Another note on Polotics in Canada and the U.S.

Every day I watch Lou dobbs on CNN and every time I see a add about American health care reform. Now I'll outine the different systems Health care in Canada is funded and delivered through a publicly-funded health care system, with most services provided by private entities.[1] Health care spending in Canada is projected to reach $160 billion, or 10.6% of GDP, in 2007. This is slightly above the average for OECD countries. In Canada, the various levels of government pay for about 71% of Canadians' health care costs, which is slightly below the OECD average. Under the terms of the Canada Health Act, the publicly funded insurance plans are required to pay for medically necessary care, but only if it is delivered in hospitals or by physicians. There is considerable variation across the provinces/territories as to the extent to which such costs as outpatient prescription drugs, physical therapy, long-term care, home care, dental care and even ambulance services are covered.[2] Considerable attention has been focused on two issues: wait times and health human resources. There is also a debate about the appropriate 'public-private mix' for both financing and delivering services. Canada's healthcare spending is expected to reach $171.9 billion, or $5,170 per person, in 2008. Health expenditures are expected to be 10.7% of the gross domestic product. Hospitals account for the largest segment in spending at $48.1 billion, however, this amount is declining. According to the OECD, spending was second amongst other countries, less than United States and more than Norway, Switzerland and Luxembourg[3]. Canada has a federally sponsored, publicly funded Medicare system, with most services provided by the private sector. Each province may opt out, though none currently do. Canada's system is known as a single payer system, where basic services are provided by private doctors (since 2002 they have been allowed to incorporate), with the entire fee paid for by the government at the same rate. Most family doctors receive a fee per visit. These rates are negotiated between the provincial governments and the province's medical associations, usually on an annual basis. A physician cannot charge a fee for a service that is higher than the negotiated rate — even to patients who are not covered by the publicly funded system — unless the physican opts out of billing the publicly funded system altogether. Pharmaceutical costs are set at a global median by government price controls. Other areas of health care, such as dentistry and optometry, are wholly private. (obviously you can tell that cuz of the #'s in the little brackets that I got some help from wikipedia :) now the American care ( hold your breath) Health care in the United States is provided by many separate legal entities. More is spent on health care in the United States on a per capita basis than in any other nation in the world.[1][2] A study of international health care spending levels published in the health policy journal Health Affairs in the year 2000, found that while the U.S. spends more on health care than other countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the use of health care services in the U.S. is below the OECD median by most measures. The authors of the study conclude that the prices paid for health care services are much higher in the U.S.[3] In 1996, 5% of the population accounted for more than half of all costs.[4][5] Active debate over health care reform in the United States concerns questions of a right to health care, access, fairness, efficiency, cost, and quality. The World Health Organization (WHO), in 2000, ranked the U.S. health care system as the highest in cost, first in responsiveness, 37th in overall performance, and 72nd by overall level of health (among 191 member nations included in the study).[6][7] The WHO study has been criticized in a study published in Health Affairs for its methodology and lack of correlation with user satisfaction ratings.[8] A 2008 report by the Commonwealth Fund ranked the United States last in the quality of health care among the 19 compared countries.[9] However, the U.S. is the leader in medical innovation, with three times higher per-capita spending than Europe and producing more new pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and affiliated biotechnology than any other country. [10] [11] [12] [13] The U.S. also has higher survival rates than most other countries for certain conditions, such as some less common cancers, but has a higher infant mortality rate than all other developed countries.[14] According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the United States is the "only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not ensure that all citizens have coverage" (i.e. some kind of insurance).[15][16] In 2008, total national health expenditures were expected to rise 6.9 percent -- two times the rate of inflation.1 Total spending was $2.4 TRILLION in 2007, or $7900 per person1. Total health care spending represented 17 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).Can you hear the sound of your wallet screaming? With the western economy in general battling through a recession and the revolutionary election of pres. Obama, health care will be a top priority. And Canada could do good if we followed suit and refined our own system. Now time for an analagy, your life in health care islike a mine field, each mine is a medical condition that could break your bank. Now, an American will going along will pay little just walking hoping not to hit a 'mine' but when you do little stands between you and financial "death" meanwhile anohter american who has a doctor could be told that your next step would be safe, but in reality it isn't. North of the American, a Canadianis doling out a fair amount of money to o'l Stevey Harper to have him tap a shovel on the ground and disarm nearly all of the mines but you still can't be to careful. some of the smaller mines might detonate but the government will dive in front of you and bare the brunt of it. In conclusion, as my un biased opinion I happy enough worrying about getting better physicaly, in exchange for worrying about my money if I get teburkuosis. But I'm sure Obama will do the right thing :) that's all folks ( my 13 year old opinion on polly olly olitics)