Marry Me!

After our discussion in class last week, I was immediately reminded of a recent Grey’s Anatomy episode (as a TV fanatic, this is not surprising). The cardiologist, Teddy, meets a dying man who doesn’t have the insurance he needs for continued treatment. Because he needs surgery to save his life, Teddy offers to marry him so he can get on her insurance plan. She is a doctor, and this is the only way she can save his life.

Click here for a clip from the Grey's Anatomy episode.

Unlike the United States, Canada’s health care system provides coverage to all Canadian citizens. I am thankful for this, as I believe that it is the duty of the government to provide health care, and that everyone should be entitled to this service. Medications, check-ups, surgeries, visits to the doctor are essential to survival. People who are sick need access to health care in order to get better, and I don’t believe help should be provided based on someone’s socio-economic status. People who are less fortunate deserve to be treated for medical problems just as much as people who are more fortunate.

However, Canada’s health care system is the subject of much political controversy and debate.  People question how efficient the current system is in its delivery of treatment in a timely manner, and some advocate adopting a private system similar to the United States. For example, a Canadian citizen in need of an MRI will wait an average of 100 days until they can receive the service. In the United States, the privatized market drastically decreases patient wait times, which can be an essential life saving feature. However, there are worries that privatization will lead to inequalities in the health system, allowing only the wealthy to afford certain treatments. This is the case in the Grey’s Anatomy example.

Canada’s health care system is a work in progress, and changes have been made and will continue to occur as a response to growth in medicine and throughout society. We must remember that no system is perfect, and we are never going to be happy with our health care if we don’t accept its values - Fairness, Compassion, Solidarity and Equity. It is clear that these values do not represent all Canadians, as people are pushing for a two-tiered system. The transition is becoming more apparent due to the implementation of private clinics, and the use of personal connections to help people jump waiting lists. I believe that Canada must stay as a public health care system and not move to the private sector despite faster waiting lists. We must stop looking at health care from an individualistic perspective and start being responsible for each other. If we adopt a privatized system, health care will not be universal, and innocent people will die because they don’t have enough money to pay for their treatment.  We must remember the basics of the health care system, “universal coverage for medically necessary health care services provided on the basis of need, rather than the ability to pay.”


Sources: 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/index-eng.php
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/6607/obamacare-a-canadian-wait-time-preview/