I really hesitated to get into this debate but being a Canadian originally from England I have experienced both national health care systems and cannot imagine what my life would have been like without them.
I recently had my annual physical that included blood tests, a mammogram and a bone density scan. My husband (a heart patient and type 2 diabetic) also had his physical with blood tests and is waiting for an appointment for a colonoscopy as a preventative test.
Since age 45 my husband has had quadruple bypass surgery, three angioplastis and replacement of both hips due to avascular necrosis. I have had surgery for melanoma followed by a sentinal lymph node biopsy. Dispite how it may sound, we are both active and in pretty good health.
I have heard of people who have experienced delays in treatment both in the UK and here in Canada but never for any condition requiring urgent care.
A friend from Missouri just had a defibrillator replaced and the cost was over $250,000US. Fortunately he had health insurance paid for my the Canadian company he used to work for. Now that is scary.