scrubbedexpat099

So you can not like you can in the UK go private, but you can pop into the US?

I know USC's who go to Mexico, you would have though there would be a big health tourism business.

scrubbedexpat091

We don't have a true mixed system, but there are loopholes in some provinces that allow these fee clinics to pop up.

Here is an example of one in Vancouver.

http://falsecreekurgentcarecentre.co...mily-practice/


Most provinces have issues with the healthcare system, and most have seen hospitals filled past capacity, shortage of doctors, and especially GP's, in some places it can take years to get a GP.

Wait times vary, if its an emergency life or death there is minimal if any wait just like the US, if its not an emergency the waits can be lengthy depending on what you need done.

For example if my appendix bursts, no wait for surgery, your going in on an emergency basis or if your local hospital isn't open for surgery, your going to the nearest one that is.

But if you need tonsils out, well you may wait a long while before surgery is done.

Its largely a money issue, how does the government pay for healthcare and all the other services it provides when taxes can't really be raised a whole lot more before people simply can't afford to pay them?

In BC 42% or so of the provincial budget goes to healthcare, and we are one of the only if not the only province to charge monthly premiums for healthcare which varies by income and family size to help off set the cost, but we have no charges at point of service.

Not all medical services are covered as well, for instance most prescriptions are not covered, preventive medical procedures such as an annual exam are not covered, PSA testing for prostate cancer isn't covered etc.

Basic medical services and medically necessary tests are generally covered, but there are always things that wont be covered.

Plaster casts are covered, but fiberglass are not for instance.

This is for BC, healthcare varies a bit by province as its a provincial matter and not a federal one other then the provinces must follow basic rules set out by the feds. Most provinces however have reciprocal agreements with one another so you can typically access medical care in another province without issue, Quebec being the difficult one.

Pulaski

Well one of the arguments in the UK is that there isn't necessarily the money to run equipment or clinics full time, so assigning some time to private patients helps pay for the building and equipment, while simultaneously removing some patients from the waiting list, so everyone wins by some people paying. Of course those that pay, or have private insurance, benefit the most. I guess that some countries prefer that everyone suffers, but completely equally/fairly, rather than everyone benefitting but by variable amounts.

scrubbedexpat091

Its life or death the wait times are minimal, if you have advanced cancer for example your wait will be very minimal if there even is one.

I've been told not to worry about my heart, but if I had the money I'd go across to the US, but like most I lack those kind of funds.

We don't have a private option in Canada where we can for example buy insurance to cover us to seek services elsewhere, only way to do it is to pay cash in another country or access one of the fee clinics if they offer what your looking for and pay with cash or suppose credit card if you have one.

We have supplemental health insurance but it only covers things not covered by the provincial system such as vision, dental, prescriptions.