Tiffany Neuverth
Professor Tom Lovin
Essay 2
English 101 - 027
October 3, 2009
American and Canadian Healthcare Compared: Why American is the Better Way
Healthcare is something that everyone needs at some point in their life, some more than others and especially as one gets older. I believe that there are few people in the world that can get by without healthcare. For years, healthcare has been a huge issue, much debated battle, and ongoing concern for the government and people everywhere. However, when it comes to specifically American and Canadian healthcare, there are many differences and opinions. This particular topic is one, that when discussed, can be heated, touchy or on the flip side, truly interesting and informative. I think it is also one that should be better researched and then we should consider for ourselves the real facts about the healthcare provided in America and Canada. In this essay I will touch on several pros and cons in both of the systems and briefly explain why American healthcare, in my opinion, is a much better option than Canadian healthcare.
For many years the healthcare systems of America and Canada were relatively the same. Canada, however, now has gone to socialized medicine, whereas American healthcare is still privately provided. Every day we get closer to socialized medicine because of the new system President Obama has been proposing. It seems that the vast majority of people, when asked which healthcare system is better between the Canadian and American, will quickly respond saying the Canadian system. Why is that so? I believe that what they hear from others, especially friends, appeals and definitely influences them much more. I do not think that the majority of people know exactly why they believe what they do about healthcare. David Gratzer of The City Journal stated in an article he did in the summer of 2007 that: “Socialized medicine has meant rationed care and lack of innovation. Small wonder Canadians are looking to the market.” David also went on to state in the article several views and things he saw when he had the chance to live in Canada and use the system. His conclusion was that Canadians are not happy with their system just as we are not happy with ours. They are looking to our system for help.
America does have better quality care, especially as one gets older and is facing serious life-threatening illnesses. In Canada, the care for the elderly is more difficult to get, if at all. That is why the elderly often will turn to America for the treatment they need. Americans in turn, do provide and care for their elderly. I believe that this is the better way to go. Our healthcare systems should care for people of all ages. Canada lets the elderly die just because of age and that it may cost too much to treat them. That to me is quite a sad fact. We need to provide all that we can since it is available, no matter what the age. After all, the generation we live in today will one day become those elderly people.
While the American system is more costly, we do have more healthcare choices available to us than Canada. We can choose our healthcare plans based on our affordability. Canadians do not pay upfront costs for their socialized medical care; they pay for it in the form of much higher taxes and have no healthcare plan choices. People like options and they need to understand that the American healthcare system provides more of what they are looking for.
Some of the first thoughts that immediately come into many people’s minds when you mention American healthcare is how the United States has such a horrible system and how it takes forever to get appointments, not always the best quality of care, and why it costs as much as it does. It is true that America does have a pretty costly system and I can see why Americans look to Canada for cheaper care. Canada is said to have no wait to be seen for care, healthcare is free, as are doctor visits and medications. However, the grass is not always greener on the other side. What most people are not aware of is the reasoning behind why and how it may not be the best choice overall for a person. The reason I believe that America still has the better system is easily seen in a study done by The National Center for Policy Analysis. This particular study shows us that patients from Canada often have to wait twice as long for treatment for cancer, special surgeries, hip and knee replacements, and radiation for cancer, just to name a few.
So we can see that the American system, being privately provided, is much more costly when compared to the Canadian system. The people of the Canadian socialized healthcare system still do pay a good bit of money to the government, in the form of taxes. These taxes are outrageously high compared to what the typical American has to pay. America also offers better quality of care and to a wider range of people. We offer to care and treat the elderly, unlike Canada. Canada seems as though they will provide you care faster than America. What they provide that is faster is just the initial appointment or visit. However, American healthcare will continue to get you the treatments or surgeries that you need. The treatments America provides for serious healthcare issues will have long term effects, and you will have a greater chance at living. It is said that Canadian treatments are not guaranteed to happen for at least three weeks. That is enough time for a serious illness to take your life. I believe that overall, American healthcare is still the better option here. Not only does it offer more choices regarding your health, but also better quality, timeliness, long term care for serious issues, and in the end, although more costly, you will have a more responsive healthcare system.
One of the major points I am stressing here is to not just listen to what you hear most about something. It is not going to benefit you much or at all. I encourage you to research the healthcare issue more for yourself and truly see what you believe. Senator Edward M. Kennedy once stated: "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die." I believe that this should be the dream we live everyday when it concerns our healthcare. Carefully study the healthcare issue as it evolves and I think you will find that the American healthcare system is still better.
Work Cited:
(Medicine and Health: Here’s a Second Opinion) Hoover Institution of Stanford University. March 24, 2009. Internet. http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/49525427.html Accessed: October 4th, 2009
(Perception vs. Reality: Taking a Second Look at Canadian Healthcare) The Heritage Foundation- Leadership for America. Written by: Haislmaier, Edmund F. Internet. http://www.heritage.org/research/socialsecurity/bg807.cfm Accessed: October 5th, 2009
(Health Coverage) Families USA: The Voice for Health Care Consumers. Taken from home page. Internet. http://www.familiesusa.org/ Said by: Kennedy, Edward M. Accessed: October 4th, 2009
(The Ugly Truth About Canadian Health Care) The City Journal. Manhattan Institute. Article by: Gratzer, David. Written: Summer 2007. Internet. http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_3_canadian_healthcare.html Accessed: October 3rd, 2009
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