Rather than pursuing habits that put our health at risk, then trying to retread it ...

... how about carrying on a sensible lifestyle from early on, so preserving our good health, rather than letting it deteriorate, then having to patch it up?

Our countries are having a major problem with obesity these days, including among children ... and there's a large increase in diabetes, especially junvenile-onset type. Looks like major increases in health-care costs ahead.

Maintaining and retreading good health is specially important in your country, where many must carry health insurance or pay for health issues themselves.

I got $37.22 of medicine the other day, and it cost me $4.11.

When I go to see my doc, there's no cost to me, and I don't carry health insurance.

I do pay about $600.00 per year added to provincial income tax to help pay for health care.

Medical costs are growing rapidly.

My old uncle had had three hip replacements, and they didn't do that 50 years ago.

They didn't do heart by-passes, or replace them, years ago.

They're finding more complicated procedures frequently, thus almost always making many of them hugely expensive.

So I don't see health care costs going down, any time soon.

I'm thankful that I can choose whatever doctor I chose (if I can find one that takes new patients). I haven't visited my doctor except for annual check-up, for many years, until the most recent year or so.

When I see him, I get what treatment that I need, without fussing with a health insurance carrier as to whether they'll pay for it or not ... or whether I'll have to pay for it myself.

Two cataract operations last year - no direct cost to me.

The Canadian single-payer system is a non-profit system.

And there isn't any advertising expense.

Makes sense to me.

By the way - a substantial reason to encourage manufacturers to locate plants in Canada.

ole joyful

Well Joyful, that's nice, but let's clarify a few things too in fairness. Your medication cost you $4.11 but likely cost the taxpayers $154.11 when all is said and done. And I'm not totally sure your medical insurance only costs $600 per year at least from the complaints I hear from Canadians about how expensive it is to live there. Medical costs definitely keep going up and I attribute a lot of it to "easy access", such as when someone runs to the hospital with a cold rather than wait for an appointment. After all, it's covered by insurance. The misuse of the system both Canadian and American systems contributes substantially to increased costs. I wish people would realize that occasionally they or their kids can get sick without running to the doctor or the hospital.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the basic idea of Canada's system and would like to see a similar system implemented in the US. There's certainly a lot of advantages to it. Sadly we're so mired in the business end of insurance that health maintenance is secondary. It's like trying to straighten out the tax code. Flat rate would be so much cheaper and more fair, but think of all the accountants, auditors, and government employees who would be expendible in that case.

Maintaining health of course is a good thing. However, there's the "insurance pigs" who hog more than their share so others lose out. This business of a 6 month checkup really annoys me. Follow up is different, but just a run to the Dr too often takes time from treating people who need help and takes resources away from them financially, and otherwise.

Wish there was a simple solution.

BTW, bet your uncle with the three hips could do a mean tap dance! :)

Medicare in the US will be disappearing in the not too distant future if predictions hold. Those who don't mind their own health will have nothing to fall back upon. When employed and now retired, our insurance is strongly linked to the choices we make in our family. That once per year health exam determines our share of costs. So far we have had to pay nothing for drugs and small co pays for doctor visits. If we were to gain weight, were smokers, or stop exercising, our costs could rise sharply. If only other employers and teh US government would be as stringent, there would be more health care dollars to go around. Diabetes (juvenile excepted) is a choice as are 86 percent of all general health problems.

I think that, apart from lifestyle choices, some folks have a much more substantial predisposition to diabetes than others.

ole joyful

Interesting statistic you cite, puzzlefan. Where did you get it?

I sure hope you don't find out you've made poor choices and develop something like cataracts or a brain tumor, or break a bone. That might be bad for your mental health, trying to figure out what poor choice you made. What about birth defects? Dentistry? Eye glasses? Or even, as ole joyful says, diabetes?

Eighty six percent of health problems are of one's choosing? I bet if YOU develop a health problem, you'll think you are one of the unlucky people in the 14%. I wonder how old you are.