20/20 - "The End of Innovation" with Canadian Health Care System: A Counter-argument of US Attack on Canadian Health Care

On July 31st, 20/20 broadcasted a segment on the Canadian Health Care System, titled "The End of Innovation?"

In this segment Jon Stossel reported to the American viewers that with Universal Healthcare, Canadians are waiting for 23 hours on average for medical treatment in emergency rooms, that there is a lottery system for family doctor's and that we are dying on the streets because we are not able to get into hospitals in reasonable time for required surgeries.

Jon Stossel, where did you get your information from?

While wait times at hospitals in Canada can be long, the average wait time is nowhere near 23 hours. Most definitely there have been reports of people with minor ailments (who also have the option of going to a free walk-in clinic) waiting that long in the middle of the winter, in the height of flu season, but on average, patients are not waiting more than one to three hours to receive treatment. Yes, for those people that do have extensive waits, it is rough, but this is still a rare occurrence.

It is completely unfair for Stossel to say that every American is able to walk into a hospital and receive care immediately, when currently, an astounding 20% of Americans are reportedly not able to afford healthcare of any means in the United States!

20/20 gave an example of a lottery system for family doctor's in a place "just outside of Toronto" by the name of Norfolk. Norfolk is a town that has 39 people per square kilometre. Even in the United States, a rural area like this could possibly see a low number of doctors practicing. With some of the communities bordering larger cities, there is always the option of picking a doctor that is in the city.

If Stossel wanted to point out the negatives to shed light on Americans that are hoping for Universal Healthcare, perhaps he should have made correct and valid points. Perhaps he should have told the American viewers that Canadians pay double the taxes that the average American does to help offset the Health Care costs.

Perhaps Stossel should have implied to the American viewers that Canadians are not completely united with the same healthcare throughout the country, but that the health care system is divided up by each province and territory and that in each province/territory there are different procedures, protocol and services that are provided.

Do you think that if Stossel asked the Canadians on this segment, if they would trade for the Canadian healthcare system for the American healthcare system, they would have chosen the Americans? Probably not. Like any social service, the Canadian Health Care System does have its kinks, but one would rather have a kink here and there and be able to have the "Right" for medical care when it is needed, then be denied care, or have to fight with an HMO about money and what hospital the patient is able to go to for certain services.

Canadians, we should be thankful that we are socially-aware enough that we allow each person to be given an equal right on who is able to receive what treatment.

Jon Stossel and the crew at 20/20, you should be ashamed of yourself. While it is clear that you were trying to show the dark side of Universal Healthcare, you showed little more than an exaggerated look at implications that occur and gave the wrong v