Interesting testimony – Canada’s health care is uniquely restrictive
Canada is an outlier on health care.
It’s not because we have a government-run health care system, lots of countries have those, but because there are various government barriers to patients using their own money to try to pay for health services outside of the public system.
Consider testimony from Professor William Hsiao, an American economist, and the K.T. Li Research Professor of Economics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. During the Cambie Surgeries Corporation v British Columbia hearing before the Supreme Court of British Columbia on May 8, 2019, Professor Hsiao said the following:
The fact Canada is an outlier is not just apparent to Dr. Hsaio (PhD), it is also apparent to many newcomers. For nearly everyone coming from the European Union, there is a direct comparison to Canada – as EU countries typically maintain government-run, universal health care systems, alongside private options. When people arrive in Canada from such countries, they completely lose access to an aspect of health care they used to be able to depend on as an effective backstop for any gaps in government-provided care. This is also true for Canadians who come from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and many other countries.
Last year, SecondStreet.org was in Europe, speaking with patients and experts about the different options which exist for European patients. Overall, we learned many systems in Europe (E.g. Sweden) can operate at a lower cost, have better outcomes and shorter waitlists.
To learn more about five effective policy solutions from the European Union which could make a difference for health care in Canada, please visit HealthReformNow.ca to watch a free documentary.
You can help us continue to research and tell stories about this issue by making a donation or sharing this content with your friends. Be sure to sign up for our updates too!
