WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Going around Capitol Hill with the Canadians promoting free trade provides some interesting insights into their single-payer, government run health care system. There is a feeding frenzy in Congress on health care proposals which will drive the U.S. a significant step toward a government run health care system like Canada.
It reminds one of the gold rushes in California and Alaska at the turn of the last century when people flocked to those two states, risking all of their money to stake a claim in HOPES of striking it rich. Most staggered home broke.
Perhaps the best commentary came from a Dr. David Gratzer, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute who was raised in Canada. Dr. Gratzer writes in The Wall Street Journal that Canada is moving toward the U.S. system to solve its serious government cost overruns and long delays for treatment.
According to Dr. Gratzer's op-ed piece:
"In Canada, private-sector health care is growing. Dr. (Brian) Day (a Vancouver, B.C. orthopedic surgeon) estimates that 50,000 people are seen at private clinics every year in British Columbia. According to the New York TImes, a private clinic opens at a rate of about one a week across the country (Canada). Public-private partnerships, once a taboo topic, are embraced by provincial governments."
Does this sound like a system we want to emulate? Perhaps the best option is for President Obama and Congress to slow down, look around carefully and build upon what is working and carefully fix what is not.
Don C. Brunell, President (DonB@awb.org)
