Hello, Canadians of Lemmy! Down in the USA there is a lot of conflicting information regarding the efficacy of y’alls healthcare systems. Without revealing my personal bias, I was hoping for some anecdotes or summaries from those whom actually live there.
I’ve lived in both US and Canada.
In Canada, my mother had cancer stayed in a private room for weeks until she died and we only paid for the phone bill for her room and parking. I didn’t get a bill from the hospital at all. No claims on insurance.
I had a baby in 2021 and again my wife had a private room while she recovered from her C section and my infant was in the NICU for a week. No bill from the hospital, no claims on insurance. Just paid for parking.
My wife who is type 1 diabetic had 100% of her needs covered through the ontario healthcare system.
I hear stories that in Ontario you have to wait for non-urgent care due to Premier Doug Ford not paying nurses enough, but I have not seen this personally.
I had work coverage that provided dental, vision, and drug coverage if needed.
In the US, I’m 100% dependent on work provided benefits AND I have to pay $4k a year for those benefits. Wife went for some routine work done and it was covered by work insurance. In ontario it would have been a no cost thing too, no dealing with insurance. We wouldn’t have waited in Ontario, we didn’t wait here either.
There seem to be waits here for specialists. Haven’t had to go to the hospital for anything yet.
There are waits for specialists here in the US as well. My son had to wait several months to get an appointment with one of his specialists.