terror," she writes in, before explaining why Obama is a Manchurian Candidate — an evil, mind-controlled plant.
"Because he is not sincerely a Christian," she vents.
Wylie will not let the diatribe catch the open air. Instead, I talk to reasonable, concerned people. Voters who have little faith in the current roster of presidential candidates and who look north, and wonder if things might be better there.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2008/02/02/4809454-sun.html
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Barry Artiste
Vancouver, Canada
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at 08:52 on February 3rd, 2008
Barry Artiste, Where will the Canadians go for health care if we go to socialized medicine? Good story. Reminded me of my radio days. That microphone in my day smelled like coffee, cigarettes, and jack Daniels.
at 09:14 on February 3rd, 2008
Good story Barry. A very complex issue in which I have an important stake.
I hope we can keep the government out of our health care here in the U.S. We already pay for the health care for those who can't afford it. Maybe not as well as we could/should, but better than anyone else. The burdens that are dragging our system down now are the deadbeats and lawsuits. The deadbeats are those who can get insurance but don't bother to sign up. They just don't want to pay the money, they figure somebody else will cover for them, because someone always does. The other big problem is lawsuits. People sue over garbage, and unscrupulous attorneys are more than happy to take the cases on a commission basis. This is the system John Edwards used to attain his wealth.
Being disabled with Parkinsons, Fibromyalgia, Neuropathy and heart disease, if the Dems get their way I will have to wait weeks in line behind thousands of people with the sniffles to get any treatment for my constatnly changing conditions. The only people who will ever benefit from government health care are the politicians in government, the people who contribute to those politicians, and the deadbeats who are already hurting the system.
at 09:15 on February 3rd, 2008
Barry Artiste, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 09:28 on February 3rd, 2008
When I lived in New York, I was not earning enough to afford both health care and rent, but not quite low enough on the income ladder to qualify for Medicare. It sucked. My health plan was vitamins and looking both ways before crossing the street.
In Canada, it's sort of the opposite problem: everyone has coverage on a sliding scale (I pay something like $600/year; in NYC, Blue Shield would have been nearly $600 monthly), but nobody quite knows how to use the system. Specialists aren't in walk-in centers, since there are fewer of them and the triage procedure is different than down south. Here everyone goes to the ER for every complaint. Not necessarily because they want to intentionally block up the works, but they just don't know better: the emergency room is, for most people, the front door to the medical system for anything other than a runny nose. A good rule of thumb is, if you're not dying or squirting blood, then you're likely not an ER admit: enter the system via a GP or clinic.
(Though, contrary to what lots of Americans say, Canadians aren't more aggressive snowboarders because of socialized medicine: injuries hurt us just as much, and we still have to deal with recovery time. Well, most of us)
at 10:55 on February 3rd, 2008
A link to a comic book character! Who said news can't be fun?
at 11:00 on February 3rd, 2008
Yup! In fact, I'm lobbying for a new national motto... Canada: Belligerent and Indestructible!
at 09:15 on February 4th, 2008
Hello Barry,
This is a great article, which resonates with me - particularly because of it's relevance to me, since I moved here to the U.S., almost 10 years ago, from Australia.
Like Outrageous, I have several medical conditions that need to be monitored and treated.
This topic definitely opens a can of worms with me. In fact, I've just decided to write an op-ed article about this for Now Public. I don't know why I didn't think about it before.
Suffice it to say for now, that Australia has a health care system very similar to Canada's which works extremely well and gives people - all people - the right to receive health care.
~ Swan
at 09:26 on February 4th, 2008
Thanks everyone for your comments, Canada's Health Care may not be perfect, but it is one of the best so far, with fine tuning it will get better I am sure.