A Comparison of Health Care in Canada and the United States
Health care reform in the United States is a notion long in the making. Growing concern over medical costs and availability of care has led to large-scale debate over the future of the American health care system. Eyes have turned north to Canada to compare their universal system of health care with that of the U.S. The question is, can the Canadian model improve care available to all citizens, while keeping the costs down? The Canadian and American health care systems are worlds apart, from their acquisition of funds and government involvement, to the costs, delivery, and even outcomes of the systems. The Canadian system is funded through a single-payer system (the government), through tax revenue. The government pays for almost all of the medical costs. The benefits of this system include accessibility to services for all residents and lower administrative costs. The drawbacks of the single-payer system include long wait times and staff shortages due to lack of fun...