I live in Toronto, Canada. I immigrated here in 1969 from Ireland. I moved back there from 97 to 2003, so got more recent experience of that system. I have friends from the US who have given me a perspective on that system. Between the three I prefer the Canadian system.
There have been various commissions on the Canadian healthcare system over the years. One of the most comprehensive was the " Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow Commission, 2001 to 2002), which is available at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/com/fed/index_e.html It has been some time since I read it but it does have information comparing the Canadian system with the US and others. I seem to remember that there was very useful comparisons on the costs which showed that the universal model in Canada is cheaper that the US two tiered model. This list has given me a sense of the amount of time that OTs and other health professionals in the US spend trying to figure out how to get funding to provide treatment, or figuring out the rules and regulations around funding. We have some funding challenges but nothing like you have in the US. I work in mental health, on an ACT team. I think that the whole system of mental health is underfunded in Ontario, especially for client with chronic psychotic illnesses. But when I read Pete Earley's book "Crazy", I got some perspective on the US system. I thought that his son's experience of trying to get help in the US was pretty similar to our system, but in Canada we don't have insurance companies dictating length of stay in hospital. We have the same problem of too many mentally ill clients ending up in the jail system. But again, I don't think it is quite as bad as that jail in Florida that he profiled. In fact, sometimes, it is a relief when our dual diagnosis clients, (psychotic illness and crack addiction) spend a short time in jail as they are usually detained in the medical section, where they are given medical help getting off crack. Of course they go back on crack as soon as they get out, but that is another issue. A major problem in both Canada and the US in terms of getting treatment for psychotic clients is the "rights legislation" which allows clients who are psychotic to refuse treatment, as long as they are not a threat to themselves or others. This was so clearly shown in the US documentary by Susan Smiley "Out of the Shadow", which shows her family struggle to get treatment for their mother. In my six recent years in Ireland I found there were more barriers to getting preventive healthcare without supplementary health insurance. People who do not have extra health insurance can wait for years for some proceedures in Ireland, but rarely die for lack of treatment. I made friends with an Irish woman who was an American citizen but had to return to Ireland when she got cancer. She had no health insurance and would have died as she could not afford the treatment. She has remained cancer free to date. Shortly after I returned to Canada, my husband almost died and ended up in ICU where he got fantastic care. He was unconscious for six days, so I got to talk with his nurses during that time. One of them told me that the daily cost of treating a client in ICU was $10,000 Can. I was shocked. I was already stressed and the idea of incurring a $60,000 Can. debt that we could not pay would have been intolerable. One of my US friends who stayed with me for one of the six days, told me how her father lost his business and home when he was unable to pay medical bills (in the US). Regards, Aine Suttle. --- Elayne Haley-Ververis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Please keep writing on this topic! I'm an American > and an OT student. I live in Nashville, TN, which > is largely George Bush/right wing country. I > desperately want to see universal healthcare of some > type - any type, at this point - in the United > States. > > Michael, you are so right in that universal care is > more humane - to say the least. > I've been in both "lucky" and "unlucky" situations > here as far as the ability to receive healthcare. > > For example, I was married to a cardiologist for > years which entitled me to not only excellent > healthcare, but "professional courtesy" to boot. > Once divorced (with three kids), I could not buy > health insurance. I was out of the work force for > 15 years (its incredibly hard to maintain employment > when your spouse works 70 hours a week. Also we > relocated after residency and then after fellowship, > away from family, etc). > I couldn't even buy it despite having enough money! > I had become depressed over the divorce and took > medication for two years and so became ineligible. > Depression - along with everything else - is > considered a "pre-existing condition" and so tough > luck. > > Now I'm a student and can buy student insurance, but > its not very good. It only covers up to $10,000 and > after that I'm on my own. Believe me, $10,000 would > not go far here in the US. > > My story would not get much sympathy here where over > 40 million people are without health insurance...... > many of whom are seriously ill and unable to buy > needed medication. So I'm not complaining! I'm > only telling my story because many people (here in > the US, anyway) think that the uninsured are simply > too lazy to get a job. Not true. > > So....I would love to hear what you in Canada have > to say about universal healthcare. The general view > here among those against it is that universal > healthcare means substandard health care. > -- > Options? > www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com > > Archive? > www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
