Canadian Universal Access to Healthcare versus American Unequal Access to Healthcare

"I will sign a universal health-care bill into law by the end of my first term as president that will cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family’s premium by up to $2,500 a year." ~ Barack Obama

"America must deal once and for all with an utterly irrational health care financing system that allows private interests to make billions in profits from the pain and suffering of their fellow citizens. America is the only country in the industrialized world that does not provide tax-supported universal health care coverage in some form." ~ Suzanne Gordon

"Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let's continue to move forward." ~ Jack Layton

Trump’s call for Canada to become the 51st state is an excellent idea from an economic, military, and linguistic standpoint. Both countries share beautiful multicultural societies, and a close historical relationship.

However, the deal-breaker for all Canadians is universal healthcare.

Here’s the deal:

Universal access to healthcare must remain unchanged for Canadians in the proposed 51st state. It is an integral part of our national identity.

Over 200 million Americans would love to have Canada’s universal healthcare system. Below are approximate costs for medical procedures in Canada versus the U.S.:

Heart surgery (coronary artery bypass graft - CABG):

Canada: $0 (covered, including hospital stay, rehabilitation, and medication for multiple years).

USA: With insurance, out-of-pocket costs range from $70,000 to $500,000+. For most Canadians, this is unfathomable.

Complex spinal surgeries:

Canada: $0 (covered, including hospital stay, rehabilitation, and medication for multiple years).

USA: Out-of-pocket costs range from $50,000 to $300,000+, even after private insurance pays its share.

Joint replacement (hip or knee):

Canada: Fully covered under the national healthcare system, funded through regional and national taxes.

USA: Out-of-pocket costs range from $30,000 to $200,000 after insurance.

Advanced cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapies):

Canada: Fully covered, including hospital stay, rehabilitation, and medications.

USA: Costs start at $50,000 and can exceed $500,000.

Severe burns requiring extensive care:

Canada: Fully covered.

USA: Costs range from $100,000 to $800,000+, depending on severity.

Heart transplant:

Canada: Fully covered.

USA: $700,000 to over $2 million.

Kidney transplant:

Canada: Fully covered.

USA: $200,000 to $500,000+.

Long-term care for neurological conditions (such as Alzheimer’s):

Canada: Fully covered.

USA: Costs can exceed $200,000 per year, depending on care level.

Canada has one of the best universal healthcare systems in the world.

If the Trump administration and Congress can match (and guarantee) Canada’s universal healthcare for the next 100 years, then we have a deal for the "Great Canadian 51st State of America."

Our healthcare taxes pay for our families, our extended families, our community, our region, province/state, territory, and our nation.

Here is the difference, we Canadians know we all pay for the healthcare of all our people, and I mean ALL of our people, indigenous, settlers of the past 400 years, and our equally beautiful extremely hardworking new Canadians.