If you're afraid of America turning into Canada because of their world-class health care system, may we also remind you of their amazing fries and hot, progressive leader. pic.twitter.com/v5pTdf3OHy
— Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) September 20, 2018
Samantha Bee is Canadian, did a segment on her show about the comparisons between Canadian and American health care, and didn't mention once that she was Canadian. That is so Canadian.
The U.S. spends nearly $3.5 trillion. One study noted 45,000 U.S. deaths a year from lack of insurance, though that study was from 2009.
Bee effectively debunked the 3 major arguments against universal health care: too expensive, decreases innovation, and increases wait times. She points out that a single-payer system offers bargaining power and reduced administrative costs that would save even more money. The U.S. does have a single-payer system with effective numbers in Medicare.
"I won't lie: the wait for an elective surgery there (Canada) can suck. But critics cherry pick hip replacements in Canada because those have particularly long wait times. Wait times vary across and within single-payer systems. But there isn't a single average Canadian who would f---ing trade health care with Americans."
Bee notes that a 6-month wait for a hip replacement in Canada is better than those without insurance in the United States who would wait forever.
"Shame on Fox News for thinking America can't do better than Canada."
What made the segment even more helpful is an actual cost comparison. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee presented the numbers in terms of expenses (American) vs. taxes and expenses (Canadian).
The sources for these numbers are the Fraser Institute (Canadian) and the Millman Medical Index (American). The $10,025 figure for Canadians appears to be converted to U.S. dollars (22.5% exchange rate) from the $12,935 figure quoted in the Fraser Institute numbers. Those numbers assume that the Canadian family of 4 makes $138,008. For most Canadian families, the total would be lower.
The U.S. numbers do include employer contributions though a lot of U.S. workers don't receive employer contributions for health care.
This doesn't even factor in the time and anxiety over dealing with the U.S. system.
United Shades of America focuses on Canada
Dr. Danielle Martin teaching Americans about the reality of Canadian health care
CanadianCrossing.com health care coverage
We loved the Canadian visuals in the segment. Joining the moose (above) are Canadian comedy icons Mike Myers and Caroline Rhea. Bee referred to a single average Canadian in the segment and transitioned to a joke where she said she has been working on this sitcom on CTV for 15 years.
Most Americans would recognize Joe Flaherty (right, below) from SCTV. They might know the guy on the left, even with the white hair as Paul Gross. Up north, Paul Gross is in just about anything and everything but Americans primarily know him from Slings and Arrows and Due South.
She also joked that after your free surgery in Canada, you get a bag of milk. That might be true only in Ontario.
Bee referenced The Rock aka Dwayne Johnson, who gained Canadian citizenship through his father.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee reminds us what The Daily Show is missing
Our Daily Show tribute to Samantha Bee, Jason Jones
CanadianCrossing.com television coverage
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee airs Wednesday nights at 10:30 pm Eastern on TBS in the United States and the Comedy Network in Canada.
Twitter capture: @FullFrontalSamB
photo credits: Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
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