As I see it, the #1 benefit of socialized medicine is this: If the system is running even moderately well, the prospect of someone dying for lack of money is all but eliminated. Occasionally someone does slip through the cracks, if the admissions department of a busy emergency department is having a bad night; but such cases are uncommon. And slip-ups like that happen in a pay-your-own-way medical system, too.
Some things are not covered in the standard package, including dentistry, eye care and massage therapy. There is a subsidy program for prescriptions, but generally we have to buy our own meds. Physiotherapy is covered in Manitoba, but only when performed in a hospital setting.
And, as romansh points out, popular types of non-emergency surgery do have long waiting lists.
But overall, I like the system and do not want it replaced with a commercial one. |