Private vs. Public Health Care in Canada

Last Saturday, I attended a conference on campus focusing on the possibility of private healthcare in Canada, and what would happen if it were to be implemented.

When I first heard about this, I was all …

Once I actually listened to what the presenters had to say, though, my interest was piqued a little. The idea isn’t to replace our public, universal health care system – it is simply to create an option of private care for those who wish to seek it. Take, for example, an individual that needs an MRI. He makes 7.8 billion dollars per year, and has the option of spending $2600 (US source) to get it ASAP instead of waiting several months for a free one.

The vast majority of us will happily wait for a free scan – because the vast majority of us do not have $2600 to casually throw around like a volleyball. BUT there are some people who do, and shouldn’t they be allowed to spend their money how they choose to?

I’m not 100% on board with the idea – mainly because of the inevitable implications it will have on the public system. More doctors / surgeons will be drawn to private care due to more money, which means that those that remain public will be spread even more thin than they already are, and wait times will increase more. 

For some context, five of my teammates that tore their ACLs skiing waited over a year to get their MRI, and then another year to have surgery. Add on recovery / rehab time, and that’s three years of activity, gone.

So if someone has the desire and means to cut that by 2/3, should they be able to? I have a hard time with this question because I am usually 100% all for individual freedom, and am incredibly annoyed by controlling governments. With this case, though, I feel like the only way to truly know the effects are to do it and see what happens.

Are you a supporter of public or private healthcare?

What do you think Canada should do? It doesn’t matter what country you are from – I want to hear your opinion!