Health Care in Canada: Private Options Story aired: Thursday, November 11, 2004
Healthcare reform in the United States is a politically charged topic, during this past presidential election, Senator John Kerry said that if elected, he would insure more Americans and offer tax incentives to businesses to cover employees. President Bush's campaign said the Kerry plan amounted to a government takeover of health care, similar to the Canadian health care system.
In Canada, every resident gets free medical care. It's a taxpayer funded system. When a person is hospitalized, the government pays the bill. It's revered by most Canadians, but some have problems with it.
Dr. Luc Bessette has opened up a new private clinic in Montreal, called the M.D-Plus Medical Clinic. Bessette is a bit of a trailblazer in Canada. He and his partners were emergency room physicians who say they decided it was time to strike out on their own.
