Canada's Health Care System in Financial Crisis

Just as the U.S. has started moving toward a Canada-esque health care system, the Canadian

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has announced that Canada's health-care system is in a financial crisis, and needs significant -- if controversial -- reform to survive.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/OECD+prescription/3520108/story.html#ixzz0zWSwSbwk

 

Some bits from the report:

"Canada should end its status as the only OECD country -- other than the United Kingdom -- that mandates solely government funding of medical care, and allow co-payments and deductibles. Having to pay a modest fee to visit a doctor would limit government spending, likely reduce demand on the system and possibly encourage healthier lifestyles."

"The report notes that, with governments funding the entire cost of medical service and user charges outlawed, cost pressures and rising demand have forced healthcare rationing: long queues for some services and a shortage of physicians. "

"LET PRIVATE & PUBLIC HOSPITALS COMPETE
Contracts for health services, especially hospital services, should be opened up to both private and public facilities. As with any government contracting process, this could "stimulate public-sector accountability."

"OPEN DOOR TO PRIVATE HEALTH
People should be allowed to buy private health insurance and opt out of the public system for some basic medical services "at the margins" of the system, spurring on private health providers and generating competition to the public sector. To make the idea work well, doctors should be able to serve both publicly and privately funded patients."

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/OECD+prescription/3520108/story.html#ixzz0zWTwfV37