Private Health Care in Canada

Alan Adamson, co-blogger on Curling, also has a blog entitled Silly Little Country. One of his latest postings is about one sector of health care in Canada that has been privatized and seems to work quite well:

I encountered it recently - my loved one was unwell, and I had an
appointment that day for examination (and experience suggests that even without a family doctor, I could have found one that day or the next). Lab results were available the next day, and the diagnosis a little rough, as home care would be needed. This was arranged the same day. Since then the patient has improved, though we know he has a serious kidney problem and are just trying to keep him well, but he seems to be enjoying life, and really looking forward to this summer.

Of course the loved one is my cat.

Why can't we find a way to treat humans so well?

I know cats and humans are different, but Alan's case deserves serious consideration. His view is consistent with what I wrote earlier here and what Brian Ferguson wrote here.

For another recent assessment of Canada's Health System, you might also want to look at the recent Fraser Institute study:

Critical Surgery for Health Care: Canada is currently under-performing virtually all industrialized nations offering universal health coverage. Harris and Manning propose eliminating the federal role in health care management and financing, strengthening health care financing by granting the provinces the tax room vacated by the federal government, eliminating barriers to private delivery and financing of health services, giving Canadians freedom to choose their health care providers, and giving those providers the freedom and incentive to provide faster access to better care at lower cost.