Posted on 06/10/2005 9:21:38 AM PDT by RS
TORONTO – Canada's Supreme Court yesterday struck down a Quebec law banning private medical insurance in a decision that represents a blow to the nation's publicly financed health care system.
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Canada is the only industrialized country that outlaws privately financed purchases of core medical services.
(Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...
They not only ban private insurance, they ban private self-funded medicine from being practiced?
Wow!
bump.
I was listening to "As It Happens" on NPR last night driving home when they were interviewing some Health Mininster in Canada about the ruling. The Minister was in crisis mode---refusing to answer questions directly and coming back over and over again to 'we have been making efforts to improve access'...Canada does some things very well---preventative medicine, basic care needs for a minimum level of care for everyone, etc, but the system does not support advanced technology and specialty access.
I'll be interested to see how this plays out.
If the U.S. enacted a Canadian style health system, where would the Canadians go whenever they need to see a doctor?
This is a wonderful development for two reasons.
First, it might actually lead my fellow Canadians to have a reasonable debate on health care. For far too long, our medicare system has been elevated almost to the status of a state religion. Despite numerous studies and commissions on health care, and several elections at both the provincial and federal level being fought on health care issues; there has been no real, honest debate. Supporters of the status quo accuse anyone criticizing the system of supporting "American-style" health care. The fact that even "progressive" European nations all have mixed public/private health care is left out of the debate. Perhaps now Canadians will actually engage in a real, and possibly productive debate about the issue.
Second, it was the Supreme Court of Canada, in an instance of judicial activism that brought down this decision. Left-wingers, and "social progressives" have staunchly defended judicial activism since the advent of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gave our Supreme Court much the same power as the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down legislation it deems "unconstitutional". Now, the public program most sacred (literally) to the left has been attacked by the infalliable Supremes. I imagine that heads must be exploding, trying to reconcile these facts. Perhaps now, we Canadians can also have a reasonable debate about judical activism.
When health care is outlawed, only criminals will have health care?
But, but, but. . .I thought government provided health care was the answer to all our problems. Why would Canadians want private insurance?
The Supreme Court decision contains this quote, from the Justice writing for the majority: "Access to a waiting list is not access to health care".
Maybe not. The clincis in Duluth Minnesota can make change in Canadian dollars.
I have argued for some time that, because it prevents a Canadian citizen from paying a health-care provider to actually provide health care outside the state system, the Canadian health-care system is a major violation of the most basic human rights.
Why don't they say, "in a decision that represents a boost to the freedom of the nation's citizens"?
"This is a wonderful development for two reasons. "
Two great points... and welcome to FR !
""Access to a waiting list is not access to health care".
That would make a great tagline :-)
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