This entire post is a load of shit.
Canadians have universal health Care.
Canadian Citizen: "Doctor. I am shitting blood."
Canadian Doctor: "Ok, well, let me get you an appointment with a specialist to get you looked at"
... 3 months later ...
Canadian Specialist: "Sorry. You have advanced Stage III colon cancer. If only we caught you two months earlier."
This is why healthcare needs to be run by non-profit charitable organizations. Yes, such organizations have their problems too. However, it makes absolutely no sense to try and profit off the sick and the dying. Getting the government involved just adds a bunch of bureaucratic red tape.
My point is, I've come to appreciate the system in the US if you can afford insurance.
I went from a severe fracture, to seeing one of the top specialists in the area within 24 hours, to surgery (5 titanium screws used to mend the break) 72 hours later.
The ER experience was just a fucking terrible joke. Took forever to get me in, get painkillers in my system, and ER doctor dude was like "Here, wear this sling for a week for the swelling to go down, and we'll do surgery in about 7 days."
"FUCK THAT SHIT!" I says to myself. "I WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS SHIT NOW !!!"
Called my main GP, said "Who's the best bone fracture guy you know ?", gave me his number, I took matters into my own hands, and was on the mend fast.
I can't imagine how that scenario would have played out under the Canadian Medical system.
Exactly the same. Overburdened ER, wait til you die or take it into your own hands. US clinics are closer and more expensive, others are cheaper but maybe scarier. Or maybe you have connections to make the 'system' work for you. From what I have read, for the cost of your insurance, better to just save that money and spend as required. Here, we have no choice. We pay top dollar for what is inaccessible, then go pay top dollar again to get immediate attention. I haven't had a doctor in 25+ years. I go wait at the ER if I've pushed myself past crazyglue-fixes, or fix my diet and let nature do the rest. Its pretty effective.