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Originally Posted by BuckeyeNuts
Hollywood Beach, Florida is awash in Canadians during the winter. I work amongst them. We have spoken about this topic many times. They pretty much agree...their medical system is great, as long as you never get sick.
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Though I am a U.S. citizen, my family is from Canada; in fact, I have cousins from Montreal who winter in Hollywood Beach. Most of my cousins are in a financial position to be able to afford private health insurance on top of what the government provides; however, none of them (all in varying degrees of health) have it as they all say the system works fine and they don't need the additional.
Here's a story from within the U.S.: I know someone who must go for a blood test every two weeks or so for a potentially life-threatening condition, a 'stat' test meaning that the blood-drawing facility must send someone to pick up the specimen immediately to take it for processing. The cost for this test is about $28. However, the patient's insurance company has 'negotiated' with the lab to accept slightly under $3 to perform this test; if the lab didn't accept it, then they could not service this insurance company's patients.
How can a lab stay in business performing a stat test like this for under $3? To me the real question is, 'Who pays $28 for the test if insurance companies negotiate such a low payment?' And the answer? 'Oh, the uninsured must pay the full amount in order for the lab to continue in business.'
Someone tell me that our system isn't 'broken'....