I've lived in Canada for nearly 29 years now, and have been a dual U.S./Canadian citizen since 1991. I love the land of my birth and my upbringing, but I also love the land where I now live.
People sometimes ask if I would like to move back to the States. The answer is two-fold: Yes, I would (all of my family is still there, and the charm of the winters has long since worn off), but the sad reality is that I can't. In the 29 years since I've left, I've become obese (okay, more obese)and I now have Type 2 diabetes. So for all practical purposes, I am uninsurable in the U.S. for any health care coverage.
I lost my job last August. In the U.S.A., this would have been a disaster, because I would have lost my health insurance at the same time. My medications alone would cost over $700 a month, if I had to pay for them. Now, Canadian medicare does not cover prescription drugs. Fortunately, in the province of Quebec, where I live, the provincial government has a government insurance program for prescription medications. If you are not covered by a group insurance plan, either through work or through a professional association, you must belong to this plan. The annual premium is about $500 (paid at the same time you do your income taxes), and my monthly co-pay maxes out at about $75. So the costs of my meds is about $1400 annually, as opposed to about $8500 if I had to pay full price.
And of course, all legal residents of Canada (regardless of citizenship status) are automatically covered for necessary medical treatment. Some provinces charge an annual premium; Quebec does not (medicare is paid out of the general tax fund). So although I lost my job, I retained my health care. I carry a card in my wallet (like a credit card), and show it whenever I have to obtain medical services.
In the approximately one year since I lost my job, I've had to access the following medical services:
Several doctor visits for various problems (knee arthritis, dermatology issues, ear infection)
Two emergency room visits (fall with a hairline fracture in my elbow, dental abscess)
And then the biggie: A recent hospitalization
Two weeks ago I was walking down the street and couldn't get more than half a block before having to stop and sit for a few minutes to catch my breath. I went back home, and the problem persisted and worsened overnight. By the morning, I was unable to walk from my bed to the bathroom and out without being completely out of breath. So I phoned 911, and the ambulance came, put me on oxygen, and took me to the emergency room.
I was seen right away, and hooked up to all kinds of machines, and blood was drawn. The doctors thought it might have something to do with my heart, because of my obesity and many other risk factors. My heart enzymes were somewhat elevated (in the "gray zone", I was told) but my EKG's were normal. I was transferred to the ICU that evening, and stayed there for two days. Eventually I no longer needed the oxygen, and was transferred out of the ICU, but I stayed in the hospital for another 6 days (9 days total). The cause of my attack is still undiagnosed. There is a possibility that I had a pulmonary embolism, but they couldn't detect one on the CT scan. (Yes, I got a CT scan. Not every hospital has a machine, because they're very expensive. The hospital where I was does not have one, so they put me in an ambulance with a nurse, and took me to another hospital for the scan.) They were, fortunately, able to rule out heart trouble as the cause.
And the cost to me for all this? About $150, for the ambulance, which is not covered. Everything else is covered, including all the medications while I was in the hospital.
The care I received was top-notch. I had a team of terrific doctors, working together to stabilize my condition and figure out what was wrong. The nurses were equally great, and caring, and helpful. They did everything in their power to make my stay in the hospital less scary and as comfortable as possible.
Is the Canadian system perfect? Of course not. There are sometimes long delays for non-urgent surgeries. It is difficult to find a family doctor. The hospitals aren't air-conditioned (except for the emergency room and the ICU).
But of course, the American system isn't perfect either. It is very good for those who can afford to pay. But if you need a heart transplant in the United States, and you cannot afford to pay for one, and are uninsured, you die. It's as simple as that. In Canada, if you need a heart transplant, and are the most appropriate candidate, you get it.
Opponents of health care reform in the United States often complain about rationing. But the fact is, health care is already rationed in the United States. It is rationed by ability to pay. In Canada, health care is rationed by most urgent need. And I can tell you from personal experience that, when you are critically ill, the care is rapid and excellent.