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Show Gen JULY 15, 1904 : wee INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH CARE Ts Canadian-Style Health are Right for Americans? Critics question the govern- some 14 percent of the U.S. economy. ments ability to control costs—in health care or in other areas of government spending. They question the apparent simplicity of the single-payer approach and foresee a sprawling and inefficient government bureaucracy. Most of all they question gov- STEVE KOHLERT SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH CARE The question is: Are these spending differences the result of a more efficient health system, or do they reflect basic differences between the populations and economies of the U.S. and Canada? Consider the following: ernment’ commitment to maintaining the quality of health care and predict obsolete technology, long waiting lines for specialty care and ongrtess is now in the thick of give-and-take negotia- tions over the shape of national health care reform legislation. You can picture the collective eyes of the American public glazing over as the media report the details of the latest @ Population. Canada has one-tenth the population of the United States. Canadians are healthier as a ing to many observers (both Canadian and American). Many U.S. citizens would be weeks or months for major surgery, and many would be forced to pay higher taxes to support a singlepayer system. @ Quality and inno- vices, and eliminat- ed coverage of some A As the economy shrinks, so do the health care services ACU anec afford to provide. insist on the best. immigrant groups. These actions illus- trate what many consider the greatest weakness of a single-payer system: as the economy vation. Americans shrinks, so do the health care services the government can afford to provide. Our OpporTUNITY In my opinion, we in the U.S. are in the process of creating a new, uniquely American process of hammering out con- sensus on such a vast and complex field as health care is exasperating to both insiders approach to health care—a free-market approach where and outsiders. Yet the out- come will have a direct personal impact on-all of us. health organizations compete on the basis of price and quali- ty. Such a system puts the needs of the individual con- No wonder, then, that apparently simple solutions have tremendous appeal to many sumer first, even as spending is reduced and quality continues who are weary of the debate. One such approach is govern- to improve. In crafting American-style health care, we have the opportunity to import the best features of the Canadian system—nearly universal access to basic health services—while avoiding cumbersome and expensive government bureaucracy. ment-run, Canadian-style health care—also known as a “single-payer system” because the government pays most of the bills. Polls show this approach has been consistently rejected by most Americans, yet advocates of the “Canada plan” are again pushing it hard. group and use fewer health care resources. For exam- other consequences of overt rationing. Advocates of the single-payer system believe you can control costs and health care. Private insurance is virtually its provinces, instituted user fees, curtailed ser- unwilling to wait “plan of the week.” The guarantee access most effectively by establishing total government control over shifted more of the burden from the federal government to ple, according to some estimates, Canadians have 20 Lower Costs? Canadas expenditures have Health care spending is lower in Canada compared to in the United eran cima States. For exam- 2 ple, in 1991, per eliminated—the govICMR capita health care ernment becomes the spending (in nations insurance American dollars) company. Physicians was $1,915 in and hospitals are paid Canada versus $2,868 in the by the government according U.S. Health care spending to set rates. All citizens would accounts for about 9 percent of have access to the same level of the Canadian economy versus covered services. - percent less heart disease than Americans. Many experts question whether a Canadian-style system could handle the health care needs of the massive U.S. population, concentrated in heavily urbanized regions. The U.S. leads the world in health care quality improvement, in medical research, and in the development and use of new technologies and pharmaceuticals. Countries like Canada that have If you have a question related to health care, please call or write. THC DIALOGUE ON HEALTH CARE 36 South State Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 1-800-889-3337 nationalized health care are enjoying a “free ride” on the research investment of the US., critics say. While Canada’s health care Cultural differences. _ Canadians tend to be more trusting of government and more willing to “queue” or line up for services, accord- spending is less than spending in the U.S., Canada’s expenditures have increased at rates similar to ours. In response to spiraling costs, Canada has ni IHC INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH CARE |