Canadians regard their nationalized wellness attention system extremely. No affair how deep in distress the economic system is in, “support for this nucleus foundation of Canadian society ne’er wavers” ( Barlow, 1 ) . Since Canada borders one of the largest world powers on Earth, it needed to make an feeling which separates itself from the United States. As a consequence, Canadians adapted the doctrine of “sharing for survival” , alternatively of the American theory of “survival of the fittest” ( Barlow, 7 ) . Subsequently, Canada ‘s wellness attention system was introduced and became accessible for all citizens. Canadian Medicare became the state ‘s crown gem and the shaping factor which separated Canada from other states.
Former Premier of Saskatchewan, Tommy Douglas, presented Canada with its really ain nationalized wellness attention system in 1967 after contending for it against disinclined politicians ( The Birth of Medicare, 2008 ) . The conflict for wellness attention was non merely fought by politicians but by citizens who participated in “demonstrations, Marches and strikes” ( Barlow, 7 ) . Finally, the morning of a new wellness attention system arose.
Since the launch of the Canadian wellness attention system, the Canadian authorities began transforming it into a profit-seeking industry. It seems that Canada ‘s Medicare is get downing to fall under its ain weight due to the expensive medical attending required for the aging population, the demand to privatise wellness attention in Canada and how the state ‘s ‘free ‘ Medicare is of low quality. The one time defining characteristic of Canada has started falling deeper into a quandary where the sustainability of wellness attention appears to be unsure for the future coevalss to come.
The aging population of Canada histories for a really little per centum of the full state. Statistics Canada illustrated that seniors approximately make up 13 % of the state ‘s entire population. However, within the following 25 old ages, economic experts anticipate this per centum to increase by 21 % ( Can Canada ‘s wellness attention sustain the age transmutation? , 2002 ) . In order for the Canadian wellness attention to fulfill the demands of the aging population, taxpayers are invariably being harassed to supply for the services and merchandises for these persons ( Belcourt, 447 ) . Despite the fact that seniors require more medical attending than younger patients, the deficiency of quality and measure of services provided has raised concerns. Harmonizing to statistics for the latest medical engineerings such as MRIs and CT scanners, Canada ranks low in contrast to the other OECD states ( Ruggeri, 2002 ) .
Home attention has quickly increased within the past few decennaries for seniors as it is described as “the following indispensable service” ( Hirdes, 2006 ) . On that note, seniors are the most frequent visitants to infirmaries because of the ceaseless medical attending they require. Consequently, infirmaries and other medical institutes have to pass more money for services and equipment. For illustration, in order to have the right medical attending, the quality of the service and costs portion a direct relationship. If more money is spent, the service will be of higher quality. Furthermore, those of high, societal or economic position receive better quality prescription drugs and intervention because they can afford it ( McIntosh, 2007 ) . Consequently, persons who possess thorough coverage are treated otherwise than those with the basic coverage. No affair how healthy one lives their life style, age is inevitable. The aged will ever necessitate more medical attending because they are prone to meeting relentless medical conditions faster than others.
Canadian Medicare has easy been doing alterations to its system. Within the past few decennaries, Canada ‘s public wellness attention system has started to privatise certain subdivisions within the system. Canada is get downing to alter its system to fit its neighbor ‘s because of the misconceptions that private wellness attention systems operate better than the public system.
In the yesteryear, the US and Canada had similar wellness attention systems where both states offered a semi-private, semi-public system. During this clip, the costs were besides similar – “a small over $ 300 per individual in 1970” ( Angell, 2006 ) . Furthermore, a Canadian ‘s life anticipation was merely a twelvemonth longer than in the United States ( Angell, 2006 ) . However, after Canada adopted cosmopolitan wellness attention, the two systems swerved in two different waies. Health attention in the United States became more dearly-won go forthing 46 million people uninsured. Overall, the all medical outgos were twice every bit much in the US than in Canada ( Angell, 2006 ) . Statistics Canada illustrates that Canada is listed in the top five in the universe for life anticipation ; whereas, the United States is listed 25th ( Barlow, 57 ) . In fact, the US wellness attention system is believed to handle the issue of wellness attention as a trade good instead than a societal service. Those who are insured are eligible for medical attending, and for those who are non are left uninsured and in hapless wellness.
Another misconception about profiteering wellness attention services is that it provides better quality services and merchandises. Harmonizing to recent surveies on both for-profit and non-profit societal plans, it was established that for-profit wellness attention is much more expensive and is lower in quality ( Angell, 2006 ) . Equally flawed as it may look, Canada ‘s wellness attention system is a “beacon of justice” for its citizens ( Barlow 62 ) . Although the American system may daze the universe with technological promotions and supply illusory Medicare picks, non everybody can really afford it. On the other manus, all Canadians are eligible for basic services and intervention. Not merely will privatising wellness attention raise an economic concern, it besides brings moralss to visible radiation. The issue of trust is important between patients and physicians. Therefore, by privatising Medicare, doctors will comprehend their work as a concern, and patients as consumers ( Barlow, 259 ) . All in all, Canada should non look towards privatising its admirable societal service because unlike other states that follow a privatized system, Canada ‘s classless theoretical account really saves lives.
As we all know nil in this universe is free, including our nationalized wellness attention system. Although Canada ‘s Medicare plan is in a better province than those in states that follow a private system, wellness attention users are happening themselves paying for Medicare at overpowering monetary values. Even though visits to the household physician and infirmary are provided by the federal authorities, the overriding costs for pharmaceutical drugs and other points make up for the complementary service provided. For case, the monetary value to replace a Pumicort inhalator can be from $ 50 to $ 60 dollars for asthma patients ( Canadian Health Care ) . Due to grounds like this, many people are misguided on what ‘free‘ Canadian wellness attention really means. Despite wellness attention services such as visits to the physician and infirmary are free of charge, whereas medical merchandises and intervention are highly expensive.
Although certain Medicare services are free for patients, taxpayers are the 1s holding to do the recompenses. Harmonizing to a study conducted at the Manhattan Institute, for persons who make $ 35,000 yearly, $ 7,350 is put towards wellness attention revenue enhancements ( Fund, 2005 ) . As a consequence, Canadian wellness attention users are indirectly paying for the societal plan through high wellness attention revenue enhancements.
Although Canadian Medicare is perceived to be more accessible and low-cost that the United States ‘ , there are a few jobs with the classless theoretical account. In malice of the United States ‘ over-priced wellness attention system, immediate wellness attention is offered. Conversely, harmonizing to The Fraser Institute in British Columbia, the mean waiting clip in Canada for patients to see a regular practician was 16.5 hebdomads ( Williams, 2004 ) . In add-on, as in-migration in Canada additions, the handiness of cosmopolitan wellness attention becomes more and more hard for the federal authorities to supply. Since immigrant households tend to come from non-traditional countries where merely a few people are educated, they tend to trust on the incomes earned from those persons ( Murray, 2008 ) . Consequently, it would go hard for those breadwinners to supply the wellness attention demands for each member of their household. On the whole, Canada ‘s ‘free ‘ wellness attention system is being taken advantage of. Taxpayers are holding trouble maintaining up with the lifting costs of Medicare, patients are happening the system over-pricing necessities such as pharmaceutical drugs and people are fighting to have immediate attending due to low quality services. With issues like this, Canada ‘s Medicare system is get downing to tear under its ain weight to do the demands for its citizens.
The sustainability for Canada ‘s nationalized wellness attention system is get downing to look dubious to many Canadians. The demand for equal medical attending for the aging population is hardly being fulfilled. Discussions about privatising wellness attention are get downing to originate and the monetary values for medicative merchandises are going highly dearly-won. Despite such statements, I still have faith in the state ‘s wellness attention system. I believe that our state ‘s Medicare will be able to prolong for the future coevalss. Canada ‘s wellness attention system defines us of who we are and is synonymous with being “Canadian” ( Lindenburger, xiii ) . Privatizing Canada ‘s wellness attention system will stain the state ‘s individuality. Of class, betterments can be made upon the system sing costs and the quality. However, with more citizen engagement and force per unit area on the authorities, Canada ‘s Crown gem, its wellness attention, will transport on for future coevalss.
