How To Compare the American and Canadian Health Care Systems

Health is wealth but what is health without proper care? This article will help you learn how to distinguish between the American and Canadian health care systems. The American Health Care System, unlike the Canadian Health Care System, is provided by many independent legal organizations. Health care equipment as well as health care insurance are mostly owned and managed by the private sector except for programs like Medicaid, Medicare, the Veterans Health Administration and the Children's Health Insurance Program. It was estimated that 15% of the total population is completely uninsured, and an additional portion of the population doesn't get full insurance for medical expenses they might become liable of. 

In Canada, the Health Care System is funded publicly which is mainly free and business units have provided most of the services. Under the Canada Health Act, the system is implemented. Generally, expenses are paid through accumulating funds from income taxes. Apart from this, three provinces also established a fixed monthly premium in British Columbia, which may be reduced or relinquished voluntarily for inhabitants with low incomes. Deductibles are not prevalent on basic health care and there are extremely low or non-existent co-pays. 
 
U.S. News recently presented a list of the best rehabilitation hospitals in America based on recommendations by specialists and based on these hospitals' reputations when it comes to procedures and competitive cases. 

The Top Five are as follows:

1. Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
2. Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, New Jersey
3. University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle
4. TIRR Memorial Herman, Houston
5. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

American citizens may enjoy the services of these top rehabilitation hospitals but an individual spends more money on health care in America than in any other countries in the world. Except for Tuvalu, it is also found that a greater percentage of the nation's total income is spent on health care compared to other member states of the United Nations, which is currently 192. One's personal bankruptcy in America is primarily blamed to medical debt. 
 
The comparative survey conducted in early 2000 on hospital executives in America and Canada showed positive and negative results for both countries. Mirroring higher spending levels, American hospitals generally stood out for more positive ratings as a whole in terms of finances, facilities and shorter waiting times. Though life threatening diseases are given immediate attention in Canada, some services needed that are non urgent take a long time to be dealt with and patients have to be on queue for the next available appointment in any of the facilities they choose in their local community. 

However, American hospitals are also feeling the most negative toward their country's health care system. Hospital management in these two countries expressed concerns regarding quality of service, emergency department waiting times and staffing shortages. When asked about incoming strategies on quality improvement, managements in American and Canadian hospitals expressed support for making information technology a top priority in health investment. The raised concerns may be shared but the differences of these two countries in areas, particularly finances may also be the one thing that sets one apart from the other.