Essentially, it is a mandatory tax they pay into. likeour Medicare taxes on our payrolls. That goes into general fund used only to to pay for essential medical expenses. You get sick, your medically necessary procedures are covered by that fund. In Emily's case, her emergency surgery (and to a more complicated extent, her SRS surgery) were covered under this fund. She won't pay a cent from the emergency surgery.
It's really amazing. What Emily is going through right now, I wouldn't have a dream of paying for in the US. The only plan better than the Canadian system is the UK system - where not only are your essential needs paid for, but any other expenses involved (like taxi fare to the hospital, purchases made to get you there, or while you're there), are not only covered but reimmbursed.
Is there any sort of assholery that has an impossibly strict definition of "medically necessary"? Are there any co-pays?
... and I wouldn't have a dream of going to the hospital for a broken leg, let alone what Emily's going through. May her recovery be swift and complete.
It is very 50s, but also VERY ingrained here. Remember, we were fighting the coldwar up till the 80s, and people in my generation were still in the middle of that.
It really pisses me off that such a necessary vital service is being denied simply by calling it "socialist."
After seeing how it's saved Emily's life, literally, I have no fucking idea why we can't have it here.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-25 02:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-25 07:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-25 01:38 pm (UTC)I doubt Fox news can be trusted to give an accurate description
no subject
Date: 2010-02-25 06:26 pm (UTC)It's really amazing. What Emily is going through right now, I wouldn't have a dream of paying for in the US. The only plan better than the Canadian system is the UK system - where not only are your essential needs paid for, but any other expenses involved (like taxi fare to the hospital, purchases made to get you there, or while you're there), are not only covered but reimmbursed.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-25 07:35 pm (UTC)What the hell is wrong with those fox news idiots? they make it sound like Canada has no health care at all
no subject
Date: 2010-02-26 12:09 am (UTC)... and I wouldn't have a dream of going to the hospital for a broken leg, let alone what Emily's going through. May her recovery be swift and complete.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-26 06:29 am (UTC)Whenever I talk to Americans about it I hear "Socialised Medicine" a lot. Sounds very '50s to me.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-27 04:50 am (UTC)It really pisses me off that such a necessary vital service is being denied simply by calling it "socialist."
After seeing how it's saved Emily's life, literally, I have no fucking idea why we can't have it here.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-27 06:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-27 08:07 am (UTC)