Health Insurance... GRRRR

I've been on the phone now with our health insurance company 5 times discussing 2 claims for Josie that under their policy, should be covered. And, for the 5th time, I've been told that I'd be called back. As Americans in Canada, it takes us 3 months before our Canadian health insurance kicks in. And that happens on Thursday. In the meantime, we've spent about as much money on bills as on the interim insurance we purchased to cover these bills-- all for Josie of course. And at the rate we can make money here, it's about 3 months of pay checks. 6 months if you count the cost of the unpaid bills plus the insurance we purchased to cover said bills. And the hoops we've been jumping though- oh boy.

Contrast that to Social Health Care here in Canada. I walked into a midwives clinic after being told by the insurance provider there was no policy I could purchase to cover maternity care. The midwives' clinic told me that my care would be provided for retroactively by the government health care system so I could see them even before I was covered. I took Josie to a clinic because she was sick. We paid in advance because our social health care had not yet kicked in, but those with care card numbers simply walked in, saw the doctor, received care and walked out. No bills, no hassle. Our purchased insurance has yet to cover this particular visit for very strange reasons. But should Josie be sick this weekend, I wouldn't pay anything, she would just receive care, no questions asked.

Every Canadian I've talked to is highly supportive of their health care system. Sure, they say, nothing is perfect, but no complaints really. One year of care for our whole family is as much as 1 month of care under our old policy in the States. And so far, our experience with the care is great. Maternity-- covered. Children's health care, covered. We've yet to experience any traumatic health problems, thank goodness, so maybe there is something we are missing. But we live with people who are doctors and nurses and also receive care in the Canadian system. They are dumbfounded why people in the States wouldn't want socialized health care. So, as you can imagine, it sure is interesting to be a US citizen living in a social health care country and finding that wow, this is great. Sure, there are some rather high taxes on purchased goods, and gas is really expensive but we are learning to live simply and not run up our bills. But I am also quite thankful that if we would return to the States and live in the same economic bracket that we have in the past, would still afford heath insurance. I guess you can imagine what side of the debate I am on.