“Prior to his election, President Barack Obama spoke about the money being spent on paperwork and other administrative costs attached to medical care, hundreds of billions of dollars which he said could be redirected to the care itself.
Those savings are already being realized in Canada, where basic health care is universal and, in most parts of that country, free — and where remarkably little paperwork is involved.
Each hospital in Canada gets a global budget, a set amount which is all they have to spend for the year. They dont price things like bandages, drugs or even overnight stays individually. The cost for these things and for doctor service is negotiated in advance.”
Worldfocus special correspondent Edie Magnus and producer Rebecca Haggerty report from Montreal.
View an extended half-hour interview with economist Uwe Reinhardt: How the U.S. measures up to Canadas health care system.
Video
Worldfocusonline, 28 January 2009
