How Canada's Universal Health-Care System Works

Summary

The video script explores Canada's single-payer healthcare system, often compared to the 'Medicare for All' proposals in the U.S. Despite lower healthcare spending and universal coverage, Canada faces challenges like long wait times and gaps in coverage, such as for prescription drugs. The script contrasts the Canadian system's efficiency and equity with the U.S.'s higher costs and varying access, highlighting the ongoing debate about the best approach to healthcare.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Canada's health care system is often compared to the U.S., with universal coverage and lower drug prices but also longer waiting times.
• 💊 Canada's health care expenditure is significantly lower than the U.S., at 10.4% of GDP compared to 17.2% in the U.S.
• 🏥 Despite lower spending, Canada has comparable or better health outcomes, including a higher life expectancy and lower maternal mortality rates.
• 💼 The Canadian system is a publicly funded model with private delivery, aiming for equity and low administrative costs.
• 🏢 Most hospitals and doctor's offices in Canada are privately owned but operate within the government-funded framework.
• 💲 Out-of-pocket costs for Canadians are lower than in the U.S., with an average of $650 USD per person compared to around $1,100 in the U.S.
• 🤔 There's a debate on the effectiveness of Canada's health care, with some pointing to long wait times and others highlighting its equitable nature.
• 💊 Prescription drugs are not covered under Canada's Medicare, leading to significant out-of-pocket costs for many patients.
• 🏥 Canadians face longer wait times for appointments and specialist consultations compared to the U.S.
• 👍 Canadians are generally proud of their health care system, viewing it as a source of personal and collective pride, despite recognizing the need for reform.

Q & A

What is the term used to describe Canada's health care system?

Canada's health care system is often referred to as a single-payer system, similar to the 'Medicare for All' concept, and is unofficially known as 'Medicare'.

How does the health care expenditure as a percentage of GDP compare between Canada and the United States?

In 2017, Canada spent approximately 10.4 percent of its GDP on health care, whereas the United States spent an estimated 17.2 percent of its GDP on health care.

What was the estimated per capita health care spending in Canada and the United States in 2017 according to the OECD?

The OECD estimated that Canada spent around 4,500 USD per person in 2017, while the United States was expected to have spent at least double that amount, at ten thousand dollars per person.

What is the average out-of-pocket spending per person in Canada and the United States?

In 2016, the average out-of-pocket spending per person in Canada was around 650 USD, whereas in the United States, it was around eleven hundred dollars.

How does Canada's health care spending compare to the average of all 36 OECD countries?

Canada spends more than the average of all 36 OECD countries, which is around 3,800 dollars per person and 8.8 percent of GDP.

What are some health outcomes where Canada outperforms the United States?

Canada has better health outcomes than the U.S. in terms of life expectancy, which is nearly four years higher, lower maternal mortality rates, and fewer deaths from heart disease and stroke.

How does Canada manage to spend less on health care while having a more effective system?

Canada's health care system is a publicly funded model with private delivery, ensuring equity and low administrative costs. It covers medically necessary care with no out-of-pocket costs, leading to overall lower spending.

What are some services not covered by Canada's Medicare?

Prescription drugs, dental care, mental health services, and optometry are not covered by Medicare unless they are deemed medically necessary.

Why do most Canadians also have private health insurance?

Most Canadians have private health insurance to supplement out-of-pocket expenses for services not covered by Medicare, such as prescription drugs, dental care, and mental health services.

What is the issue with wait times in Canada's health care system?

Wait times in Canada's health care system are longer than in the United States, with a significant number of Canadians reporting difficulties in getting appointments or seeing specialists in a timely manner.

How do Canadians view their health care system despite its challenges?

Despite the challenges, 94 percent of Canadians consider their health care system an important source of personal and collective pride, and 45 percent rate the overall quality of medical care as excellent or very good.