You are the first American in 20 years who has shown a true understanding of what it is. Kudos to you, you have done some homework. I would say any figure between 25 and 30% would be accurate in terms of initial outright savings. However, thew next step is to reduce the profit aspect in the delivery end, community owned, not for profit hospitals.
Having said that, we have a giant problem there with the type of funding, but its a side issue.
Now, you combine all the programs, bam, bye bye a whole lot of unnecessary bureaucracy.
What I have never understood is that the US more or less invented the public school system, community owned schools on a universal not for profit footing. But, you refuse to see the same benefits for something as important as health care.
As strange as this may sound, I believe Canada's "nice" reputation is in part due to our health care, our lower crime rate, indeed our community oriented culture our growing unity as a nation, all have been bolstered by health care.
Thanks for the compliment.
But in all fairness, I must admit my paternal grandfather emigrated from Calgary, I have relatives from Hull to Vancouver, and I spent chunks of my youth visiting them & ski-bumming across the country. If I were to retire expat, I'd very much consider Montreal or Quebec City (I love both).
The profit side of healthcare (incl insurance companies) speaks directly to the need for cost containment. And this then brings-up the much larger issue of how do we perceive healthcare on the spectrum from
'basic human right' to
'profiteering commodity' . There's a lot of lee-way between those two polar opposites, and unfortunately those that profit from healthcare have the most influence over those that regulate it and make those decisions for us as a society.
I particularly see the GOP attempting to roll-back government & institutions that bring us together or provide safety for us in the name of individualism & free-market capitalism, with the opposition to universal healthcare reflective of this. I believe they represent monied and corporate interests that are often at odds with our societal good.
In your last paragraph you speak of the more cooperative benevolent nature of Canadians, and attribute this in-part to universal healthcare, and I believe you are correct - though I believe the cause-effect axis is bilateral in this case. I see your universal healthcare & our respective lack of it as a societal/political result of the current political system and it's flaws. Worse yet, I see downward forces exerted from the political parties & their politician members to the citizenry, spreading disinformation and stoking the flames of anger & hatred - this is how we end-up with significant segments of our citizenry believing universal healthcare requires
'death panels', and
'Canadians are fleeing their country for American healthcare'. Indeed, 1/3 of the citizens that identify as Republicans believe President Obama was not born here, is not a citizen, and therefore is illegitimate - I find it hard to believe all these citizens came up with this idea independently. There is good reason why Canadian broadcast regulations allow 'Fox Entertainment' but not 'Fox News', and there is also good reason why Canadians have maintained their version of the
'Fairness Doctrine', rather than embrace the American
'right to lie' provision. This special interest/political party induced disinformation is (IMO) further dividing the citizenry, turning Americans against each other. And it works to the advantage of those that profit from an incohesive society.
In short, we have money at the top influencing our legislators where they thereby provide disinformation through a cooperative media in order to satisfy the special interests that finance their campaigns for them to remain monied & in power. It is the dark-side of the otherwise excellent system of free-market capitalism, and could be easily prevented with some basic financial regulation (Britain has excellent political regs, IMO) - unfortunately those that benefit from the lack-of regulation are the one's entrusted to provide them.
And this is how the most affluent country in the free-world fails to provide healthcare commensurate with her peer nations! (or even some of those below peer!)