I’m afraid that such wishful thinking in unjustified. The mere threat of government regulation in the 90s led to the destruction of competition in the pharmaceutical industry (consolidation into ever bigger and fewer companies). This lack of competition has dried up innovation and led to a decreased focus on all but the most “profitable” diseases. The health care upheaval underway and removal of the last sources of research investment will drive us into the health care Dark Ages. Considering everyone’s environmental concerns coupled to an ever increased world population further exacerbated by a proplonged lifespan and improved per capita income…perhaps the elimination of this excess population is the real driver behind so-called health care reform. Which goes first…us or the planet? Frankly neither scenario is appealing to me, but I don’t hear any serious alternatives being offered by anyone with the wherewithal to do anything about it.

Wrong. Excellence in US medical research will continue unabated because it is independent on how basic health care is funded. (It is funded by private insurance companies in the US, by public money in Canada.) Most US medical research are done in national institutions and universities – both are government funded. Private companies such as drug makers and specialty enterprises (such as DNA sequencing) do most of the rest. All these will continue to function and deliver first class results. The key US advantage on the care side is due to its ability to bring a vast team of doctors into the most challenging treatment using the most sophisticated equipment. Other countries can do almost the same, but usually falling short on the equipment side because they are truly expensive. Despite the heated debate, there is little disagreement that US can deliver the most sophisticated health care in the world; just that it’s also the most expensive. This is the upside of for-profit health care. The downside is 50+ million people don’t have it, and insurance disallows all but the lucky minority to enjoy such advanced treatments. What’s the joy of going up to space if so few can afford it?

Yes, violence is a big problem, glorified by USA culture.

I agree, we are NOT going to get change that individuals believe in.

Peace,
Melissa

Canada gets medical drugs from 3 basic sources – USA, Europe and domestic. About 1/3 each. Canada has a substantial pharma R&D and production industry. The single-payer insurance system permits large purchases of common drugs, thus enjoying lower price. You buy more you get a bigger discount – market force at work. This way common drugs have a lower price. Now dispatch these drugs to a health service system that is cost-plus (i.e. not profit) based and you add more savings.

As to the arguments from the US that Canada is ‘free riding’ on US R&D, that’s a weak argument. Because only about 1/3 comes from the US, and Canada buys them at full market price – with large volume discount. Nobody forces US pharma companies to sell at a lower price and compromise their R&D. So much hot air.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/liberals-planning-dramatic-health-care-cuts-ndp-critic-charges/article1233156/

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2005/04/06/984475-sun.html

http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=2748

I won’t bother debating with you silly Americans. You think you know more than the rest of the world anyway, and honestly it’s not my problem. I just want to point out that you are overlooking one major fact: in moving to a system like ours or the UK, you will be sacrificing the latest technologies and treatments. What makes the American system so appealing is your medical research. That, my friends, will be a thing of the past. If you don’t think that’s a concern, then perhaps you shold talk to people whose lives have been saved by experimental treatments.

I wish you all well. Just remember be careful what you wish for.

The drug thing . . . I have heard, but not verified that: USA pays for more for drugs because we pay for the R&D to develop and test those drugs. Canada bargains for a much lower cost that reflects cost of actual manufacture of pill plus a bit more, and USA consumers subsidize their lower costs by paying the built in costs for R&D. This is why we in USA are not allowed to get meds from our neighbors.

Does anyone know if that is another planted story to try and prop up the “oh poor private sector” mantra? Sure appeals to those who think the world would be in shambles without the supreme generosity of USA corporate entities, and the monopoly on inventiveness and productivity that a frightening amount of USAers believe they have. Ugh.

I think government insured population needs to be educated and also incentivized about some personal responsibility with regards to maintaining health as part of the package. I haven’t any suggestions as to how, but we have a problem in our country with oversized meals, fast “food”, and addiction to tell-a-vision and traveling on our a$$es. Also, the environmental pollution from everywhere we turn is a factor we mostly cannot control, but are slammed with the health problems it creates. We’ve gotta recognize how our “inventiveness” and production have created a health backlash.

Peace,
Melissa

a) Canadian health care is owned and operated by medical professionals, great majority of which is in private practice. So the entire health care system, operationally, is private not socialist. The only thing run by the governments is medical insurance, and only for hospital care. Actually there are 10 such insurance systems, one for each province. Each province runs it their way with different technical and payout policies. But common to all is i) universality – all legal residence qualify for basic care, ii) insurance reimbursements to the care givers, set by medical/government experts, is done under a reasonable cost but no profit policy. Thus the huge revenue and profits of US-style private health givers and operators are substantially removed.

b) The federal government does not run anything in the health care system. But it funds 50% of total cost, and sets national policy. That policy include universality, single provincial government controlled insurance, no descrimation, transferability, and certain performance standards such as wait-time.

c) Not covered are dental, out-of-hospital drugs, eye glasses, cosmetic care. These are covered by private insurance. Frequently, business would add these as extra employment benefits.

I have spent decades in Canada enjoying this amazing health care system. It works for me and just about all eligible. It works well because Canadians see health care as something basic, like national security, fire/police and such – and willing to pay for it. They have spent decades working out the kinks to produce a smooth running system, not only operationally but politically. They have charged the governments to run the *funding* of the system from tax revenues, and monitor how well they do their jobs like a hawk. No politicians dare to game or corrupt the system even one tiny bit. The system is much less expensive than the US system because much of the profit is taken out of it, cost is well-controlled, single-payer is simple and efficient, and fantastic malpractice cost and payments non-existence. Care givers are well-compensated – typical doctors make $150k – $200k, specialists up to $350k. Compare this to the $1m to $3m of comparable US doctors.

Note that other aspects of health care – pharmaceutials, hospital constructions, medical equipment, R&D, long-term care are completely in the private sector as profit enterprises.

The US right-wing have been bad-mouthing the Canadian system for decades, lately becoming viscous. They do this on ideological grounds – anything run by the government is inefficient and evil. They think nothing is more sacred then financial profits and this come only from the private sector – their private sector that is. And anything beyond this black/white ideology is either socialistic or communistic.

I get a laugh when health care system of Canada and much of the world refutes the stupidity of the American right-wing. Just like the banking system.

Family members have always been treated courteously, swiftly, and efficiently.

American neo-con propaganda to the contrary is as disingenuous as it is immoral.