Single payer system that Canada has used for 25 years

The single payer system that Canada has used

for the last 25 years has drastically

simplified their administration costs. For

instance, it takes more people to administer

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts that it

does to administer the entire health care

system of Canada..

The Canadian system is a publicly funded

insurance program where costs are controlled

and both hospitals and doctors are private. Any

Canadian can go to any doctor or hospital in

the country. Each province has its own system

and its own unique way of funding it. In spite

of this decentralized approach, there are

agreements among all provinces that provide for

treatment of any Canadian citizen regardless of

where the need occurs. The great success of

their system causes almost all Canadian

politicians, even conservatives, to defend it

vociferously. It is called single payer because

there is only one "payer"; there is no

alternative program, such as private health

insurance, to which Canadians can turn for

basic health care. Since the wealthy as well as

the middle income people have no alternative,

they make sure it is funded adequately. This

together with cost controls insures that

everyone including the poor, who use the same

system, receives the same high quality care.

Quoting a letter to the editor from Ove Madsen

in the Montana Senior Voice:

"I have read all about the health care plans in

the paper. I have done a little work to find

out what the general public Canadians think

about their health plan. Everytime I see a car

with Canadian license plates, I go up and talk

to them. They are all nice to talk with, and I

ask them how they like their health care plan.

So far, 99% of the Canadians I've talked to

like their system. They say it is such a peace

of mind and the service at the doctor's office

and hospitals is really quite good. If the

ordinary run of the people like it, that's all

we need to know."

According the Harris Poll of all industrial

nations, Canadians are the most satisfied with

their health care.