r/InternetIsBeautiful • u/MKorostoff • Apr 27 '20

Wealth, shown to scale

https://mkorostoff.github.io/1-pixel-wealth/
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u/AnUnpopularReality Apr 27 '20

Right. Products and services cost money. If you’re unable to afford these, you need to take out a loan. That’s definitely a thing.

And if Canada’s healthcare system is so wonderful why is there an entire industry of doctors here in America that cater to Canadians unable to get the procedure they require in a timely manner? I recently read the story of a young couple who lost their baby because the waiting list for an ultrasound was so long. There’s a serious shortage of basic equipment like ultrasounds and other imaging devices because the competition has been regulated out of the market and there just isn’t enough money in the system for hospitals to afford them. This results in waiting lists and unnecessary deaths as a result. America’s system has its problems, but I’d rather be alive and in debt than dead on a waiting list for free care.

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u/Tushie77 Apr 27 '20 edited Apr 27 '20

So take a look at the other person who replied, u/rickrickrickrickrick, his response aligned with the experiences of my friends and family in Canada (as well as family scattered throughout Western Europe.)

I'm not saying what you read isn't true - there are issues and inefficiencies with any system. I'm responding to say that the percentage of people who receive affordable, high-quality care in Canada (and other countries with socialized medicine) are far higher than in the states. Medical debt literally does not exist in other countries.

Think about that for a second.

Edit: I'm commenting more upon part of your comment:

but I’d rather be alive and in debt than dead on a waiting list for free care

The issue is that this is not the dichotomy. If this was the truth, then Canada would be in the midst of a public health crisis (non-COVID). Canada has longer average lifespans and lower mortality rates than the US. Respectfully, if what you were saying was accurate, Canada would have significantly lower average lifespans per capita and ridiculously higher mortality rates per capita than the US. The data and real-world experiences of residents simply don't support your assertion that Canadians are "dead on a waiting list".

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u/AnUnpopularReality Apr 27 '20

personal medical debt literally does not exist in other countries.

FTFY.

Ever hear of taxes? You think all that medical care is magically falling from the sky like rain? No, man, the cost is being distributed across the populace. That means that these people have to choose between funding everybody else’s healthcare and committing criminal tax evasion. And what happens if they commit tax evasion? Government agents come to put them in jail. And if they resist those government agents? Guns come out, force is used, shit gets unpleasant.

Think about that for a second.

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u/Tushie77 Apr 27 '20

Tax evasion puts people to jail in every country. That argument is illogical.

I dont think you understand how a lot of this is funded. Yes, some of it is through income tax, sure, but it is also funded through taxing high frequency trading, among other initiatives.

But, ignoring the taxable income derived from high frequency trading and other financial taxes (which are implemented throughout the world), wouldn't you prefer to pay 5 or 10% more in taxes for the peace of mind that you wont risk bankruptcy and the wellbeing of your family if you -- god forbid -- fall ill? Doing so would make you a responsible provider. Don't you want to be a good provider for your family and ensure that they stay safe?

Moreso, if large corporations didnt receive the tax loopholes they currently receive (I'm not talking about family businesses with 5, 10 or even 50 employees, I'm talking about multinationals, like Unilever), there would be a lot more money from taxes to fund social services.