Medicare is the free, public health care system in
Canada. This is truly the
public sector in its greatest glory.
In the U.S. it is often referred to as single-payer because there is only one payer--the government. This eliminates inflation, because there is only one source of money--providers cannot shop around, and bid up their prices. Canada's health care expenses are consistently much lower than American.
The principals of medicare are universal, portable, comprehensive, necessary, publicly administered, and compulsory, though one rarely hears of that one much anymore.
Starting in the late 50's as hospital plan, it was extended in the 60's, over the objections of Tories like John Robarts, then premier of Ontario, to include all medically necessary expenses in doctors' private offices as well.
The first Canada Sickness Survey, in 1951, showed what would not surprise anyone with any commonsense: if you don't have money, or enough money, you put off medical treatment.
Generations of Canadians have grown up without the fear that must be everpresent for so many Americans, especially, what do they do if they, or their children get sick or hurt. Generations of Canadians have grown up healthy, and able to contribute to the common good.
Now, we see the coming to fruition the policy, intentional or not, of starving the public health system of resources. Nurses have been laid off in the thousands. Hospital beds have been closed. Ralph Klein, the premier of Alberta, has even had hospitals demolished. In Ontario, Mike Harris, the Tory premier has had hospitals restructured, leading to a crisis in emergency rooms this past winter.
Then, certain interested parties can say, 'Look, public ownership doesn't work! We must bring in the private sector. All the while presenting themselves as pragmatists, since only us supporters of medicare, and public ownership are ideological.
Poor DMan. I guess he just likes to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for medical care. But then, as a graduate of Corneil, he'll make lots of money.
The theory of single payer, as they call our system in the U.S., is that, with only a single source of money into the system, there is no inflation--it is impossible for suppliers to play off one purchaser against another.
The theory of the American system, is that there are many purchasers, and thus, inefficiency in the system--too many inputs of cash to too many suppliers: inflation is inevitable. And the increase in costs, at least from the suppliers' side, is considered success--their revenue goes up.
If DMan's uncle went to med school in Canada, then he owes this country. No one who goes to school in Canada pays all the cost of their education--we have a public education system.
People who can't afford medical costs--how many millions in the U.S.?--get sick. Maybe in the gated community that DMan is going to live in when he gets his dot com company up and running, will keep the bugs out.
Maybe the resurgence in infectious diseases won't affect DMan or his family. Maybe.