I just find it very strange what the US puts up with in large part because they don't know any better. (Mind you, that probably extends much further than healthcare and much further than the US, but that's another article!)
There are many, many problems with our system here in Canada. There are many problems with EU systems as well, depending on where you go. The thing is that in 90% of all cases, the better deal on a per person basis is a form of socialized medicine. I just don't get how a large portion of the country seems not to understand this.
Speaking as a Canadian as well, I don't understand how you can say that there isn't at least some large part of the US system that is "socialized". Look at Medicare spending or even VA hospitals. You would think that they would first want to fix what they should be doing right in the first place before trying to "fix" even parts of the system that aren't broken (they spend almost as much as Canadians do on a per capita basis on public healthcare on Medicare).
As for these problems you speak of. As an example I just tried to book a physical - the earliest possible appointment? March 10th! Another friend of mine needed to book an initial consult with another medical specialist and their first appointment is almost 17 months away. Sorry, I don't get how such a large percentage of Canadians seem not to understand how poorly our system works and how much better it could and how they are so ideologically opposed to the idea of at least having private options. It's not the rich who are inconvenienced since they just go down to the US and pay, but it's the middle class who are legally prevented from using private providers in Canada so we're stuck to wait.
If your next physical time is in March you need to find a new doctor my friend!
And for the record I both acknowledge the issues in the Canadian system and support exploring ways the private sector can help improve them. But I agree, there is a lot of ideological resistance to private services, particularly because of the example the US sets.
If only that were the case. Why would we ignore the example set everywhere else in the world where there exists private services? Even France has a greater level of private services than Canada.
Incidentally, the US "example" as being free market or private market based is simply demagoguery particularly when you look at how regulations drastically distort the system (ie tax benefits exclusive to employers and the non-portability of most health insurance). Further, again, the issue with the amount spent per capita on public healthcare in the US is very much similar to Canada - so I'm not sure what example you think that the US sets as it could also be one of government influence and the disastrous effects of statist bureaucracy.
Unfortunately it would be futile to find another family doctor as we have a severe shortage of family doctors in the area. It's so severe in fact that any specialists are forced to spend at least some of their time in part as family doctors and still if you're new to the area you won't be able to find a family doctor. Fortunately, I have no pressing issues so I'm keeping the March appointment - it is still however remarkable and laughable that such a situation exists for such a basic level of care while we have the audacity to try touting how great our healthcare system is to the rest of the world.
There are many, many problems with our system here in Canada. There are many problems with EU systems as well, depending on where you go. The thing is that in 90% of all cases, the better deal on a per person basis is a form of socialized medicine. I just don't get how a large portion of the country seems not to understand this.