Canada is a great country, and they do many things very well. In many ways they are more conservative, and less over regulated than the US. The one thing that they don’t do very well is providing medical care for their people.
Although 96% of Canadians are “covered”, many lack access. Because Canada is one of two true single payer systems, it is illegal to pay a doctor for timely medical care when you need it.
Many Canadians on medical waiting lists use MediBid to get timely medical care. Canadians waiting for a knee replacement for $12,000 in the US through MediBid, and as low as $7,500 if they go overseas. The cost of a hip replacement is about $14,000 through MediBid, and wait times are generally 2-3 days. Canadians can get a Colonoscopy for $535, and an MRI for $410.
http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/articles/leaving-canada-for-medical-care-2011-ff0712.pdf
An estimated count of patients leaving Canada
In 2011, a significant number of Canadians—an estimated
46,159—received treatment outside of the country.2 Increases
between 2010 and 2011 in the estimated number of patients
going outside Canada for treatment were seen in British
Columbia (5,565 to 9,180), Saskatchewan (943 to 1,221),
Manitoba (933 to 1,436), New Brunswick (282 to 526),
Nova Scotia (851 to 1,271), Prince Edward Island (44 to 54),
and Newfoundland and Labrador (130 to 433). Conversely,
Ontario (23,192 to 18,172) saw a decrease in the estimated
number of patients who received treatment outside Canada.3
At MediBid, we restore market forces to medical care. Doctors get to set their own rates based on their training, experience, and outcomes, and patients get to shop for medical care across state lines and international borders. Many times with MediBid, you will find procedures that are more effective than procedures allowed, or covered by health plans. Transparency and competition are the only way to achieve reasonable costs. Many of our employer clients offering group health insurance through MediBid save $5,000 per employee per year. Those are substantial savings. Patients are saving an average of 48% vs. insurance discounted rates, or 80% vs. retail. Contact us for more information.
