American Medical Group Offers Insurance Programs For…Canadians?
According to popular political mythology here in America, Canada is a utopia with free and plentiful health care provided by a loving government. It’s something we should emulate, according to certain left-of-center people here in the US, and in a lot of ways that’s what Obamacare’s aim was. Total government control and apportionment of medical care for Americans.
But there’s a problem. Canadian health care isn’t actually all that great. In fact, because the Canadian health care system isn’t providing adequate care for Canadians, there is a cottage industry along America’s northern border dedicated to providing Canadians with the health care they can’t get in their own country. The latest development in that industry is the Mayo Clinic’s insurance policies aimed at Canadians:
According to Mayo, a quarter of the clinic’s international patients are already from Canada.
Viccars said he’s a proponent of a compassionate society making sure everyone has access to quality, affordable medical care.
But Canada’s publicly funded health system decreases choices available and can also result in delayed diagnosis and treatment.
That’s why, within the national system, it’s good to offer choices for those who need diagnosis confirmation or even treatment for serious illness, Viccars said. Patient testing results performed or reviewed by Mayo are shared with a patient’s primary physician.
I’ve long argued that Canada’s national health care system only works in so far as America is available to act as a pressure relief valve for those Canadians who can’t get the care they need through their system. Just like citizens locked into other national health care systems, like Great Britain, engage in a good deal of health care tourism.
But, what happens to Canada as America moves more toward a government controlled system? And where do Americans go for our own pressure relief valve? Mexico?
Or, maybe we should just recognize that government isn’t the solution for health care.
Tags: canada, Health Care, health insurance, mayo clinic
