As Canadians, we rarely think about the cost of health care. Most of us rarely have to pay for the services of a doctor or a nurse. While, we are all too aware of the political debates over the provision and use of health care resources and know of the arguments that happen between doctors, nurses, hospital officials and various federal and provincial politicians, we don’t get a bill for it. All we know is a simple fact: we are asked to pay taxes for our imperfect health care system.
If you are lucky enough to have a Group Insurance Plan, through your employer, I could probably ask the same question. Generally speaking most employees ask a few questions as they need it or when the premium increases. Other than that your employer deals with the yearly renewals and most of the administration of the plan. All of this means that most Canadians rarely understand the cost of Canadian Health Care. While, it is true that we pay our taxes and some have supplemental coverage rarely is there an accounting for the broken leg, or surgery that we might need from time to time.
So when I was watching a TV on an American Station, I was shocked by the amount of money Americans are expected to put forward for their own health care. The commercial was for a not-for-profit, air ambulance service called NorthWest Medstar. In the commercial, you see a family talking about the great service provided by NorthWest Medstar. The family talked about the organization’s service area (e.g. Oregon, Idaho and Washington) and some of the services provided. The commercial ended noting that instead of paying $39,000 for NorthWest Medstar’s service, the featured family paid only $59 for a yearly membership.
It was at this point that I was shocked. In Ontario and Alberta, two not-for-profit, charitable organizations provide the same service. The names of those services are Ornge, in Ontario, and Stars, in Alberta. As long as you have Alberta or Ontario Health Insurance, each organization charges the provincial government. So I have never had to think of where I would come up with $39,000 for myself or anyone else that I cared for.
And this is important for Canadians. To save money, all Canadian provincial/government insurance systems have limited what they pay out. When you travel oversees, at best, government insurance programmes will only pay out what they would pay out in Canada. Some may not pay anything at all. So if one is driving from Victoria to Spokane, from Calgary to Coeur d’Alene, from Toronto to Buffalo, or from Montreal to New York; one needs travel insurance. If you drive 15 minutes over the border, you need to have travel insurance.
This point was underlined to me when I watched the move Sicko. “Sicko” is a documentary about the American Health Care system. It directed by Michael Moore. Whether you agree wtih him of not, one thing that you cannot disagree with is the stories the movie documents. One particular man had to make a particularly grewsome choice. In an accident, he lost two fingers. Replacing both would costs over $30,000. He could only afford about $20,000. So he chose which fingers the hospital would reattach to his hand.
As many Canadians have learned to late, crossing a border means that you are in a different county. Many of us have heard of a story of a Canadian who crossed the border for an hour. A Canadian who should have had travel health insurance but thought the risk was worth it. Given the short period of time, the thought, nothing bad would happen. Yet, something did. Instead of being taken across the border, that unlucky Canadian would have had to spend a night in an American Hospital and pay dearly for it.
If you do not take the right steps, the main character in that story could be about you.
Comments
Post a Comment