Health Care Systems

The health care system that I will be analyzing for this week’s assignment is the Canadian healthcare system and how it differs from the American healthcare system. The Canadian healthcare system operates on a universal system which means that it provides healthcare to all Canadians and it is funded through the taxes that Canadian citizens pay. This healthcare system is different from the American healthcare system as the American healthcare system is a single payer system where each individual must pay and ultimately choose what type of coverage they want for a respective year. According to a study that was conducted via the International Journal of Epidemiology, infant mortality rates were “23% higher in the United States compared to Canada” (Oxford Academic, 2009). Furthermore, the attributing factors to this states that the birthing age population in Canada “was earlier in age and had better access to healthcare facilities compared to those individuals in the United States” (Oxford Academic, 2009). Ultimately, the Canadian healthcare system can be described as a system for the people where although the US has hospitals to serve those in need the majority of the population depend on private health insurance to fund their medical costs as they occur throughout the year. As a result, Americans are faced with higher costs and insurance premiums compared to their Canadian neighbors that reside up north.