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DiscussionThe arbitrary economics of life and death
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Apr 16 3:21pm | Replies (30)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "I have to agree, even though system so far failed us and I was angry (surveillance..."
As far as cost to the patient goes, we're somewhere in-between the U.S. and Switzerland/Germany here in Canada. Most medical costs are 100% covered (I just show my OHIP card at the front desk), but we don't have universal pharmacare or dental care yet.
To get your prescription drugs covered in Ontario between the age of 25–64, you need private insurance through work, to be receiving social assistance, or to be falling back on the Trillium Drug Benefit (which has a co-pay topping out at 4% of your family income). They're talking seriously about fixing that, but it hasn't happened yet. Under 25 or over 64, it's all covered with just a dispensing fee at the pharmacy (typically around $5–10).
The good news is that drugs aren't crazy expensive here, even if you had to pay full retail yourself. For example, Orgovyx costs about US $215/month, compared to around $2,700/month in the States for someone who is uninsured. Insulin is also about 20% of the cost, etc. etc.
You're absolutely right. And strangely, even the very rich people don't always do so well, despite their access to personalised care, because they're often unwilling to take advice and mainstream treatments (after living in their wealth bubbles for so long, they've developed serious narcissism and egomania).
As you can probably guess, I'm solidly bourgeois: I have no rich ancestors that I know of, just shopkeepers, artisans, lawyers, doctors, engineers, etc, so I've hung onto my Methodist ancestors' disdain for the uber-wealthy. 🙂