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Comment by desiarnezjr | Hacker News Reader

It's utterly bizarre how the Canadian medical system has been framed by some.

It's not perfect, and probably overwhelmed right now, but it's a triaged, fairly effective system that does what it's supposed to. People that need care tend to get it effectively, especially if you're closer to a large urban centre and it's neither a tax burden nor a heavy financial burden to citizens.

The sentiment, mostly I gather from other interests in North America paint a different picture. I know of half a dozen people that would not be alive today if it were not for the system we have. No financial burdens. Just reasonably good care.

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>It's not perfect, and probably overwhelmed right now, but it's a triaged, fairly effective system that does what it's supposed to. People that need care tend to get it effectively, especially if you're closer to a large urban centre and it's neither a tax burden nor a heavy financial burden to citizens.

Right now, it is impossible—let me repeat, impossible—for people in Atlantic Canada (for non-Canadians, the easternmost four provinces) without a family doctor to get one <https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/nova-scotia-still-struggling-to-...>. The waitlist has been years long for years. This is not something occurring only in rural areas; this is true in big cities like Halifax.

This is the same situation as the opposite side of the country, here on Vancouver Island the waitlist for a doctor is only getting longer. That combined with offices closing (can't get enough money doing their fee-for-service work to keep the doors open with rising rents and everything else) has created an awful non-emergency medical system. Our province cares, but not enough to forcibly do something about it. Medical professionals are some of the worst treated employees next to teachers.

And lets not start talking about long-term-care...

Also on Vancouver Island and can confirm that the only way to see a doctor for many people is to walk into the Emergency and wait 6 hours.

And yet the standards for medical and nursing school are still so stringent relative to historic standards that a huge number of incredibly intelligent, passionate people are being prevented from pursuing these degrees due to… quotas? It’s utter madness.

Compared to other single payer systems like Germany, Canada's system isn't all that great. It is true that serious, life-threatening diseases get adequate care, but for all the other less urgent stuff, it can be a long, painful wait.

I dunno. Germany seems to be having a lot of problems lately, will their medical services maintain that high quality?

Germany does not have a single-payer system. Private insurance is an option if you're self-employed or make a high enough salary.

"Universal system" would have been the right word to use.

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