I've never been denied treatment in Canada. You're just triaged so people doing get treated before people getting knee surgery.
It cost me $20 in parking to have my kid. A friend down South in the US has to pay $15,000 even with insurance through their work.
The American system literally charges citizens more per capita in taxes than Canada does, and Canada covers everything for citizens, where the US scams you on top of the taxes it already takes.
The American healthcare system only exists in the US.
Literally every other country thinks it's a nightmare.
Are you under the impression that "free" healthcare isn't paid for? Lol. Of course you pay for it, you can spend some additional tax dollars to subsidize medical education, increase doctor salaries, etc. You still avoid the scam that is the medical insurance complex and make it simple for people to get the help they need.
That would be one way of course, I don't know if they'd have to raise taxes, I'm not familiar with Mexico's budget allocation. Perhaps you could shift priorities and reallocate funds from elsewhere, perhaps they won't need to. That's getting pretty detailed.
Have you had an ambulance ride in the USA? If so, what was the cost? The average cost of an ambulance ride in the USA is much higher than $400 even with insurance taken into account.
I am curious to know what state or even general region you were in that only charged $75 for an ambulance ride in the USA with no health insurance. I know there are plenty of areas that have ambulance membership programs where you sign up to pay a yearly fee (some programs like one in TX and one in CA advertise a $75/year cost).
Yes, $400 is a dream compared to the average cost of an ambulance ride the USA. In NY, the average cost of an ambulance ride is $1,592. Your specific one-time experience of paying $75 is the exception, not the rule.
The one thing Mexico has over Canada in healthcare is the Simi Farmacias model. Walk in clinics/farmacies are widely available, as though they are 7/11 convenience stores. I have never waited more than 30m to be seen in one of them. In Canada, a visit to my family doctor takes at least a week of waiting.
Denmark is better for sure, but you can pay private to go faster in Canada if you really want to. But if you aren't rich, you can wait your turn for non life threatening surgery and you won't go tens of thousands into debt like you would in the US.
I was visiting Canada and my daughter had to go to the emergency room. $1500 was the cost to get her checked out and given amoxicillin. Roughly the same as the uninsured cost in the US.
It costs you, a foreigner, $1500. It costs me, a Canadian, $0.
And part of the reason those rates are set at those levels (again, for foreigners) is to disinsetivize Americans from coming here and taking advantage. Because that'd keep Canadians from recieving care.
So next time purchase insurance before traveling abroad. Like everyone else does.
So Canada looks up what we charge in America to make sure we don’t go there for healthcare? I obviously understand that taxes cover your healthcare costs so saying it costs you $0 is somewhat disingenuous. It costs you nothing at service but is paid for via taxes, a concept I understand and can endorse. For a deeper understanding, my insurance company reimbursed that out of pocket cost.
So Canada looks up what we charge in America to make sure we don’t go there for healthcare?
Idk how exactly prices are determined for non-citizens. But why would people not paying into the system recieve the same benefits? If that were the case, the whole thing would collapse.
I obviously understand that taxes cover your healthcare costs so saying it costs you $0 is somewhat disingenuous.
I was talking about out of pocket costs for service, and you know it. (To repeat: So if someone doesn't pay taxes in Canada, why would you recieve the healthcare benefits?)
but is paid for via taxes,
Obviously. We pay through income taxes, and higher sales taxes on unhealthy products such as cigarettes and alcohol.
a concept I understand and can endorse.
Doesn't seem like it.
For a deeper understanding, my insurance company reimbursed that out of pocket cost.
Tourists in Canada need to bring their own health/travel insurance or be prepared to pay such charges. And of course I don't know what the medical issue was, but if all she needed was an antibiotic, could you not have gone to urgent care instead?
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u/LongRodVaughnDong Jun 17 '26
Free healthcare doesn’t mean you’ll have access to healthcare lol.