Reply #11: Honestly, I've never heard of such a thing happening ... [View All]

[NanceGreggs]

I am (thank God) healthy, and have little need for medical care. But I do have friends with elderly parents, and I've not heard any complaints from them on this issue.

Oddly enough, the only problem I've seen (as an American who didn't grow up with free health care) is the fact that Canadians seem to go to the doctor much more frequently than Americans do. I don't mean for preventative testing or check-ups necessarily (which is a good thing), but for every minor thing, "Just to be sure."

This is especially true with children. When my kids had the sniffles or a fever, I let it run its course. But my friends with kids the same age had them at the doctor's office the next morning if they sneezed too often, or ran a temperature, "just to have it checked it out, and make sure it wasn't something serious".

In addition to having a regular doctor of your choice, there are walk-in clinics all over the city (Toronto), which you can use at any time. I recently had a bad flare-up of a skin condition, and went to a clinic in the neighbourhood, which I'd never been to before. I presented my health card at the desk, saw a doctor who'd never seen me before, and got the prescription I needed on the spot -- no need to make an appointment, and possibly have to wait days to be treated. It's like going to a local convenience store when your regular grocery store is closed, or too far away to get to when you're in a rush!

I can't imagine going back to the States for a lot of reasons, but this is a biggie. And this system benefits not just individuals, but society as a whole. Imagine how many illnesses that could eventually be long-lasting, or even fatal, are caught and treated early because no one puts off a doctor's appointment on the basis of the expense? Imagine how many workers who become sick are back to work within days, not weeks, because they can access a doctor's care and a necessary prescription to clear up what ails them within hours, and at no cost, instead of getting a lot worse before they get better, thus losing more time away from work?

It just makes sense.