Healthcare/Very long reply to Daphne

[Guest guest]

Daphne wrote: >>...nationalized health care, I was wondering about

that...in your expert opinions, what do you think it would take for

the US to go that route and from listening to us on this list, do you

think it would be worth it? <<

I don't know what it would take - I think the insurance companies,

HMOs, etc might be too entrenched for you to go nationalized. But

from reading American posts, yes I think it would be worth it. I am

always horrified when I read about people being denied access to care

because they don't have insurance.

>> your physicians paid a " Wage " depending on their time in service

or their specialty? <<

They're not paid a wage, they're paid per visit. A GP makes something

like $40 per visit, a specialist (depending on his field) can make

upwards of $200 per visit.

We pay for the doctors' wages through taxes and out of a direct

payment to the provincial government. Here in B.C. I think it works

out to about $40 a month unless you're low income, in which case it's

less. If you're on disability or social assistance, you don't pay

anything. If you're working, your employer usually pays the fee for

you.

>> Can they earn extra by teaching, giving lectures etc? can they

contract to do jobs surgeries etc outside of their clinical treatment

schedule? <<

Yes drs can earn more by teaching, but I don't think universities pay

much to visiting lecturers. In most provinces private surgeries are

illegal (with the exception of cosmetic surgery). This is because

Canadians in general are against having a " two-tier " medical system,

ie. a system in which the rich can get excellent medical care and the

poor get rotten care.

>> Do they get to take vacations like a bus mans' holiday? <<

Drs take vacations just like anyone else. My GP takes about a month a

year, which is the same as what I was getting when I was working.

>> What is the physician to patient ratio? <<

Don't know that one - but I think it's up to the dr. The more

patients they see, the more money they make. My ex-doctor had people

lined up like he was working an assembly line and every patient got 6

minutes of his time. My current doctor has fewer people in the

waiting room and a lot more time to listen.

>> medications, What is the cost of them? are their co-pays? <<

Aaahh, this one I know because I used to be a pharmacist. Medications

are expensive but a lot less than in the States. My Duragesic 50ug

patches work out to be about $18 each. I don't pay for them because

my insurance covers them 100%. If you have a co-pay it's usually $10

or 20% of the drug cost or something like that.

If you have no insurance, here in B.C. the government will start

helping you out with prescription costs after you have reached a

certain limit based on your income.

>> do pahrmaceutical companies have on going studies sponsored by the

govt? <<

Pharmaceutical companies don't do much research in Canada. The

government sponsors research mostly in universities.

>> If I were to move to your country, what would my options for

health care be? <<

Since it's hard for Canadians to emigrate to the States, I'm sure the

reverse is also true although I don't know what the rules are. Once

you were a landed immigrant you would be entitled to all the same

benefits a Canadian citizen gets.

Hope that answers all your questions!

Di

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

[Guest guest]

Very interesting, very. Thank you for the info. Donna

Diane C. wrote: <snipped>

They're not paid a wage, they're paid per visit. A GP makes something

like $40 per visit, a specialist (depending on his field) can make

upwards of $200 per visit.

[Guest guest]

Very interesting, very. Thank you for the info. Donna

Diane C. wrote: <snipped>

They're not paid a wage, they're paid per visit. A GP makes something

like $40 per visit, a specialist (depending on his field) can make

upwards of $200 per visit.

[Guest guest]

Very interesting, very. Thank you for the info. Donna

Diane C. wrote: <snipped>

They're not paid a wage, they're paid per visit. A GP makes something

like $40 per visit, a specialist (depending on his field) can make

upwards of $200 per visit.