For some things, there are waiting lists that are too long. But I'm not familiar with the argument of surgery access being strictly controlled. I'm not even sure what that means exactly. Some doctors here are campaigning for private care clinics and they argue that the private care clinics that pay doctors far better, will not drain the public system. They argue this in the face of both common sense and the actual results of jurisdictions where that's been tried. Believe me, it's the money. At the same time, I don't begrudge them wanting more money. They go through a lot of work becoming doctors, and if they do it for the money, then so be it. Personally though, I'd rather be treated by doctors who are in it for more than just the money.

>Actually, the report I read stated that most surgeons come to the U.S. from Canada, not for the $, but for the surgery access. They stated that access to the surgery is stringently controlled and there are extremely long waiting lists. I don't doubt the $ was probably the real reason though...
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>>The only problems with the Canadian system are the 'wait times' and the fact that too many doctors become doctors for the wealth they think it will bring. A lot of people who fly to the U.S. for operations do it because:
>>1. They refuse to not be first in line, and
>>2. They can afford to not be first in line.
>>
>>It's not really much different than the people who push to get ahead of you so they can get a seat on the bus. The Canadian system is supposed to be blind to whether or not you are more important than your neighbour. It doesn't always work that way, but...
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>>In some cases of specialized issues, those wait times can be very long, and yes, that is a real problem.
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>>The doctors who leave to go to the U.S. usually do it for the money.
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>>I don't pretend that those things are not actual, real issues that have to concern the Canadian system, but they are the kind of things that any medicare system will have to deal with. Medicare cannot afford to make doctors rich, and it can't afford to allow too much in the way of queue jumping (unless you are somebody really important, like a hockey player). As far as the care you receive etc, I doubt the Canadian system has much to be ashamed of.
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>>>I am for universal health care in this country. However, Canada's situation concerns me. I have read many stories about Canadians flying to the U.S. for medical treatment as well as the alarming number of Canadian surgeons moving to the U.S. to practice here.
>>>
>>>Here are some:
>>>
>>>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/20/health/main681801.shtml?cmp=EM8705
>>>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2007/08/22/abc-glosses-over-fact-canadian-parents-flee-their-country-give-birth
>>>http://www.wockhardthospitals.net/news/canadian-patients.asp
>>>
>>>Whose system really does work? I am not looking to start an argument about the Canadian health care system, or the one here, or even any in the EU. I'm looking for a system that really works. The military healthcare system works, but it is too expensive to become a model for the U.S.