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Comparative Analysis of the Healthcare System
in the United States vs. Canada
Introduction
Canada and the United States
are quite comparable countries; in fact, their healthcare systems were
virtually identical until around 40 years ago. Canada’s current system of
national insurance was established in the 1960s (Comondore et al., 2009). Simultaneously, the United States established
its Medicare program for elderly individuals. Although both nations continue to
rely heavily on private finance for medications, they now differ dramatically
in both the financing and delivery of physician and hospital services (Cheung et al., 2017). The government pays for hospital and doctor
visits in Canada on a par with other essential services. The purpose of this paper
is to compare the healthcare systems of the United States and Canada to find
areas for improvement and to provide evidence for healthcare policy decisions
in both countries.
Selection of Canada as the Comparative Country
Canada was selected as a
point of comparison because of its proximity to the United States and the ease
with which border data could be collected. Due to their proximity, ideas and
policies from both countries may be shared (Himmelstein et al., 2020). The United States and
Canada share many of the same socioeconomic features, such as a large and
diversified metropolitan population and high per capita income. This shared
economic and social context allows for reliable comparisons to be made. The publicly
funded and universal structure of Canada’s healthcare system has led to
frequent comparisons with the United States. This affords us the chance to
compare the efficiency and efficacy of a single-payer system with the current
fragmented U.S. healthcare system. The Canadian healthcare system is widely
admired and often used as an example of successful national healthcare
provision. Finding out how it stacks up against the American system can be
instructive.
Medicare, Canada’s national
healthcare program, is publicly funded and provides all people with access to
high-quality medical treatment. In Canada, citizens and permanent residents who
cannot afford medical care are not denied access to the country’s publicly
funded healthcare system (Escobar
et al., 2019). This feature provides equitable access to care. There are also
some differences in healthcare services and delivery between regions because
healthcare management is largely the domain of local provinces and territories.
The Canadian healthcare system is mostly financed through taxation, with the
government functioning as the single-payer for most medical treatments. This
streamlines billing and cuts down on unnecessary overhead.
Healthcare Business Problems in the U.S and
Canada
In both the United States and
Canada, per capita national income is a major factor in determining how healthy
and prosperous the people are. Inequalities in wealth and access to healthcare
are major contributors to the persistent problem of poverty in the United
States. Conversely, Canada’s poverty rate is lower because of the country’s lower-income
disparity and larger social safety net.
Life Expectancy
Birth life expectancy is a measure
of a country’s general health and the quality of its healthcare system. Factors
including lifestyle-related diseases, access to care, and healthcare
disparities have all contributed to the difficulty the United States has had in
maintaining and improving life expectancy. Higher life expectancy is often
associated with Canada due to the country’s universal healthcare system and the
income gap.
Childhood Mortality
The success of healthcare
systems in providing sufficient care for newborns and early children is
reflected in the rate of child mortality, making its reduction a global
healthcare priority. Infant and child mortality rates have decreased in the
United States, although many areas still lack access to medical care. Canada’s
continually decreasing infant and child death rates are evidence of the value
of national healthcare.
Evolving Issues in the Healthcare Industry
Healthcare Literacy Deficiency
Inadequate health literacy is
a rising problem in both the United States and Canada, limiting people’s access
to, understanding of, and utilization of healthcare information. When people
lack the knowledge and skills necessary to comprehend and follow their medical
care plans, it can have a negative impact on their health.
Pharmaceutical Expenditures
Both the U.S. and Canada have
issues relating to increased pharmaceutical spending, which can strain
healthcare budgets. Concerns have been raised about the inability to purchase
and obtain necessary medications in the United States due to high prescription
prices and the lack of a comprehensive drug pricing strategy. Canada has a
single-payer system for hospitals and doctors, but different provinces have
different approaches to drug pricing, which could lead to access issues.
Data Sources and Methodology
JSTOR is an online archive of
academic journals, books, and sources. I will find secondary and primary
materials that pertain to healthcare in the United States and Canada, with a
focus on the year 2019 and beyond. Access scholarly journals, popular
magazines, and local news with EBSCOhost. I will include up-to-date and
credible resources on healthcare delivery in both nations. When looking for
scholarly articles, Google Scholar is a great tool to use. I will use recent
research and first-hand accounts of healthcare business challenges and changes
in the United States and Canada.
Comparative Analysis
Despite being one of the
world’s wealthiest countries, the United States has significant healthcare
access gaps. High poverty rates are mirrored in the country’s low GDP per
capita, and there are significant inequalities in infant mortality rates. The
United States’ healthcare spending raises eyebrows since it is so much greater
than that of other industrialized countries, both in absolute terms and as a
share of GDP. Additionally, the density of physicians and nurses varies greatly
between locations, influencing access to care. High pharmaceutical costs and
emerging problems, including childhood mortality, AMI rates, and the reaction
to the 2020 COVID-19 catastrophe, are only a few examples of the healthcare
difficulties the United States faces.
Conclusion
The
United States uses a mix of public and private insurance to cover the cost of
healthcare, but 16% of the population still lacks coverage. The current,
disjointed U.S. healthcare system can be contrasted with the efficiency and
effectiveness of a single-payer system. Canada’s provinces have varying
approaches to prescription pricing, which might limit access despite the
country’s universal health care system. The United States’ healthcare spending
raises questions as it is so much more than that of other industrialized
countries, both in absolute terms and as a proportion of GDP.
References
Cheung, K., Kaur, M. N., Tolliver, T., Longo, C. J., Naam, N.
H., & Thoma, A. (2017). A tale of two health-care systems: cost-utility
analysis of open carpal tunnel release in Canada and the United States. Plastic
Surgery, 25(1), 7-13.
Comondore, V. R., Devereaux, P. J., Zhou, Q., Stone, S. B.,
Busse, J. W., Ravindran, N. C., … & Guyatt, G. H. (2009). Quality of care
in for-profit and not-for-profit nursing homes: systematic review and
meta-analysis. Bmj, 339.
Escobar, K. M., Murariu, D., Munro, S., & Gorey, K. M.
(2019). Care of acute conditions and chronic diseases in Canada and the United
States: Rapid systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Public
Health Research, 8(1), jphr-2019.
Himmelstein, D. U., Campbell, T., & Woolhandler, S.
(2020). Health care administrative costs in the United States and Canada,
2017. Annals of Internal Medicine, 172(2), 134-142.