| Is Canada a good model for health care here | | | | care spending in every one of the ten |
| in the United States? | | | | Canadian provinces continues to grow faster |
| | | | on average, than total revenues from all |
| You be the judge. | | | | sources - including the large Canadian |
| | | | federal government transfers of funds from |
| Even in Canada Health care costs have reached | | | | the wealthy provinces of Ontario in the |
| the "tipping point". | | | | industrial heartland , British Columbia |
| | | | (B.C.) with its mineral and forestry |
| Recent research indicates the cold , hard | | | | industries and Alberta with its oil wealth . |
| economic reality that even in Canada with its | | | | These Canadian Federal Government fund |
| informal subsidizes of defense costs by the | | | | transfers serve to transfer funds from the |
| good old USA is having trouble to fund its sc | | | | wealthier "Have" provinces to the less |
| called all inclusive health care system that | | | | fortunate "Have Not" provinces in the hope of |
| many liberal Americans beg to copy without | | | | standardizing living standards and health |
| full and thorough investigation. | | | | care service levels across the country. |
| | | | |
| Up in our "Neighbor to the North" Canadians | | | | Health care in Canada is taking an ever |
| are reaching the limit of both what taxpayers | | | | increasing share of all revenues over time, |
| can afford to pay as well as reduced access | | | | leaving proportionately less money for |
| to health care and ever longer waiting times. | | | | everything else. |
| | | | |
| Of course there is only so much money in the | | | | Public health care spending in six of the ten |
| pot and other essential social services are | | | | provinces is on pace to consume more than |
| seeing funding cuts. | | | | half of total revenues by the year 2020 , two |
| | | | thirds by the year 2035 and all of the |
| It is generally not appreciated that | | | | provincial revenues by 2050. |
| Canadians have almost had an emergency escape | | | | |
| valve of the option of "Going South "if | | | | And even this analysis's the Institute notes |
| things get rough or too slow in their medical | | | | is being generous with assumptions. |
| treatments. | | | | |
| | | | Projections of future revenue growth are |
| The humorous part according to Las Vegas | | | | actually overestimated because in many of the |
| based health care analyst M. Labovitch is | | | | provinces recent growth revenue is a result |
| that the people with the power and influence | | | | of increasing tax burdens. |
| in Canada don't publicize or push for changes | | | | |
| when things are hard as they have | | | | Canadians pay to start with a national |
| automatically used this southern option which | | | | federal tax (G.S.T.) of 7 % in addition of |
| what they consider is both higher quality and | | | | provincial sales taxes which range from zero |
| speedier medical treatment. | | | | provincial sales taxes in oil rich Alberta of |
| | | | which the US are the main consumers to almost |
| Indeed Labovitch notes from Vegas that the | | | | 11 % in Prince Edward Island. |
| situation is so apparent and flagrant that | | | | |
| when high profile Canadian leaders and | | | | And in addition there are a myriad of hidden |
| politicians and their families have serious | | | | and incidental taxes. This is in addition as |
| illnesses that need treatment the news | | | | has been noted to the defense costs of Canada |
| reports always seem to be from prominent | | | | being subsidized by us here in the states. |
| American hospitals. Canadians it seems don't | | | | |
| notice this two state solution or are immune | | | | There is only so much money in Canadian's |
| and shell shocked already. | | | | pockets and they will have to make choices |
| | | | for a lower standard of their living |
| To support this data a prominent Canadian | | | | personally or higher taxes. In addition |
| think tank "The Fraser Institute" | | | | Canada is currently booming with oil, mineral |
| corroborated this information with a recent | | | | and lumber sales. What happens if this slows |
| study. | | | | down? |
| | | | |
| Using actual Canadian government Statistics | | | | Is the Canadian health care system |
| Canada data in its current report The Fraser | | | | sustainable? Should it be the model for us |
| Institute report notes that data on the most | | | | here in the United States? You be the judge. |
| recent five year trends that public health | | | | |