Originally posted by Corwin
Loser, noted your addy. When did Canada socialize healthcare? Were they fee for service before they switched?
Do you find the ability to obtain care acceptable in terms of time?
Thanks for any response. I frankly wonder if we won't be embracing a similar system when we decide to get real about where we are headed...
No Problem Corwin.
Canada officially passed the "Canada Health Act" in 1984. But the "free" health care system had existed in practise long before the official act was passed. All provinces and territories had some form of universal health care by 1972.
The province I live in, Saskatchewan, has had full public health insurance since 1947. Saskatchewan was the first province to have universal health care coverage most likely due to the fact that we have always had a Socialist Provincial government.
That is why i don't get all this apprehension towards Socialist governments (and in most cases the word socialism itself.")
After the war, the government passed the VLA (veteran's land act. [1952]) which gave land and money for development to any veteran whether they saw combat or served overseas or not. Health Care was established in addition to the Canadian Wheat Board.
To finance the cost of universal health care, provinces were required (in theory) to pay for their citizens by imposing taxes. To my knowledge, only Alberta, the province directly to the west of the one I live in did not levy a provincial sales tax on consumer goods to defer the costs of free health care.
Saskatchewan levied a 9 percent sales tax called the E&H (education and health tax.) This was later lowered to 6 percent and was less directly involved in the funding of universal health care.
The tax usually only applied to consumer goods and was not charged on basic food items. Meals that were ready to eat sometimes were/are now taxed.
Example: If i go buy a bag of chips or a Mcdeath meal, it is taxed. If I buy a litre of milk or a bag of potatos I am not taxed. Basically the premise being that basic sustinance food items should not be taxed because they are "necessary" whereas fast food or ready to eat commercial food items are a "luxury." In short, a person shouldnt be taxed for eating basic food items that are need to survive.
As to your question of if Health Care was not free at one point? I honestly dont know. I imagine at one point LONG before my time some meagre fee was required to get medical treatment. From the stories I have heard though, the costs were not required before treatment and the balance could be paid out in different forms.
For example if a farmer broke his leg and required medical treatment, a portion of his harvest could be later given to a physician to pay for the doctor's services. In fact, many times a rural doctor would be paid almost entirely through the support of the community by providing the doctor with what he or she needed for his or her family needed to get by. Extremely socialistic, but delightfully simplistic and sensible.
As to your last question. Where I live emergency room waits times can get up there. But the sick or injured are treated on a "as needed" basis, not by who has the best health coverage. However, as im sure you know, most injuries or ailments dont require a hospital.
Instead of centralized hospitals, we have many (and I mean MANY) local walk in clinics. A place where 6 or so doctors treat more minor (and much more common) injuries and illnesses on the same "as needed" basis. I have never waited more than 20 minutes for a throat infection or other non-serious illness and when i have been really hurt, I see a doctor within 5 minutes.
My only personal experience with a hospital emergency room was a few months ago when i had a severe allergic reaction. After arriving at the hospital, I was instantly on a gurney and was administerd anti-allergin shots within 1 minute.
While I was in the hosptial (about 14 hours) I had two male nurses attending to me and a doctor around at all times.
They fed and took care of of my Mom and Girlfriend who were there while i had to stay as well.
The best part, total cost: $0.
Free and universal health care is not without its faults, but as i said before, I'm happy with what I have.
Canada Health Act and History.
