Canada gets a Mention in the US Congress

If you have a spare two hours, you might find the economic testimony before the US Congress interesting. This is from the following hearing:

March 31, 2009 United States Senate, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Policy

It covers lots of material at a level that is accessible to everybody.

You can view the video here.

I'm always sensitive to the mention of Canada, so my ears perked up with this bit at minute 74 into this video:

Senator Merkley: Doctor, thank you. I have just one more question for you and that is turning to the health care side. We invest about a sixth of our economy, about 18 percent, a little more than a sixth, in health care, and yet Europe and Canada, many other modern manufacturing economies are spending a great deal less. Is our health care structure a competitive disadvantage and do we have to overhaul health care, not only for the quality of life of our citizens, but in order to be competitive internationally?

Ms. Romer: I have to say it is. I think that is exactly why, again, even as tough as economic conditions are now, the President has identified reforming our health care system as just a priority that can't wait. I think he would have exactly the point of view that you just mentioned, that this fact that the cost of health care is rising so rapidly in the United States, faster than GDP and other costs, has been certainly something that is bankrupting businesses.

Americans have no idea how bitter the struggle was in Canada to create the universal healthcare system we now have. The basic story is told here in Wikipedia. The really shocking fact is that doctors, a profession supposedly taken up because of a passion to heal the sick, went on strike -- refused health care -- because they were fiercely opposed to a government health plan and what they saw as a loss of their status and financial independence, as covered here by Wikipedia.

Some doctors have never reconciled. They don't want to "work for the government". On the other hand, some doctors are quite happy to have the government provide them with an accounts receivable and collections department that lets them cut out those "business costs" from their practice.

The Canadian populace is solidly in favour of universal health care. It removes a major financial risk from life. It assures everybody access to competent care.