Week 11 Response -- Canadian Healthcare System

Image Source

This is a post in response to @joshweertman’s question, “Do you think socialist healthcare similar to Canada's healthcare system would solve the healthcare affordability problem?”
The Canadian medicare system seems like a good in-between of two extreme policy viewpoints. The country utilizes a set of decentralized healthcare coverage plans, which means that people of different regions and demographics are treated with fairness and equity. An article from Vitanna mentioned that “It becomes the responsibility of each territory and province to then organize and deliver services while supervising providers.” Additionally, the average healthcare expenditure per person in the United States is $9,400 while in Canada it is just $5,300. Having that extra $3,000 in your pocket each year really adds up, and can help lighten the load of crippling debt that healthcare often brings. Canada's medicare system is not just one overarching organization, there are fifteen different healthcare systems in place to meet the needs of all sorts of different individuals.
The downside of Canadian healthcare of course is that the system often has fairly long waiting lists for non-emergency procedures and specialist visits. However, this issue can be overcome by contributing some personal funding to get faster service. The Canadian system allows citizens to purchase private healthcare and achieve that perfect balance for their personal needs. And of course, taxes are higher in Canada than they are here in the states. However, if taxes come out of your paycheck before it hits your bank account, there is no reason to be missing them. I would rather pay eighty-three dollars out of every monthly paycheck over five years, than pay for a $5,000 procedure in one lump sum. But that is just my opinion, the way that I handle my money and finances may be completely different from everyone else's. I believe that the Canadian system would help relieve some of the burdens that medical care often brings. Some people receive great healthcare for near-death situations, but what is that really worth if they cannot truly enjoy life because of all their debt?