I need your help. I need to write a research paper comparing the Candian , UK and US healthcare systems. For instance, how is insurance funded? Is there any private insurance? How long is the wait to see a specialist or get a procedure? IS there any one who is not covered? What do you think of the quality of care that is provided? What improvments are needed? Are prescripition drugs covered? How commonly are tests such as MRi, CT, Nuc med scans ordered? What are the advantages/disadvatages of your healthcare system vs the USA
Actually, in many US states, being "very, very poor" is no longer enough -- in my state (as in many others), the state finances are in such dire shape that there have been severe cutbacks in Medicaid (suppposedly, the publicly funded healthcare for the "poor") -- to the extent that, basically, the only people that qualify for Medicaid are young children, the elderly, and the disabled. It is virtually impossible for non-disabled adults to qualify, regardless of how poor they are, or how severe their healthcare needs may be ...
(Oh, but we can still afford plenty of corporate welfare ...)
I hate to tell you this but many of the disabled do not qualify for Medicaid. We received too much from our SSDI income. I received Medicaid only until I received SSDI. And it was restricted, especially my medicationss. The state, I presently live in, I cannot qualify and even if I could, would not help me out that much. My meidcations cost me almost $500 per month and even that is insufficent to reduce my income to qualify.
A properly run two tier system can work and very efficiently, the problem is we have to many adminstrators that don't listen to the front line people and that is a main reason why our system is failing. The people in charge are to busy looking at the dollars instead of finding a happy medium in between pt care and cost. Our governments have put pt care and safety on the back burner.
Sure it can work efficiently. It often doesn't though. I actually like a lot of things about the UK and Australia's systems from what I've read and heard from friends and family. Unfortunately, thanks to NAFTA we would have an Americanized system if we chose to allow a two tiered system since our government is required to treat American companies the same as they do Canadian ones. It has the same problems that you mentionned (the bean counters care WAY more about money than safety, trust me). Americans spend much more than Canadians do on healthcare, but it hasn't resulted in a better or more efficient system for all its citizens. I would love to see more preventative healthcare in Canada, as well as increasing the use of NPs, increased training opportunities for nurses, an increased investment into homecare among other things.
I actually find individuals' finances matter A LOT more here than they did back home. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff we do because of billing issues. Last month we couldn't transfer a baby to a hospital closer to her parents because that hospital wouldn't take a Medical baby. So, mom and dad got to ride the bus 3 hours each way if they wanted to see her. That kind of thing just makes me so frustrated. Even everyday things like our supplies can be a pain in the butt. Patients here are billed for every individual item they use. That means if my patient needs a cotton ball I have to go into the pyxis system and type in my code to bill it to them before I can get it.
Sure it can work efficiently. It often doesn't though. I actually like a lot of things about the UK and Australia's systems from what I've read and heard from friends and family. Unfortunately, thanks to NAFTA we would have an Americanized system if we chose to allow a two tiered system since our government is required to treat American companies the same as they do Canadian ones. It has the same problems that you mentionned (the bean counters care WAY more about money than safety, trust me). Americans spend much more than Canadians do on healthcare, but it hasn't resulted in a better or more efficient system for all its citizens. I would love to see more preventative healthcare in Canada, as well as increasing the use of NPs, increased training opportunities for nurses, an increased investment into homecare among other things.
I actually find individuals' finances matter A LOT more here than they did back home. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff we do because of billing issues. Last month we couldn't transfer a baby to a hospital closer to her parents because that hospital wouldn't take a Medical baby. So, mom and dad got to ride the bus 3 hours each way if they wanted to see her. That kind of thing just makes me so frustrated. Even everyday things like our supplies can be a pain in the butt. Patients here are billed for every individual item they use. That means if my patient needs a cotton ball I have to go into the pyxis system and type in my code to bill it to them before I can get it.
I don't believe that when we finally do move in to a two tiered system that it will be americanized because as Canadians we still hold a strong belief in equality and I don't think our governent will give that up easily. I do understand what you are saying but Canada does have it's own identitiy and the Americans have done some things in the last few years that have made Canadians want to be as seprate as possible from them. I think that Canada can have a two tier system based on the European model not the American.
I don't believe that when we finally do move in to a two tiered system that it will be americanized because as Canadians we still hold a strong belief in equality and I don't think our governent will give that up easily. I do understand what you are saying but Canada does have it's own identitiy and the Americans have done some things in the last few years that have made Canadians want to be as seprate as possible from them. I think that Canada can have a two tier system based on the European model not the American.
I think that's what Canadians would want. The problem is NAFTA. As long as that's in place, should Canada choose to privatize healthcare in any fashion they can no longer protect it from American companies. After the whole cattle and softwood lumber disputes, it's clear to me that the Canadian government will not stand up to the US on economic matters. Maybe you have more faith in Paul Martin than I do :chuckle If so, I hope you're absolutely right and I'm completely wrong.
I think that's what Canadians would want. The problem is NAFTA. As long as that's in place, should Canada choose to privatize healthcare in any fashion they can no longer protect it from American companies. After the whole cattle and softwood lumber disputes, it's clear to me that the Canadian government will not stand up to the US on economic matters. Maybe you have more faith in Paul Martin than I do :chuckle If so, I hope you're absolutely right and I'm completely wrong.
I don't see a problem with American companies coming to Canada it has happened in many other markets and they do fine. Just because an American company can freely start business up here won't create an American system. If it is set up properly there should be no issues with whether it's a Canadian or American company you are buying the service from. I don't suggest that Canadians should be buying supplemental insurance to cover the cost of using a private hospital. I think that when you are referring to American companies you are taling about insurance companies ( correct me if I am wrong). What I think is the best set up is that if you can walk through the door of a private hospital pull out your Credit Card and pay for what you need then so be it. If you can't then you use the public system. You can't buy supplemental insurance to pay for private school for your kids so whay should you be able to do the same for healthcare. This way we will be able keep our two tier system away from the American way. Maybe I am out to lunch or I am a dreamer but it's the only way I can see it working.
I've never heard of a system where private hospitals were available only for cash purchases and insurance companies weren't involved. I just don't see the practicality of that since most people couldn't afford to go in and put a surgery on their credit card. If they could afford that, they could just as easily go to the US and do it now anyways so I don't see a real benefit. Plus the result of that would be the private system leaving the public system with all the money pit cases.
I hate to tell you this but many of the disabled do not qualify for Medicaid. We received too much from our SSDI income. I received Medicaid only until I received SSDI. And it was restricted, especially my medicationss. The state, I presently live in, I cannot qualify and even if I could, would not help me out that much. My meidcations cost me almost $500 per month and even that is insufficent to reduce my income to qualify.
Grannynurse
I understand what you're saying, and didn't mean to imply that all the disabled qualified for Medicaid in my state -- just that the only people with any hope of qualifying are the elderly, young children, and the disabled.
grannynurse FNP student
1,016 Posts
I hate to tell you this but many of the disabled do not qualify for Medicaid. We received too much from our SSDI income. I received Medicaid only until I received SSDI. And it was restricted, especially my medicationss. The state, I presently live in, I cannot qualify and even if I could, would not help me out that much. My meidcations cost me almost $500 per month and even that is insufficent to reduce my income to qualify.
Grannynurse :balloons: