Ralph Nader points to 22 ways the Canadian health-care system is better than Obamacare
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Ralph Nader points to 22 ways the Canadian health-care system is better than Obamacare in the U.S.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/01/12/canadian_health_care_better_than_obamacare.html#
Political activist Ralph Nader recently outlined the advantages of Canada’s medicare system over so-called Obamacare in the United States to an audience at Western University in London, Ont.:
Dear America:
Costly complexity is baked into Obamacare. No health insurance system is without problems but Canadian-style single-payer full medicare for all is simple, affordable, comprehensive and universal.
In the early 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson enrolled 20 million elderly Americans into medicare in six months. There were no websites. They did it with index cards.
Here are 22 ways the Canadian health-care system is better than Obamacare.
Love, Canada
Photos View photos
Narendra Parmar, left, is helped by enrollment specialist Laquanda Jordan as he signs up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act in Miami on Dec. 23, 2013.zoom
No. 22: In Canada, everyone is covered automatically at birth — everybody in, nobody out.
In the United States, under Obamacare, 31 million Americans will still be uninsured by 2023 and millions more will remain underinsured.
No. 21: In Canada, the health system is designed to put people, not profits, first.
In the United States, Obamacare will do little to curb insurance industry profits and will actually enhance insurance industry profits.
No. 20: In Canada, coverage is not tied to a job or dependent on your income — rich and poor are in the same system, the best guarantee of quality.
In the United States, under Obamacare, much still depends on your job or income. Lose your job or lose your income and you might lose your existing health insurance or have to settle for lesser coverage.
No. 19: In Canada, health-care coverage stays with you for your entire life.
In the United States, under Obamacare, for tens of millions of Americans, health-care coverage stays with you for as long as you can afford your share.
No. 18: In Canada, you can freely choose your doctors and hospitals and keep them. There are no lists of “in-network” vendors and no extra hidden charges for going “out of network.”
In the United States, under Obamacare, the in-network list of places where you can get treated is shrinking — thus restricting freedom of choice — and if you want to go out of network, you pay for it.
No. 17: In Canada, the health-care system is funded by income, sales and corporate taxes that, combined, are much lower than what Americans pay in premiums.
In the United States, under Obamacare, for thousands of Americans, it’s pay or die — if you can’t pay, you die. That’s why many thousands will still die every year under Obamacare from lack of health insurance to get diagnosed and treated in time.
No. 16: In Canada, there are no complex hospital or doctor bills. In fact, usually you don’t even see a bill.
In the United States, under Obamacare, hospital and doctor bills will still be terribly complex, making it impossible to discover the many costly overcharges.
No. 15: In Canada, costs are controlled. Canada pays 10 per cent of its GDP for its health-care system, covering everyone.
In the United States, under Obamacare, costs continue to skyrocket. The U.S. pays 18 per cent of its GDP and still doesn’t cover tens of millions of people.
No. 14: In Canada, it is unheard of for anyone to go bankrupt due to health-care costs.
In the United States, under Obamacare, health-care-driven bankruptcy will continue to plague Americans.
No. 13: In Canada, if you lose your job, you don’t lose your health insurance.
In the United States, you will often hear people say, “I hate my job, but I can’t leave it because I’ll lose my health insurance.” Or people will be forced to get a job they hate just for the health insurance.
No. 12: In Canada, simplicity leads to major savings in administrative costs and overhead.
In the United States, under Obamacare, complexity will lead to ratcheting up administrative costs and overhead.
No. 11: In Canada, when you go to a doctor or hospital the first thing they ask you is: “What’s wrong?”
In the United States, the first thing they ask you is: “What kind of insurance do you have?”
No. 10: In Canada, the government negotiates drug prices so they are more affordable.
In the United States, under Obamacare, Congress made it specifically illegal for the government to negotiate drug prices for volume purchases, so they remain unaffordable.
No. 9: In Canada, government health-care funds are not profitably diverted to the top 1 per cent.
In the United States, under Obamacare, health-care funds will continue to flow to the top. In 2012, CEOs at six of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. received a total of $83.3 million in pay, plus benefits.
No. 8: In Canada, there are no necessary co-pays or deductibles.
In the United States, under Obamacare, the deductibles and co-pays will continue to be unaffordable for many millions of Americans.
No. 7: In Canada, the health-care system contributes to social solidarity and national pride.
In the United States, Obamacare is divisive, with rich and poor in different systems and tens of millions left out or with sorely limited benefits.
No. 6: In Canada, delays in health care are not due to the cost of insurance.
In the United States, under Obamacare, patients without health insurance or who are underinsured will continue to delay or forgo care and put their lives at risk.
No. 5: In Canada, nobody dies due to lack of health insurance.
In the United States, under Obamacare, many thousands will continue to die every year due to lack of health insurance.
No. 4: In Canada, an increasing majority supports their health-care system, which costs half as much per person as in the United States.
In the United States, a majority — many for different reasons — oppose Obamacare.
No. 3: In Canada, the tax payments to fund the health-care system are progressive — the lowest 20 per cent pays 6 per cent of income into the system while the highest 20 per cent pays 8 per cent.
In the United States, under Obamacare, the poor pay a larger share of their income for health care than the affluent.
No. 2: In Canada, the administration of the system is simple. You get a health card when you are born. And you swipe it when you go to a doctor or hospital. End of story.
In the United States, Obamacare’s 2,500 pages plus regulations (the Canadian medicare bill was 13 pages) is so complex that then-speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said before passage: “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”
No. 1: In Canada, the majority of citizens love their health-care system.
In the United States, the majority of citizens, physicians and nurses prefer the Canadian-type system — single-payer, free choice of doctor and hospital, everybody in, nobody out.
Agree/Disagree ... he makes some good points.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/01/12/canadian_health_care_better_than_obamacare.html#
Political activist Ralph Nader recently outlined the advantages of Canada’s medicare system over so-called Obamacare in the United States to an audience at Western University in London, Ont.:
Dear America:
Costly complexity is baked into Obamacare. No health insurance system is without problems but Canadian-style single-payer full medicare for all is simple, affordable, comprehensive and universal.
In the early 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson enrolled 20 million elderly Americans into medicare in six months. There were no websites. They did it with index cards.
Here are 22 ways the Canadian health-care system is better than Obamacare.
Love, Canada
Photos View photos
Narendra Parmar, left, is helped by enrollment specialist Laquanda Jordan as he signs up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act in Miami on Dec. 23, 2013.zoom
No. 22: In Canada, everyone is covered automatically at birth — everybody in, nobody out.
In the United States, under Obamacare, 31 million Americans will still be uninsured by 2023 and millions more will remain underinsured.
No. 21: In Canada, the health system is designed to put people, not profits, first.
In the United States, Obamacare will do little to curb insurance industry profits and will actually enhance insurance industry profits.
No. 20: In Canada, coverage is not tied to a job or dependent on your income — rich and poor are in the same system, the best guarantee of quality.
In the United States, under Obamacare, much still depends on your job or income. Lose your job or lose your income and you might lose your existing health insurance or have to settle for lesser coverage.
No. 19: In Canada, health-care coverage stays with you for your entire life.
In the United States, under Obamacare, for tens of millions of Americans, health-care coverage stays with you for as long as you can afford your share.
No. 18: In Canada, you can freely choose your doctors and hospitals and keep them. There are no lists of “in-network” vendors and no extra hidden charges for going “out of network.”
In the United States, under Obamacare, the in-network list of places where you can get treated is shrinking — thus restricting freedom of choice — and if you want to go out of network, you pay for it.
No. 17: In Canada, the health-care system is funded by income, sales and corporate taxes that, combined, are much lower than what Americans pay in premiums.
In the United States, under Obamacare, for thousands of Americans, it’s pay or die — if you can’t pay, you die. That’s why many thousands will still die every year under Obamacare from lack of health insurance to get diagnosed and treated in time.
No. 16: In Canada, there are no complex hospital or doctor bills. In fact, usually you don’t even see a bill.
In the United States, under Obamacare, hospital and doctor bills will still be terribly complex, making it impossible to discover the many costly overcharges.
No. 15: In Canada, costs are controlled. Canada pays 10 per cent of its GDP for its health-care system, covering everyone.
In the United States, under Obamacare, costs continue to skyrocket. The U.S. pays 18 per cent of its GDP and still doesn’t cover tens of millions of people.
No. 14: In Canada, it is unheard of for anyone to go bankrupt due to health-care costs.
In the United States, under Obamacare, health-care-driven bankruptcy will continue to plague Americans.
No. 13: In Canada, if you lose your job, you don’t lose your health insurance.
In the United States, you will often hear people say, “I hate my job, but I can’t leave it because I’ll lose my health insurance.” Or people will be forced to get a job they hate just for the health insurance.
No. 12: In Canada, simplicity leads to major savings in administrative costs and overhead.
In the United States, under Obamacare, complexity will lead to ratcheting up administrative costs and overhead.
No. 11: In Canada, when you go to a doctor or hospital the first thing they ask you is: “What’s wrong?”
In the United States, the first thing they ask you is: “What kind of insurance do you have?”
No. 10: In Canada, the government negotiates drug prices so they are more affordable.
In the United States, under Obamacare, Congress made it specifically illegal for the government to negotiate drug prices for volume purchases, so they remain unaffordable.
No. 9: In Canada, government health-care funds are not profitably diverted to the top 1 per cent.
In the United States, under Obamacare, health-care funds will continue to flow to the top. In 2012, CEOs at six of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. received a total of $83.3 million in pay, plus benefits.
No. 8: In Canada, there are no necessary co-pays or deductibles.
In the United States, under Obamacare, the deductibles and co-pays will continue to be unaffordable for many millions of Americans.
No. 7: In Canada, the health-care system contributes to social solidarity and national pride.
In the United States, Obamacare is divisive, with rich and poor in different systems and tens of millions left out or with sorely limited benefits.
No. 6: In Canada, delays in health care are not due to the cost of insurance.
In the United States, under Obamacare, patients without health insurance or who are underinsured will continue to delay or forgo care and put their lives at risk.
No. 5: In Canada, nobody dies due to lack of health insurance.
In the United States, under Obamacare, many thousands will continue to die every year due to lack of health insurance.
No. 4: In Canada, an increasing majority supports their health-care system, which costs half as much per person as in the United States.
In the United States, a majority — many for different reasons — oppose Obamacare.
No. 3: In Canada, the tax payments to fund the health-care system are progressive — the lowest 20 per cent pays 6 per cent of income into the system while the highest 20 per cent pays 8 per cent.
In the United States, under Obamacare, the poor pay a larger share of their income for health care than the affluent.
No. 2: In Canada, the administration of the system is simple. You get a health card when you are born. And you swipe it when you go to a doctor or hospital. End of story.
In the United States, Obamacare’s 2,500 pages plus regulations (the Canadian medicare bill was 13 pages) is so complex that then-speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said before passage: “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”
No. 1: In Canada, the majority of citizens love their health-care system.
In the United States, the majority of citizens, physicians and nurses prefer the Canadian-type system — single-payer, free choice of doctor and hospital, everybody in, nobody out.
Agree/Disagree ... he makes some good points.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
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Comments
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Nader 2016!
The basis of Obamacare is still in working with insurance companies.
Secondly... Canada needs to be punished somehow for Justin Beiber. Giving us Hockey is great... like, really GREAT. But, it still doesn't offset Beiber.
...
That's all.
Hail, Hail!!!
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Agree with the post, insurance is the biggest racket we have in the US, it's terrible.
(thank god for Rush, too)
As to Beiber, I wish we could deport/export that idiotic self-absorbed little punkass.
As to the healthcare deal...well, my husband's still in their website/"customer service" limbo. It's a circle-jerk.
We set up an HSA (health savings account) which has helped but you really have to shop around to get one that works well- we had to switch banks a few times. So, yeah, getting adequate health care in the US is possible but it's a LOT of leg work and a certain degree of luck.
Fuck knows what the actual insurance coverage rates are going to be.
Or something like that.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
And I'm not sure how Obamacare will affect that. Not sure I want to know... but I do. Maybe no one knows at this point!
1) elective surgery wait time can be extensive.
2) if you have no family doc wait times at clinics and emergeny rooms can be lengthy (clinics not so bad, emergency rooms you can wait 4-8 hours easily). Many areas are underserviced ... so doc shortages exist.
3) those who a doc usually keep usually keep him/her because many doc have closed practices and finding a new doc is not easily done. So shopping around for a doc you are comfortable with is usually not an option.
4) your never to poor to be sick
5) just showing a health card to doc/clinic/er or a lab for medical test is very nice.
I myself appreciate what we have ... I also believe we can greatly improve our system by looking at some european models. I also appreciate what I have because I live in an area where I was able to get a good family doc, have good after hour emergency clinics. My parents live 40 minutes away and their community has no open practices, 1 walk - in clinic and the local emergency room (for them being almost 80 it's not a problem not having a family doc, but they are fortunate to be in good health, many seniors are not near as fortunate). Thats the part of the systems thats the problem, not enough family docs, to many people relying on clinics/er's and you have to wonder how many people are walking around with high blood pressure/high sugar/ cholesterol etc thats going unchecked that will eventually lead to other sickness's in the future.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I don't know... The level of Beiber's douchebaggery is in the high yield megaton range. It's up there in the Kardashians/Paris Hilton. So, you see... we have 500 megatons of doucheiness to deal with already... please, make Beiber go home.
Hail, Hail!!!
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Oddly enough and contrary to everything I believe, I actually think the only way healthcare costs come down is a single payor system. I find it strange that a bunch of people who never have to worry about their healthcare again as long as they live get to design and make a law dictating how the rest of us should do it. The disconnect between real life and career politicians is staggering. They are in a bubble and town hall meetings in your district dont' cut it.
Fuckers...
And Canada gave us SCTV. For those too young to know, find it and watch it.
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan
I agree with you comment however; we gave you a sweet kid that sang songs. You guys wrecked him. So now he's yours to keep. That is YOUR punishment. HAHAHAH!
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I'd say for the most part, those who favour a single payer system probably recognise Obamacare for what it is, the best they could get out of an impossible situation.