Hi Folks,
Im an Indian living in Gulf with canadian PR (one year old). Im in the process of preparing mysef to immigrate in an year or two.
Being a professional in healthcare tech industry myself, im a bit concerned about healthcare system there and i feel it didnt grow with time.
I am given to undertstand that advanced care , though offered free of cost, is far behind the standards of many countries , especially India.
I would like to know more about basic halth care offerings and do we have options to choose a specialist( for example, a paediatrician for routine day care) etc.,

Please correct me if im in correct in my views. i would like to know more..

I am writing, but this are my personal opinion

May be most of other CD members will say , oh! no in Canada, health care is best, bla...bla....bla

Just have a look on another thread
http://www.canadiandesi.com/read.php?TID=19352&page=1#111934

Here in Canada, nothing is FREE, even for AIR which we breath have to pay (if not soon there will be taxes on that also)

I will say Health care is not Free. Again depending upon province, where u stay, u have to pay for Health Card. Like Ontario is Free while Alberta, its not Free

Also if u are sick or not well and if u don't get medical attention or say doctor, then I say services are not good or say Bad
If u have to wait for hours in Walk in Clinic, then its not worth!

I know some members will still say its better or best in Canada
then I will say they don't know what is called GOOD medical service
They might have spent years here & may have left own countries long back

If u discuss this issue with most of new Immigrants who are here for say 2-3 years, most will say BAD

Again this is my personal views

Healthcare in Canada is universal health care, funded through the taxes. Since everybody (irrespective of how much money you make) has access to it, wait times are long and the system is under pressure. There is some limited private healthcare available in a few cities of Canada.

When you compare it to India, you will be most probably comparing a publically funded system in Canada with likes of top of the line private hospitals like Apollo, etc., in India and bash the Canadian system saying that is slow, wait times are long, etc.

We have a pubically funded system in India too called "government hospitals" and I do not think state of that is even worth mentioning when you do the comparison.

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As Raj has already mentioned Canada has a public funded health care system .... the major problem are the wait time for something as simple as seeing your family doctor. But in no way is it less advanced then India or any other country . The problem is with the accesibilty to this care and not the quality or technology of this health care.
I have had to wait for upto 9 hours in a hospital to get care .... but once you are able to get it , i have no issue with the quality of care available.
Here the system is a bit different then our countries.... you normally see a family doctor and he is well qualified to even see children. In case you need to see a specilist, then your family doctor will refer to one. Hope this helps

You have to pay for parking ticket if you parked your car in the hospital parking lot and i used to pay around $12 for 2 hrs parking as i have to go for some test.

I think Canada stands with countries like Cuba & North Korea in allowing only government based healthcare only.

This will ensure that a person who can afford private care still uses the govt. system and increase the wait times . Currently the system is under tremendous stress.

It is high time that private medicare is allowed so that who can afford can leave the line and not jump the line for medicare

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CD's,
COmpare our free health system (of course we have health tax but atleast other costs - apart from medicine, is free) with that of Australia and decide.
This was sent to me by my close friend in Sydney , Australia.
Hope this helps
TK A
TK,
As you rightly pointed out there is a two tier medical system in Australia. The general one which is covered by "Medicare" - this system is where a percentage of the salary already gets deducted in tax. With this card you can visit the GP as many times as you want (I mean this card is given for the family). Most of the tests are covered by Meciare system for eg: GP visits, all bloods and urine tests, all X rays, Ultrasound, CT scan etc. The only thing that is not covered are Specialist doctors visits. However when you visit a specialist - you get remibursed 70% by medicare you spent on Specialist docs. Last week I met a gastro entrologist specialist. I paid $180 for a visit and got back 116$ from medicare by surrending the receipt.

All emergency calls are attended by Govt hospitals - If not emergency then you may have to wait. For eg you meet with an accident and you need to be operated immediately then it is taken care by medicare - you dont pay a cent. If you have a condition like an operation ( uterus to be removed or something like this) and if the doctor feels that this can wait for some time- then you take an appointment with the Govt hospitals and then go for an operation after a wait of 4-6 months depending on the condition.
Dental is not covered under medicare. Howver eye examinations are free - one examination per year on medicare.

You may still wish to take private health insurance (honestly I am not) if you want.

Cheers

P*****, Sydney, Australia

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