Government-run health care: good and bad

I'm a Chicago girl, born at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital and schooled for a time at St. Mary of the Angels. I moved to Ontario to go to college 32 years ago and decided to stay. So I have experience with both American and Canadian health care.

I don't understand the brouhaha over health care going on in the States, but I have been embarrassed by the misinformation, ignorance and vitriol displayed by its opponents. Get a dictionary, people! "Socialized" doesn't mean "communist."

My family's health care is covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. It's funded by personal and business taxes and transfer payments from the federal government.

Everyone whose primary or permanent home is in Ontario is entitled to free access to emergency and preventive medical care. Under the plan, you can go to a participating doctor (virtually every doctor) at any time and the services are billed through the plan to the government.

It doesn't cover prescriptions, dental care or eye exams. People can buy supplemental private insurance for areas not covered. Coverage extends to other provinces and some treatments in the States.

It's not hard to get. You fill out a form that asks for your name and mailing address. There are a few questions for "new and returning residents" and another asking "citizenship and immigration status." There are no personal questions. You send the form in and the plan issues to you a card that you can use anywhere and not be refused treatment.

I registered when I immigrated. When the kids were born, they were registered. Everyone I know has an Ontario Health Insurance Plan card.

In all my time up here, the only thing I've ever had to pay out of pocket was a long-distance phone bill after a hospital stay. That's not just me, that's an entire family of five.

That's 32 years of medical treatments ranging from accidents, illness, routine checkups, vaccinations, surgeries and diagnostic tests. You name it -- it has been covered. We've never been turned away or encountered "line-ups." Occasionally, I'll receive a letter asking me to verify that I received treatment by a certain doctor on a particular date.

And this is bad how?

The World Health Organization rates the Canadian system 30th in the world, with the U.S. 37th. Ten percent of the Canadian GNP is spent on health care, compared to 16 percent spent in the U.S., and 87 percent of Canadians say they're happy with the system.

I've never known anyone who became bankrupt because of health care or was dissatisfied with the care they've received.

Canada's system is not perfect; but I'd rather have an imperfect one than none at all. Overall, I'd rather get sick here than in Illinois.