The US and Canadian healthcare systems differ in funding, costs, and coverage. The US has a multi-payer system funded mostly by private sources, while Canada has a single-payer system funded publicly. The US spends more on healthcare as a percentage of GDP but Canadians have longer life expectancies and lower infant mortality. Canadians have universal coverage through the national system but some face long wait times, while many Americans are underinsured or lack access. Both systems could improve by learning from each other's approaches.

1. U.S. Healthcare vs.
Canada Healthcare
Kimberly Anderson

2.  The health care systems of the United States and
Canada differ in many ways including the way
the systems are paid for and funded, the overall
health and services, and the coverage and
access of care.

3. United States
 Multi-payer
 Mostly privately-funded
 46% of healthcare spending was financed by the
government (2006)
 Spends more an average it its GDP on healthcare on
healthcare

4. Canada
 Single payer
 Mostly publically-funded
 70% of healthcare spending was financed by the government
(2006)
 Provides universal healthcare
 Provinces must abide by rules set by the Canada Health Act
 Each province decides whether to cover "supplementary"
benefits
 About 2/3 of Canadians take out private insurance policies to
cover these services
 Or they have an employer-sponsored plan to cover the cost
 Overall, spends less on its GDP

5. The U.S.
spends more
than any
country on
healthcareincluding
Canada by
spending
almost
double the
amount

6. Overall Health and services
 Canada
 Has a longer life
expectancy as well as a
lower infant mortality rate
 Doctor to patient ratio is
lower
 Longer wait
times, including;
 42% waited 2 hours or
more in the emergency
room
 43% waited 4 weeks or
more to see a specialist
 Chart on next slide
(numbers by the Health
Council of Canada)
 United States
 Ranked higher in
“responsiveness” of the
quality of service for
individuals receiving
treatment
 Citizens are 1/3 less likely to
have a regular medical
doctor
 ¾ more likely to have
unmet medical needs

8. Coverage and Access
 In Canada; every citizen is covered by the national health
care system
 In America; does not provide universal healthcare to all of its
citizens
 Studies show that 24% are under-insured
 Barely covering medical needs
 Leaves them unprepared to pay major medical expenses
 America does however have publically funded healthcare
programs (elderly, poor, disabled, etc.)
 Also ensures public access to emergency services

9. Coverage and access cont.
(Health Insurance breakdown)
 59.3% of Americans have health
insurance through employment
 Although providing universal
healthcare to their citizens;
 9% purchase health insurance
directly (overlap in these two
numbers)
 5% of Canadian citizens have
not been able to find a
regular doctor
 15.3% are uninsured
 9% having never looked for
one
 25% of uninsured citizens are
eligible for government programs
but un-enrolled
**Numbers according to the United States Census Bureau

10. It is clear that these two systems differ in many
ways. There are many positive and many negative
aspects to each system. I am in no way taking
sides on which is the “right one” however I believe
the universal healthcare of Canada is something to
strive for. On the other hand, there are many down
falls to that including the long waiting periods, and
the fact that many have their own insurance plan
for supplementary services.
I am not sure which is the most effective but I do
believe that the two can learn from one another to
ultimately make each of the systems better for the
people.

11. Work cited
"A Comparison of the Canadian and U.S. Healthcare Systems." :: Article.
N.p., n.d.
Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
"Comparing the U.S. and Canadian Health Care Systems." Comparing the U.S.
and
Canadian Health Care Systems. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
Kane, Jason. "Health Costs: How the U.S. Compares With Other Countries."
PBS. PBS,
22 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.