American Reacts to Canadians Talking About Canadian Healthcare 

We're passionate about our healthcare the way Americans are passionate about their guns.

Americans - will fight for their right to own a gun but not fight for the right to live.

Zero Canadians have declared bankruptcy for heathcare bills

I have had Americans tell me they don't want their tax dollars paying for the health care of people on Welfare. I was shocked. Does that mean homeless people don't deserve health care? Disabled people don't deserve health care? Everyone deserves health care!

Every time I get my medication or see my doctor I thank God for Tommy Douglas.

I was born and raised in Texas. I am now a dual Canadian American citizen . When I left Texas I was self employed with pre existing conditions. I was paying $870/ mo with a $7500 deductible. What a blessing when I moved to Canada and had free Healthcare! Two years ago, I broke my leg. I was admitted to the hospital and had surgery with plates and screws put in place. On day 5, the surgeon asked if I felt ready to leave. He said it was up to me! Afterwards, I went to physical therapy. Cost: not one penny! I love it here.

There's a reason Tommy Douglas was voted as the greatest Canadian in 2004. Introducing universal healthcare was *that* well regarded and important to the Canadian identity.

I've witnessed Americans a few times online saying that the Canadian health care system is so inefficient that it provides a low quality degree of care. It makes me sad when I hear that because they've been lied to by politicians and it hurts them.

Those parking fees are not a joke! But the biggest arguement the Americans give is that this is Socialism. Which it absolutely is. A little bit of Socialism is a wonderful thing. Not the boogeyman portrayed on American news.

When I was 3, I had a stroke, and it's thanks to the Canadian healthcare system that the largest cost my parents incurred was for parking, and with no long-term life-altering issues. I owe my life to this system and will defend it until the day I die.

I’ve had 4 babies and raised them (ear infections, strep throat, bumps, etc)….Ive had surgery, and several life threatening sicknesses…..I’ve never ever seen a bill. I’m so grateful for Canada ❤️

Americans are trained from birth to vote against their best interests & support the rich.

The irony is that Americans pay as much in taxes per capita for healthcare as Canadians do. Then, Americans pay as much again out of pocket or for insurance.

Here is a story for you: My wife went into labour. I called the hospital gave them the contraction times and asked if we should head in. They said yes. We drove to the hospital, spoke to the triage nurse. In a few minutes, they brought us to a room for a doctor to check the dilation. Once confirmed of active labour, we were moved to a birthing room within 20 minutes. Long story short, we had our baby a few hours later. They then asked about additonal (optional) insurance coverage through my work to determine to move us to a semi-private or private room. 24 hours later (we stayed overnight), the pediatrician saw our baby and gave us the okay to head home. All done. Never saw anything to do with hospital costs. We had to pay about 15-20$ for parking at the hospital for max time. No joke, my main complaint of our healthcare system is the parking fees at the hospital (especially for visitations of relatives).

I just became a Canadian Permanent Resident a couple of years ago. The healthcare saved my life. I never take it for granted. Ever. Thankful every day for it. I wouldn't have made it in the States, where I'm from

I was in hospital for hip replacement an American lady came in with a broken hip and no insurance, the surgeon came to advice her on treatment her having no insurance he told her under the circumstances he would wave his fees, I would say our Canadian system has some empathy for the less fortunate. we are very fortunate no one does without.

My husband had cancer. He became palliative and he was on outpatient palliative. The doctors and nurses came to our home to take care of him. We paid nothing out of pocket. Every thing is covered. If we ever had to go to the hospital we received free parking, we’d register our cars with the hospital and then we parked for free. When my husband went into hospice at the end of his life we paid $58 per day. Our family could stay there with him all day and sleep there, our dog could be there with us. We live in British Columbia.

And we're mad about the parking cost 100% of the time lol

“If you’re wealthy in America, things are great” best summation of the US system.

I'm Canadian and I've lived in the States since late 2003. My wife didn't prepare me for what a co-pay was. The first time I had to get some medication at a drug store the lady said my co-pay was x amount and I looked at her like she was an alien. She had to explain it to me. If you want health care in the US you have to pay through the nose for it unless your employer has a plan or you have medicare/medicaid and even then it's not cheap. Some people I know have to pay over $400 per month for just themselves. And then you still get hit with stupid co-pays and bills on top of that. My wife grew up very poor and her Mum couldn't afford medical. When her or her siblings were sick, they didn't get to see a doctor. When she was a little girl doing gymnastics in her yard and severely hyper extended one of her knees, she couldn't go to a doctor because it would have cost her single mother who was barely getting a family of 4 by each month more than they could ever afford. And to top it off the government doesn't give a rip about anybody. If you can't pay you can go screw yourself. I'm not saying the Canadian system is perfect. It isn't. But it is light years ahead of the US system, which causes me stress every single day seeing as my wife and I have a lot of health issues and the only money coming in is disability. The US system is just scary when you have to rely on it.

I heard a lot of Americans bashing our health care but we are just laughing you are jealous.. In 2022 I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I was sent to surgery within 2 weeks and sent for chemo for five months. After that I went home to recuperate at home but I was not alone they sent a visiting nurse and therapist until they decided that I was fully recovered. Now I am cancer free and I received no bills nothing. I only spent 40 dollars for my parking. Thank God I am Canadian.

Ask Trump : he said that we are communists and he corrected in saying : they are socialists. Not bad for a country spending 800B$ for defense . Put half of that money on health care system and american people would be more healthty and hopefuly more happy.

I can’t understand why Americans are not up in arms demanding government healthcare ,it seems like a human right in the richest most powerful country in the world . Great content Tyler !

It’s so mind boggling to us that the US is the only developed nation without universal healthcare. Even Mexico has an excellent system. How America can call itself the land of the free when most of its citizens have no freedom to the right to be healthy and to go to a medical professional any time we need one. If you are not free to be healthy, physically and mentally, you will never to rich

Had my two boy's bill free , Then in 2012 I had thyroid cancer . Multiple DR's and a 6 hour op and an Iodine ( 2 ) treatments one year later cancer free . I am still looked after by my oncologist love him . all no charge , I will gladly pat my taxes 😊 To not mortgage my house

Healthcare availability is a human right, not a privilege. As a Canadian who lived in NYC for 5 years, I know of people who can't even go to the hospital when they have a twisted ankle or a gash near their eye. If you don't have healthcare available to you through the company you work for, you have to buy it and not everyone can afford to buy it. Just like Canada, it should come our of your salary as taxes. I know for a fact that Americans I've asked have no idea where their tax dollars go. We do!

Here in Sweden in todays newspapers there is an article of a Swedish older man on holiday in USA who had a Intracerebral hemorrhage and now his children in Sweden can't afford to get him home, every 24 hours the hospital bill is 10.000 US dollar and the total cost was up to 455000 dollar and the ambulance flight home would cost around 95000 dollar. INSANE... No normal working person can afford that.

Canadian here. I have an American friend who came up here for university and stayed. After he got here, he got a bad infection in his leg (flesh-eating strep) and was on IV antibiotics for a while, but he's fine now. According to him, in the US they would've just amputated the leg because it was less expensive than the antibiotics on his blue collar "insurance". I love our health care system and will fight any attempt to privatize it. Edit: and it is WAY cheaper and better for the patient to fix problems when they're small than when you are really, really sick.

My husband is an American who became a citizen here 20 years ago. We have our own business. He stands by the fact that we would not have been able to start a business in the U.S. because we couldn’t afford the health insurance for two people with pre-existing conditions.

The Canadian system works because of people like me; I've paid my taxes for decades and haven't used the system. All our taxes go to the government, then the government pays the health care. So long as the population remains relatively healthy, those of us without issues cover the costs for everyone else. Some things that are not covered are things like dental and eye care, but even that is usually mostly covered by work benefits. Another point to make is that yes, you can choose your doctor, but it's getting increasingly difficult to find a family doctor. Also, it's true that hospitals can be understaffed and generally, I think wait times are worse here than in the US. Even for it's faults, I am happy with our system. It may not be as robust as some of the ones in Europe, but it's miles better than the US

When I was having a heart attack I picked up the phone and called 911. Six minutes later, three emergency services - fire, police and ambulance were at my door. Three weeks in hospital, triple bypass surgery, then, a month later, an additional stent placement and a full year of rehab and after-care... total cost $96 to cover the initial ambulance cost from my house to the hospital. 96 dollars. Seriously.

Canadians look after Canadians. It's who we are. Our health system does have its problems but to not have to worry about loosing my home because of a medical condition, is awesome.

I suffered cardiac arrest some years back, I went into V. fib and they had to shock me. I was then given a coronary angiogram and a stent was installed. Two days in hospital, cost, $300. for the ambulance and paramedics, paid for by my husband's work insurance. Two years later hospitalized with bilateral pneumonia. Spent three weeks in the hospital. Returned home with two oxygen compressors, one for the house and the other for use outside of the house. The rental is paid for by the provincial government. Now that I'm a senior, my prescriptions are paid for by the government except for a small percentage, and ambulance service is also paid for. My husband passed away from cancer and everything was paid for by the government, chemo, ambulances, hospital visits and prescriptions. I for one, am grateful that I live in a country where this is possible. It was Kiefer Southerland 's maternal grandfather, Tommy Douglas, former Saskatchewan premiere that brought Universal Healthcare to Canada in the 1960's.

One must understand that the Canadian Health-care system is not unitary. It is actually composed of 13 provincial and territorial health care systems; one for each province and territory. What makes it national is that the Federal government provides funding to these 13 health care systems so that they are universal and such that Canadians are covered from coast to coast to coast no matter where they live. In general if you change provinces or territories you must obtain a health card for the province or territory where you reside within the first three months. The same also applies to your driver licence and car licence. The federal government doesn't really provide healthcare or licences except for the military.

My uncle moved to the US but kept his Canadian citizenship. He was paying $600 a month for his. When his wife past he moved back to canada When he became ill he wanted to ho back to the us for treatment because he had heard that Canadian healthcare was very bad. He stayed and got his treatment and was amazed with the level of care he got

In our neck of the woods, we have what you call a walk-in center, it's for people to come in anytime off the streets and wait to see to doctor's, it can take anywhere from 10 mins to 45 mins to get in to see the doctor's, or you can call ahead and book an appointment and if you are from out of town you might be able to get in to see the doctor's in the afternoon if you live at least 4 hour away. One more thing is that the health care includes air travel from any remote area to see the doctor's if its an emergency or life threatening.

6 years ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. Everything was paid for. 37 rounds of radiation. 3 chemo treatments. Not a single penny was spent. Not only that, I had a feeding tube and had to use the Boost drink for those 4 months. The Boost was also covered. The only way you would pay for care is if you used a private clinic. Yes, you may have to wait for stuff like MRI etc. I never waited longer than a month. I am thankful everyday that I was born in Canada. I did get to experience the American health care system first hand. I was in Los Angeles on vacation and had a health emergency and was sent to the UCLA Ronald Reagan Health Center. The care was amazing! So nice and helpful. This is not covered by the Canadian health care system, but most employers offer out of country insurance. Although I did receive a bill, I had to open a patient account so they could bill my insurance. The bill was $12,000!! Had scans done and small, minor procedure. No money out of my pocket. I have many American friends, and they are very envious of our system.

I had two C-sections, stayed in the hospital for several days after each. While in the hospital, I was treated so well, was seen by lactation consultants and other helpers. When I went home, I was visited by post natal nurses who came to my house for several weeks to check on me and the babies and make sure we were doing well. All these services cost me $0. I felt so supported and grateful. During that very stressful (and hormonal) period of my life, I remember crying on more than one occasion over how fortunate I was to live in Canada and how many women around the world did not get this level of support and care, even though I'm sure they needed it as much as me.

My daughter had surgery a few weeks ago. We paid for parking and Starbucks, that’s it. My daughter’s surgery did get delayed because there were kids with serious issues and cancers (my daughter’s issue was non-emergent). We had the most modern technologies, a robot for my daughter to play with and make her feel better about the process, a child life specialist, spoke to maybe seven wonderful nurses, the super amazing surgeon, the anaesthesiologist.. amazing service and quality! It was just day surgery and there was a full team that was focused on my daughter. ❤

From the homeless population to the elites in Canadian society, our healthcare system makes everyone equal. That is what I love about the Canadian healthcare system.

A government sole responsibility is the wellbeing of its citizens. This means Health and safety.

This is so funny! I went to a specialist this morning, both my husband and I complained about having to pay for parking.. I think we take the free healthcare for granted! Never again will I complain about parking fees!!

Some things I’ve learned from my master's in healthcare administration: Believe it or not, the father of the Canadian healthcare system is Tommy Douglas, who happens to be Kiefer Sutherland’s maternal grandfather. The Canadian healthcare system requires about 11% of our GDP, while the American system requires about 17% of theirs. Canada’s healthcare system typically ranks higher than the USA’s. Canadians have a life expectancy of 82 years, compared to 77 years for Americans. Our healthcare system is not perfect, but I prefer it to the American healthcare system in general. However, for the latest cutting-edge healthcare, I would give the edge to the American system.

I’m an orthopedic nurse in Québec. Recently, we had a lady that came from France to visit her son. While she was here, she fell and broke her hip. Unfortunately, she hadn’t taken any travel or health insurance. She ended up having to have a hip replacement because her joint was in such bad shape. She stayed in the hospital for 3 days, including pre-op, surgery and post-op. She had to pay her bill before she could leave the hospital. She ended up having to pay 23 000$…. My mind was blown! I have been an orthopedic nurse for 16 years and had no idea how much a surgery ans hospital stay plus blood work and exams cost. 🤯

My 38 year old son was diagnosed in 2020 with Hodgkins Lymphoma. He spent a year going through various chemotherapy treatments. When that did not work he had a stem cell transplant and finally radiation. He is now going through pain management for the damage that these treatments did to his body. While going through these treatments he joined an online support group. There were Americans in the group and he told us of this one American who had also been diagnosed with HL. She was trying to get treatment but no one would answer her calls because she had no medical insurance. She needed to go and do fund raising to get the money she needed to get treatment. It made us all incredibly sad.

CANADA IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE WORLD!!!!! Plus, we have health care. . ..

My cousin is a specialist who has patients from around the world, including the United States. Senator Paul Rand went to Toronto for a procedure and I know an American nurse who had her knee replacement surgery done in Ottawa by a specialist.

an American friend had a regular pregnancy and a regular delivery no complications and had good coverage via work : it still cost her family upwards of 5000$ out of pocket for deductibles and other costs that the insurance didn't cover - she was in her local hospital like 3 days before going home and she had 12 weeks of maternity via her job. I had a complicated pregnancy with twins - I had to stay out of town at ronald mcdonald house (in a city 7 hours drive from my home) for 2 months and have up to three times a week check ups at children's hospital to monitor my twins till I had my twins delivered, and then my twins spent a week in the NICU at children's and then they flew us via medical transport plane to my home city where we spent a month in the NICU there. The hospital also gave me three meals a day while I was staying in the NICU with my babies and provided all the incidentals my infants needed including formula and diapers and clothes. In all that, my husband and I only had to pay for maybe 30$ in hospital parking. I also got 18 months of govt paid maternity leave. I would have been bankrupt if I had my children in America - if I even successfully was able to have both the babies (because I might not have been able to get all the tests and monitoring I needed to have the twins or afford the NICU care they needed after birth). A much sadder story (tw: loss) that sticks with me always is one of my moms, she lived in California for a couple years in the early 2000s because my step dad was working down there consulting. She made friends with a lady down the block form her house cuz the lady had a son around my little bros age and they would play and went to school together. The lady had diabetes. She worked a full time job as a server which did not really pay a lot and did not have good insurance options. She often had to ration her insulin between paychecks as her insurance only covered a certain number of doses and she had to pay OOP for the rest and she often couldn't afford it. One day her son shows up at my moms house asking my mom for help because he came home from school and found his mom is asleep on the sofa and she wouldn't wake up. My mom rushed over to see if she could help but it was clearly too late, her friend had missed too many of her insulin shots and had slipped into a diabetic coma and passed away. All because she couldn't afford a medication and her insurance wouldn't cover the doses she would need to actually treat her condition properly. The fact that that sort of thing happens on a daily basis across America and has for decades is outrageous and entirely preventable.

Canadian here. We’re also recently expanding our health-care too! One of the largest expansions in a generation. The federal government has implemented a new Dental Care System. That once fully implemented, can cover any Canadian who makes under $90,000/year. Co-pays are an absolute minimum, 10-20% is being seen at the moment. This program is meant as a catch-all for folks who don’t have private dental insurance. So it’s great for seniors, self-employed, and young people. Once it’s fully implemented, it’s expected to cover an additional 6 to 9 million Canadians who didn’t have dental care before. The program is already showing early successes of people getting the dental care they need! Pharmacare. we’re rolling-in a federal Pharmacare system too, that will see most common drugs covered when you either hit your deductible(based on taxable income) or price will be capped to a low level covered completely. This Program is extremely new. right now it only covers diabetic drugs and supplies, along with birth control.

Universal healthcare came to be in January 1966 and I was born 5 months later. I was born super sick with kidney issues, many surgeries, hospital stays, and lifelong specialist appointments and never a bill. I would not be alive today if we did not have healthcare! Our homeless population have the exact same universal healthcare as anyone else. Sure, we can get Blue cross with employment. My husband was American, and had healthcare here. He was diagnosed with cancer, and the only cost I had for his 370 day fight with the disease, was the one to cremate him.

I love Canadas Healthcare System. Would never trade it for the American system.

I thank my lucky stars every day. Last year I was in the hospital for 3 months and then another in medical rehab at a different facility. The only bill I received was $80 for the ambulance ride as that’s not covered. I am still receiving some support from healthcare professionals in my home for some stuff. I have all kinds of other therapies I still need to participate in to get fully healthy again. If I lived in the states, I’d be dead today. Today I’m heading for an IV infusion of my rheumatoid arthritis (I get this every 6 weeks). It would cost $3200 a dose if the Government didn’t take care of it. Tomorrow I’m going to see an orthopaedic specialist and X-rays. No cost to me.

The U.S. healthcare system is shameful.

Yup! Wait times are a concern. 10 years ago I popped a hernia in my groin at 11 am. Called my DR and she actually answered the phone. Told me to come into her office right away. She took one look and called the surgeon while I was there and spoke to him. I spoke to him too he asked a lot of questions. Went to the hospital , got fixed and woke up 10 pm that night. All done! Home in the morning. No bill, but my wife had to pay for her coffee in the hospital cafeteria. ( how unjust) Best country in the word! For many other reasons too. ❤

My mum had cancer, she didn't have to declare bankruptcy. My husband is a Permanent Resident, American citizen, and future Canadian. He had to get his provincial heath coverage when he landed. A typical doctor appointment here in Canada is as follows. You walk into the clinic, tell the doctors receptionist you are there, wait for your turn, to in and see the doctor, discuss what you're there for, then you go home. No bill. No payment needed, you just go.

We NEVER see a bill for any doctor's visit, ER visit, tests!!! I am SO grateful. Surgery, hospitalizations, CT scans, xrays, etc.

Fun fact: if you aren’t Canadian and use one of our hospitals, they do present you with a bill. Former President Carter was in town for some Habitat for Humanity work in Winnipeg. Needed medical attention, so they took him to the hospital I was born at. Presented him with a bill but I heard it was quite reasonable.

I am a cancer patient. I have had 2 cancer surgeries and over a year of expensive immunotherapy for the cancer. The only costs I have incurred are when I stop for donuts at the Tim Horton's in the hospital lobby. Even my parking is paid for by the Cancer Society. A lot of the wait times, especially in emergency, are because our system is a triage system. The most serious people get seen first. If you walk in with a splinter, you're going to sit and wait for a few hours.

As a naturally-born Canadian/American citizen I can definitely tell you that *I AM SO THANKFUL* for Canadian healthcare! I had just moved back to Canada after 1.5 years back in TX, and on day 10 I broke my leg (slipping on some ice). I would have been in debt for *years* had it uappened 11 or 13l2 days earlier. Anything that's urgent is treated immediately.

In the last 10 years I have had 2 hip replacements, a lumbar spine decompression surgery and two spinal fusion surgeries. As a Canadian, this is all covered through our taxes. No additional out of pocket expenses, no cumbersome paperwork. It is stressful enough to deal with these types of medical issues. I'm so thankful for our healthcare system. I have relatives who live in the States, so I can empathise with them about the challenges of the American Healthcare system. Tyler....thanks for initiating this discussion. I'm sure it is enlightening for Canadians as well as our American friends. Cheers!

I live in Ontario and I got very sick. And had several surgeries, I was in and out of intensive care . 13 months before I was released. It cost me nothing. I was given fabulous personal care by everyone in that hospital. It must have cost over a million. With the surgeons, nurses, the people who helped me learn to walk again the dietician. Then they came to our home check on me and help me with little things like buttons on a blouse or a suggestion on anything I was having a problem with. I love our great health care system. Is it prefect no but it sure beats dying or loosing everything you worked for.

Corruption is why U.S. has pay your own way health care. I live in Canada and had a head-on collision 30 years ago. 3 months stay in intensive care hospital and 3 months in rehabilitation hospital. 3.5 million dollars total. When one is at one's weakest, most devastated point in one's life, it's nice not to have to worry about who the heck is paying. You do the math.

As someone who works in the Canadian Healthcare system, I will say we do a lot right. That said, there are always challenges. Surgery wait times in my jurisdiction are absolutely longer than they should be. Often access to diagnostic tools like endoscopy, MRI, etc can be a longer wait than is comfortable for many patients, and this can lead to high anxiety and delayed diagnosis. Our system is always working to improve and we are actively trying to find better ways to address these issues. All healthcare systems are complex, and I cannot imagine that complexity being heightened by considerations like co-pays, arguing about whether a condition is pre-existing or not. Organizationally, we deal with cost pressures and are always weighing how best to be responsible stewards of the public purse, and that can lead to constraints that can prove difficult for some Canadians. Our system is by no means perfect, but I do believe we truly do appreciate it. Thanks for this video.

My daughter was born in 1985, I had a C-Section, zero dollars. Semi private room $25, which was reimbursed by my medical benefits at work. At 4yrs old daughter's tonsils were removed, at 17yrs a benign cyst removed from one breast both zero dollars...$0. We do NOT pay for Doctor's visits or specialists, or cat scans, or X-Rays, or..or..or....

My son was having MRIs every 6 months when he was younger, and now that he's older. He just has them yearly. So glad to live in Canada where it's covered.

I had two hip replacement surgeries within 4 months last year and didn't have to pay a penny. Bet that doesn't happen in the US! We took a cruise around the Hawaiian islands last month and bought the premium travel insurance (Maulife Gobal). The morning after our luau, hubby awoke with an ache in his chest and weird sensation in his throat, so he decided to go to the ship's medical to get checked, as we were flying home the next day. They did an EKG and thought he should go to the hospital for a blood test to ensure he hadn't had a heart attack. They called an ambulance, and at the hospital, they did a blood test, another EKG, an x-ray of his heart, 2nd blood test, and medication. I called the insurance company, and they faxed our insurance info within 10 minutes and agreed to the hospital direct billing. So we paid nothing. A few hours after leaving the hospital, they emailed a claim form for us to submit the $250 ship's medical charge for payment to us. I love Canada!

My mom had a liver transplant, my husband had a knee replacement, my brother had cancer treatment and I had 2 babies in the hospital. We paid zero.

When I was 24, I walked to the university hospital after having pain in my stomach. I was given a prescription and went home. When the pain continued, I returned, was transferred to the general hospital, and ultimately diagnosed with a burst appendix (and my family told me afterward the doctor told them it was touch and go about whether I would live). I spent days in the hospital, was eventually sent home with a prescription, found myself too nauseous to take said prescription and came back to the hospital, where I stayed an extra week with a drip medication. Long story short(?), as a young adult, I would've probably been dead if I had to worry about things like emergency room fees, fees for different tests including a CT scan or anything else. I wouldn't have sought help, let alone 3 different times. I was in pain, but walked both times to the emergency department because it didn't seem serious enough to rush there. At no point did I feel like my life was in danger in spite of the serious infection that could've killed me if I'd waited. I probably would've waited a few more days to see if it got better rather than having to come up with the cash to pay for hospital visits. Instead, I got to focus on the important thing: my health. I had to pay for both prescriptions, but it totaled about $20 altogether. Hospital food was paid for by taxes (when I was finally healthy enough to eat).

I had lung cancer. Had X rays CAT scan PET scan, biopsy free rides to a big city for specialists appointments before for and after my operation . Didn't cost a cent. Specialist removed a lobe of my lung and kept seeing me every 6 months. Still havent paid a cent. The Cancer Association sends me fund raising requests so if I had the money I would contribute but there's no pressure we do have co pay but its like $4.11 per prescription you get filled. Also there are some things you must pay fully like for a while some shots were on you like shingles or pneumonia. I think those are covered now. So I lied about what I paid for the lung cancer. Cost me $4.11 to fill a prescription for painkillers.

There is no US health care system. he USA has a Health Care Industry. Do note this Canadian lived in the Los Angeles from 2001 to 2010 and had US medical insurance. With 5 different insurance carriers. Only one came close to delivering medical care equivalent to what I had in Canada. That was Kaiser Permanente. 5:00 Why should your coverage be attached to your job. That is a huge burden on companies and you can lose your coverage if you lose your job. No other developed country has such a silly system. It also hampers people from going off and starting their own business, having to either pay a bundle for coverage or not having any. 5:50 One of the reasons Canada spends about 50% as much as the USA, per capita, on health care is that by seeing to issues early, we can take care of them before they get too serious. I am gong to see my doctor tomorrow as I have detected a couple bumps on my back. Years ago, one such bump was pre-cancerous. So I will have these looked at before they become a lot more serious. Prevention is a lot cheaper than curing afterward. If an American waits too long on this stuff, it may kill them. But then Canadians do live longer than Americans on average. 8:08 The US healthcare industry goes out of their way to trash talk the Canadian system. I remember living in LA during the 2008 campaign against the Affordable Care Act. The outright lies being told about it were amazing. As well they were comparing the Canadian system to the highest level PPO care the rich in the US get. Nor with what the middle income people have to live with. Or the dregs that the poor in the USA get. The regular people seldom say anything. The reality is that the wait times in Canada are no worse than what you get in the US with HMO insurance. None of this is "making fun". This is organized propaganda by the US healthcare industry. 16:40 In the lies told by the US healthcare industry the biggest is that Canadians cannot choose their doctor. The reality is that every doctor and hospital is in our "group". My US friends report 3 to10 week waits to see their primary care doctor. Actually the more populated areas get better service as doctors tend to prefer the big urban areas to live. The waiting issues are in small towns. But then some of those towns are so isolated that they have to be flown out to see a doctor. There is one particular political party in the USA preventing the USA from having universal health care. The party which is likely nominating a convicted felon to be their presidential candidate in 2024. A party very skilled in the "Big Lie" method and are very good at getting the worst off people in the USA to vote against their own self interest. .

I am Canadian!!! I also have several serious long-term health issues. Several months at the beginning of the year we pay for our prescriptions. But by March we have covered our deductible and our prescriptions are covered by our extended health care. My husband's hearing aids and teeth were covered. I can't imagine suffering for lack of healthcare.😊

If the politicians look after the citizens, the citizens well look after the politicians. Medicine is one way of looking after the citizens.

Every time I or anyone I know has needed healthcare, our system was there for them in timely and efficient fashion. I was diagnosed with kidney stones in June 2017, and had surgery to get rid of them two weeks later. When my doctor was worried about a mole on my cheek, I was referred to a dermatologist a month later, and he examined it, took a biopsy, and then removed it a few weeks later when it was determined to be cancerous. The only time I've ever waited was when I had a mild hernia, which made lifting things a bit uncomfortable. It took eight months to see the specialist, then within a month of seeing her, I had surgery to deal with it. My father had issues with his heart, and never spent more than a few minutes in the ER if he went to hospital, and received excellent care while he was there. Our healthcare system is not perfect and there are wait times for lots of minor or elective surgery, but it's mostly because of a lack of doctors and hospitals and equipment, not because people cannot pay. The triage system ensures that people are seen in order of the seriousness of their condition, not their insurance or their ability to pay for the procedure.

I completely understand what you mean, I have always recognized how privileged I am because I know that if I get sick I am safe.

Yes long waits in emergency, packed ER waiting rooms BUT Dr’s, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Tech Staff are fabulous! I’ve had cancer twice, Diabetes and I’ve not had to pay a cent for 3 weeks of hospitalization over the past 20+ years. Yay 🇨🇦 public healthcare! Probably wouldn’t have finished paying off the first round of cancer treatment when my second bout of cancer hit 20+ years later in the States. Thank God I was born north of the 49th parallel.

Our healthcare system is far from perfect (i.e. wait times can be atrocious depending on where you live) but the knowledge that I won't go broke with any medical emergency is extremely comforting.

Hi Tyler. You don't know what you have until you don't have it. The guy said on the video that as a Canadian our Healthcare is our birth right, I never really thought of it like that but truly THANKFUL that I have it. Take care Tyler I am addicted to your videos.

Recently, I almost died. I was in the ICU for 1.5weeks, then on a medical floor for another 1.5weeks. I lost count of the number of tests, medications… The only cost was $45 for the ambulance, and my work insurance paid for that. All medications, tests, meals, etc were all covered. After leaving the hospital, I have had to have follow-ups, and more tests. No cost. Over the years, I’ve had MRI’s, CT scans, EEG’s, ECG’s, 48hr heart monitoring, Sleep studies with one of the foremost specialists in North America, all no cost…and the government subsidizes my sleep apnea machine, so that is no cost either . If a Canadian feels something is off with their health, the only thing to stop them from checking it out and dealing with it, is laziness, lack of time , or sheer stubbornness. I would be dead of homeless after all of my health issues, not to mention my husband and daughter who have very specialized health issues that we would never have been able to afford without our healthcare. I don’t know how Americans deal with the stress of not being free to take care of their health! I’d be afraid to do anything risky or exciting for fear of injury…

Back in the day, when we paid monthly premiums, we received an invoice showing exactly what Health Care covered; at that time. I became seriously ill two years in a row and each time I was hospitalized for at least 2 weeks in Isolation. The first invoice was for over 125,000.00, the second was for over 250,000.00, and the insurance paid for everything, including all medications and tests. This was in the 80s when that was a huge amount of money. If I had to pay for that, I would still be paying. I have never heard of any hospital patient paying for their meals; visitors, on the other hand, have to go to the hospital's restaurant - I think that is what the one person was referring to. As for parking, not all hospitals charge for that; I think it depends on the city. Nowadays, we do not pay premiums, but contribute to the system with our taxes. I have heard more than a few whiners complaining about that but hey, I am alive today because Health Care covered the treatments I needed. If my tax dollars can help save someone else, I can live with that. I remember when someone was rushed to an American ER and was refused lifesaving treatment because he did not have medical insurance coverage. I do hope that no longer happens there. Waiting times in the ER: it is Triage. One time when we had taken or ill daughter to the ER, we waited a few hours, then were advised that there had been a multi-vehicle accident on the Deerfoot and that we would have to wait a bit longer. We in the waiting room could actually see them bring in stretcher after stretcher of badly injured people. Everyone there was like, 'No problem' and those who could walk headed down to the cafeteria to wait it out over coffee. When they had everything sorted in the ER, they let us know via the PA system. It is all a matter of priorities. Oh, one last and extremely important thing: Canadian Health Care does not care if you some in with a pre-existing condition. They will cover that as well.

As someone who who remembers when Saskatchewan first implemented health. There was a lot of push back, primarily from those with higher incomes. I remember cutting my foot really badly and my parents could not afford to take me to a doctor. Fortunately my Dad was super trained in first aid and was able to look after it. It was wonderful when we finally had health care and when you were sick you could go to the doctor without fear of a huge hospital bill

The main criticism is long wait times. That simply means all of Canada is accessing the program, every day, in essence successful!

I'm 52. In the last 10 years, I have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a brain tumour that required 2 surgeries, a hip replacement, shoulder replacement and have diabetes. It scares me thinking about if I was American. So grateful to be Canadian!!!

*This is a generalization. Obviously there are amazing stories and good situations that occur. I wanted to get across that our system is not perfect and has some major flaws as well.* 50 yr old Canadian here. Our Healthcare system is great if you already take care of yourself and stay as healthy and fit as you can. Annual check ups, bloodwork, childbirth, broken bones, and minor surgeries all go very smoothly. But, if you have any major health issues and need mri’s, major surgeries or ongoing care, you will more than likely be waiting a long time to get serviced. Waiting times for major health treatments can be months and sometimes even years in some cases. There are also private options for people to take if they don’t want to wait…you pay out of pocket, but that is your choice. Our system is FAR from perfect and there are lots of ongoing issues with it but overall, it works and I am very thankful to live here.

I had a stroke and heart surgery within 3 months. I saw 22 doctors over that time including neurologists, cardiologists, and a cardiac surgeon. I had X-rays, a CT scan, and an MRI during that time. All said and done, I received a bill for $22 for parking.

A healthy population should be a right not a political talking point! Come on US get with the program!

Born Canadian. No bill for childbirth. No bill for Dr visits. No bill for chemotherapy. No bill for surgery. No bill for radiation therapy. Some medications are totally covered. Some medications are covered through compassionate care specialists which slashes the price . Americans can keep their system of rich man gets healthcare, poor man waits til he’s on deaths doorstep.

Yes in Canada we have healthcare and we don’t see how much it costs but this disabled Canadian woman is grateful. There is a waiting list to see specialized MDs and I’d rather pay to be seen quicker (as USA offers) but that’s not how the social system works in Canada. Healthcare is costly and there’s no way around this. I don’t know what the right combination is, I am just grateful for healthcare. ✌️ ♥️ 🇨🇦

I've heard from SO many people that they don't have a GP. Everyone in my family (minus my grandparents) doesn't have a GP since there are so few doctors. I've been on the waiting list for a new doctor for about 4y now after my doctor retired. My bf hasn't had one in about 7y since his died. Even when I did have a GP, it'd take at least a month to get an appointment. The wait times at my ER are an average of about 4h unless you go in with a serious injury (you're bleeding/having a heart attack), so I try not to go unless I have to. I am thankful that I'm part of a program that gets the government pays for my medications (I have epilepsy).

I see comments from Americans online all the time, trashing our healthcare system. I had an American say to me once "at least I'm allowed to buy insurance." because he thought it was illegal here, I guess? First of all, we don't need insurance for most things, but for the things we do need it for, (like dental and vision) we have health insurance. A few years ago, some American politicians were spreading lies about our healthcare system, saying things like we have death panels that decide whether people live or die, or doctors get to decide whether we're allowed to have treatment or something. That's not how it is here. If the healthcare system covers a procedure, everyone has access to it if they need it. There are no barriers.

I needed stitches in Florida after cutting my thumb open with a hedge trimmer. I was billed $1,500 AFTER insurance. Visiting Canada once, I needed stitches to my head. As a non-resident, cost me $175.

Wealthy or not canadians are all treated equally

My husband died in January after 5 years of chemo, scans, drugs, and homecare. I am not bankrupt. I paid for some extra prescription coverage but mostly it was covered. The homecare nurse, covered. The hospital bed, the oxygen, the morphine, covered. I am most grateful. Don't know how Americans do it

We have special insurance that we get for when we want to visit the US. I would never cross the border without it.

42 year old married mother of two went for a colonoscopy. When she woke up, they told her and her husband they had arranged for her to see a cancer surgeon in one hour. It was at a hospital a half hour away. Surgery successful, annual followup testing all clear. And free.

Our system is great. My husband ..Mum and best friend all had cancer … got great care. Never saw a bill. As. 70 year old lady I am grateful I don’t have to think about healthcare costs. My sister in law in Florida gets stressed when she has to figure out her insurance . Whether they will cover her or not.

You can choose your own doctor if you can find one taking patients. More and more people don't have a family doctor and have to use walk-in clinics or emergency

I am 81 years old and have had 9 surgeries including 2 for cancer and treatments. Cataract operation on both eyes and have an appointment for upper lid biepharoplasty. On a waiting list for hip replacement. Have a 100% coverage on a new Canadian dental plan. Many procedures, CT scans, MRI's, x-rays, echo, etc. We also have a pharma care plan for those without coverage through their employer. Continual followup visits with doctor and specialists for ongoing treatments. Have birthed 2 children. We also have a transport system called Handy Dart at no cost for those that are unable to get around because of mobility issues. I could probably ramble on about more experiences I have had that we take for granted. Enjoy your podcasts.😊

I'm a 75 year old retired Canadian. Last summer I had a heart attack. My wife called 911 and my bedroom filled up with first responders and ambulance crews, I spent six days in ICU and a further 12 Days on the ward. Once released, I said goodbye to the very friendly and helpful staff, and just walked out. No bill or statement was received. I felt so well protected by our health care system.

My child fainted and daycare when she was 3. We were tested by a cardiologist, neurologist, and overnight hospital stay with follow-ups. Cost - $0. Just to find out, nothing was wrong. I had to pay for an ambulance, which was reimbursed by my employer. Edit: All same day. No waiting - Toronto I also had to get a procedure in the US, I did not pay for any of it.

The Imperialist Americans need to add more social programs to their system of governing!