Canadian health care

[turfmaster]

I have a question for you Canadian guys and gals. Do you like your health care system? Is it worth the higher taxes or other business costs that you have? Is there really long waits for care? Would you prefer a system like the U.S. ? As you know Obama and the liberals in the U.S.A. are trying to cram a form of socialized medicine down our throats. I am just curious, Thanks.

[picframer]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by turfmaster I have a question for you Canadian guys and gals. Do you like your health care system? Very much so Is it worth the higher taxes or other business costs that you have? Without a question Is there really long waits for care? Depends on what needs to be done, if it's an emergency you will be in right away. Hip replacement for example could take 6 months, here in Halifax we are the regional centre for both Children and adults serving four provinces. Would you prefer a system like the U.S. ? Wouldn't even consider a health care system like they have in the states, Canadians, at least anyone I know, really load up on insurance if travelling to the USA. My sister for example was in a car accident in Florida, drunk driver hit them, cost was around $20,000 for her alone, they had insurance but that is enough to ruin most people, drunk driver had no insurance so she will live the rest of her life with pain, that would never happen the way it did here. I can list dozens of examples like this. As you know Obama and the liberals in the U.S.A. are trying to cram a form of socialized medicine down our throats. I am just curious, Thanks. I don't really follow what Obama has been doing with health care, I do know a lot of Americans come over here for procedures, this is one reason many older ones buy retirement homes here, no worries if something happens, this in itself makes our system more expensive, there are thousands of retired american people here in Nova Scotia.

__________________
Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[CHEESE2009]

I don't mind it, give or take it has some flaws.

Usually depending on the day it can be great or horrible.

I've been in the hospital several times, & the wait can either range from 1:30hrs - 7:00hrs.

The worst part about the wait, is finally seeing the doctor who doesn't give you any info, and just says, "uhuh, ya... don't use it for a week"

that bugs the crap out of me.

I immediately demanded an X-Ray & we found out my hand was broken to hell.

Our doctors can be seriously lazy, same happened with my friend.

"don't use your hand" and I was there so I said, "GIVE HIM AN XRAY!" and we found out a tendon in his hand broke.

You really have to guide the doctors through their jobs to get something done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, as for the clinic, it's nasty.

You could be sitting beside 30+ other sick people, just waiting to see ONE doctor, a doctor who isn't even in yet to serve the first client.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for taxes, after a few years you wont even notice them, well.. you know... Just becomes regular....

[turfmaster]

As an employer are you paying additional taxes for each of your employees for health coverage ?

For example: Does a company with 20 employees pay more than a company with 10.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by turfmaster

As an employer are you paying additional taxes for each of your employees for health coverage ?

For example: Does a company with 20 employees pay more than a company with 10.

No it is factored into their income tax, I have to match their Unemployment and Canada Pension, Its built into my accounting software, forget the factor off the top but it's expensive then I have to also pay a percentage for workers compensation.

An employer can supply additional health coverage for drugs etc. it's desperate expensive and I do not, all but two of my employees are students so they are covered under their parents or the university.

We basically only pay for drugs and very few other procedures everything else is covered, accident or not.

[turfmaster]

Thanks for the reply's guys.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by turfmaster

Thanks for the reply's guys.

I think there are two countries in the world that I have not been to, seen many health care systems not that I am sick or get hurt often but the companies I worked for either had employees in these countries or they were vacation spots and you always seem to run into someone that had to go to the hospital.

The best hospital system I have seen is Cuba, bar none. My son and I flew down for a week in June of last year, he has a severe alergy to peanut butter and carries an eppie pin, we had some ice cream and even though he always asks what's in it, there turned out to be peanut butter in it, the eppie pen had little effect and we rushed him to the hospital, 5 min top and he had seen a doctor, was treated and watched for about two hours, I was very impressed with the quality of the care.

The next day we were on a boat tour and met some people from Canada, a girl fell walking down a set of stairs on the boat and did a serious brake to her wrist, I went to the hospital with her, teenager on vacation, she was scared to go, we were once again not more than 5 min and they had her in, we were on our way within the hour, she had an xray, cast and was given pain meds.

It's a very neat setup, if you go to emergency there are, at least in the hospitals we went to, doctors sitting in chairs, you pick the one you want and off you go, not sure how it works for locals, cost was peanuts and Cuba is known for having some of the best doctors in the world.

I personally had an excellent experience in Mexico last year, I was diving with some friends and to make a long story short experienced a wax block in an ear, the pain would bring one to tears, the doctor at the local clinic was the best doctor I have been to personally.

Here in Halifax I have a family doctor, if for example I cut myself and needed stitches, I simply go to the clinic, I would be out within the hour, if I broke my leg which I did two years ago I was seen within 20 min, was in the hospital for three days, serious brake...anyhow no charge but our tax's are very high compared to the USA.

If it's a simple check up I call. 90% of the time he will see me the next day, wait time is a max of 10 min.

[turfmaster]

Originally Posted by picframer

I think there are two countries in the world that I have not been to, seen many health care systems not that I am sick or get hurt often but the companies I worked for either had employees in these countries or they were vacation spots and you always seem to run into someone that had to go to the hospital.

Here in the U.S. all we here is that our health care system is superior to the rest of the world . That's why I asked the question.
The politicions keep telling us our taxes would go sky high with national health care. Right now for me to insure one of my guys it would cost about $1000.00
per month. I can't afford that.
Employers in the U.S. are getting killed with rising health care costs.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by turfmaster

Here in the U.S. all we here is that our health care system is superior to the rest of the world . That's why I asked the question.
The politicions keep telling us our taxes would go sky high with national health care. Right now for me to insure one of my guys it would cost about $1000.00
per month. I can't afford that.
Employers in the U.S. are getting killed with rising health care costs.

This is worth watching, I in no way push Michael Moore but at the same time his investigations into various things os pretty darn accurate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEFoq_5RbC4

$1,000 a month, good lord I could never afford that in any of my companies, a full drug & dental plan would cost me around $159. per employee but it's not something I want to get into.

[majoe7]

Scott and Andy this is great info from the other side of the border. I always wondered about your heath care system. We have Medicaid and Medicare along with a federal plan or state plan that carries less fortunate (Healthy Kids).

One question, are you mandated to cover your staff if they don’t have insurance, can they get Gov’t insurance plan or go on there own?

In the U.S. they tell us business owners we have to have something available to our staff and they can choose. We the employer can join the Gov’t plan or have our own. If we go with the Gov’t plan and want to cancel it because of cost they are telling us that you can only do this one time. You can't rejoin again if you choose. Interesting. Just food for thought.

John

Andy how is your little vacation going?