Private Health Care Gives National Health Care Run For the Money
Loading ...As legislation nears for a universal health care system in America, the Obama Administration looks to neighboring Canada as a model of public health care. However, an adverse phenemonon is taking place in Canada where government health care has long been considered successful–the private health care business is booming. Patients who are tired of substandard care and long waits are seeking alternative options to public health care, even at a cost.
“The pain was already taking its toll and the wait time was terribly frustrating for me. I had to do something sooner to continue living life the way I want to,” says Geraldine Cross, a Canadian patient who was told that she would have to wait up to a year for an MRI resulting from a back injury. Geraldine was also told that she would have to wait even longer for surgery. Gladly shelling out a few hundred dollars, Geraldine was able to get an MRI scan within just a few days and experienced noticeably superior service during her appointment.
“The nurses and doctors were so helpful and thorough. I was basically pushed through like cattle before I opted for private health care,” said Cross.
Not everyone is as fortunate as Cross since the Canada Health Act forbids citizens in certain provinces to seek for-profit treatment covered by public health insurance. Patients like Geraldine Cross understand the importance of having the choice, a freedom she is not willing to give up. Still others believe that private health care facilities undermine the purpose of universal health care. Lobbyists who are pro-government health insurance cite reasons that private facilities employ government doctors causing even longer wait times for those using public insurance dismissing the fact that more competition drives prices lower and increases quality of service.
The United States has yet to pull enough votes from both Democratic and Republican parties because opposition remains strong across the board. And in light of the recent shift in public versus private health care in Canada, Republicans and Democrats alike are looking at other possible alternatives.
