Father of Canadian healthcare system now disowning it
posted at 6:35 pm on June 26, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Ever hear of Claude Castonguay? Maybe not, but those who follow the health-care debate have certainly heard of his creation. Castonguay fathered the single-payer system in Quebec that locked out private insurance, the one which advocates of nationalized health care in the US love to cite as a success story. However, Castonguay has reached a far different conclusion about his creation:
Back in the 1960s, Castonguay chaired a Canadian government committee studying health reform and recommended that his home province of Quebec — then the largest and most affluent in the country — adopt government-administered health care, covering all citizens through tax levies.
The government followed his advice, leading to his modern-day moniker: “the father of Quebec medicare.” Even this title seems modest; Castonguay’s work triggered a domino effect across the country, until eventually his ideas were implemented from coast to coast.
Four decades later, as the chairman of a government committee reviewing Quebec health care this year, Castonguay concluded that the system is in “crisis.”
“We thought we could resolve the system’s problems by rationing services or injecting massive amounts of new money into it,” says Castonguay. But now he prescribes a radical overhaul: “We are proposing to give a greater role to the private sector so that people can exercise freedom of choice.”
Castonguay has realized — a little late — that socializing medicine creates a shortage-management system. It limits the resources available, which drives down the level and the quality of service. Without free-market competition and under a burdensome regulatory scheme, there are no incentives for investment, and not even “massive” amounts of government spending can solve those core problems.
What does Castonguay suggest for Canada? He wants the immediate legalization of private insurance. Since the government now owns all caregiving facilities, Castonguay recommends that they lease space to entrepeneurial physicians and care-giving companies to get more services available to Canadians. Right now, the Canadians actually pay Americans to see their citizens, those whose urgent needs cannot be addressed in a timely manner. Not only is that a gigantic hypocrisy — the state system paying private-sector providers in another country — but it also sends money outside of Canada that would remain in Canada if they had private sector health-care options.
IBD walks through a couple of the horror stories that Castonguay has seen his brainchild produce, but the bottom line is that the Canadian experiment has failed so badly that even its creator recognizes it. Castonguay’s epiphany should serve as a warning to America, and those who oppose the nationalization of health care should make themselves familiar with his new efforts to reform the Canadian system while nationalization advocates hail it as a shining example.
Update: Fixed spelling of “Canadian”. I’m trying to save pixels by rationing A’s. Or something like that.
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Why does common sense make headlines, what government could ever make national health care work.
Why does it take probably thousands of people forever injured, or allow to die, to come to this obvious conclusion?
right2bright on June 26, 2008 at 6:41 PM
This is not the Claude Castonguay I knew.
Mr. Bingley on June 26, 2008 at 6:41 PM
Oh come on, Ed. The Canadian system is obviously not the same as the one the liberals are proposing for America. That one won’t have any rationing, and will save money. The liberals all say so.
misterpeasea on June 26, 2008 at 6:42 PM
At least he lived long enough, despite socialized health care, to see what a mess the system has become. Other Canadians I hear, weren’t as fortunate.
c3ichief on June 26, 2008 at 6:45 PM
Where’s Micheal Moore?
DCJeff on June 26, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Exactly. It is the eternal cry of the socialists. “Yes, it went poorly in (insert name of failed state here), but we know better, and if you just put us in charge everything will be peachy!”
Silly liberals, trix are for kids.
VolMagic on June 26, 2008 at 6:47 PM
Should we have a countdown clock somewhere on HotAir that will count the time passed between now, when we read about this problem here, and when we will see it on the front page of any main stream liberal paper? Better yet, to quote this problem in a Presidential debate and have a moderator ask obama how his plan will avoid this real life failure?
karenhasfreedom on June 26, 2008 at 6:47 PM
Probably eating a small child!
upinak on June 26, 2008 at 6:48 PM
Look, don’t bother me with the countless incidents of failed socialist policies. It could work if someone would just do it right!
/moonbat
TheUnrepentantGeek on June 26, 2008 at 6:48 PM
Please, the Canadian system?
Pshaw, the progressives in America know how to run an efficient health care system.
Canada clearly underfunded theirs. Or didn’t have enough price controls. Rationing?
Anyway, we’ll fix it.
SteveMG on June 26, 2008 at 6:50 PM
O-Possum will make it work!
Maquis on June 26, 2008 at 6:52 PM
The problem is clear.
Canada’s system didn’t work because they had the U.S. to use as a safety valve.
Since the U.S. won’t be able to do the same with Canada, we’ll both be forced to appropriately fund the system in order to make socialized medicine work.
The only problem with it was those darned capitalists to the South messing everything up….We won’t have that problem when we switch over to Universal Health Care.
JadeNYU on June 26, 2008 at 6:54 PM
Nope, Tommy Douglas did it first. I should know, I live in Saskatchewan. No, he is not dead enough.
Krydor on June 26, 2008 at 6:55 PM
they really need to privatize, but the whole point was getting more power over people’s lives..I’d be surprised to see the canadian government giving up that much power.
right4life on June 26, 2008 at 6:57 PM
HEH!!!
Where is any one of these Toilet Bugs when one of their sacred cows get’s blow out of the water…??
I would guess the Tub O’ Guts is being conveniently not available for comment. He’s probably working hard on his next Academy Award winning documentary…in close collaboration with a platter of cheeseburgers…
Speaking of which…he pretty much did for the Oscar what Milli Vanilli did for the Grammy…Rendered it moot(er)
BigWyo on June 26, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Logical response:
When is the last time the government did anything right and efficiently and cheaply?
SoCalInfidel on June 26, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Now…if ALGORE would (rightly) do something like this…Half the population would lay down and pee all over themselves…
BigWyo on June 26, 2008 at 7:01 PM
and now we know…
Wade on June 26, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Before there can be a last time there must be a first time.
Wade on June 26, 2008 at 7:03 PM
ahhhh…Touche’
SoCalInfidel on June 26, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Imagine that! Now that he is in his golden years and more reliant on high quality medical care does he realize the shortcomings of socialized medicine.
“Come on boys, let’s get this sucker privatized before my number is up for euthanasia.”
greekinfidel on June 26, 2008 at 7:06 PM
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Liberal ideas are essentially trial-and-error suicide methods inflicted upon an unwitting public.
MB007 on June 26, 2008 at 7:09 PM
When will the mainstream media cover a story like this?
Maybe about the time ANWR is open for drilling?
Now, how long will it take to get private health insurance back up and running in Canada? Probably longer than it took to shut it down, and they do have the advantage of an established insurance industry south of their border.
But you’ve got to hand it to Castonguay. At least he was willing to admit he was wrong.
Will we hear a similar apology from Al Gore twenty years from now, when sea levels haven’t budged from current levels?
Steve Z on June 26, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Additional health insurance has been available from private providers for years now… it covers all the things that slowly get rationed out of existence by the public system…
The big problem that caused the commission to be formed a second time was a court case in Quebec that found the ban on health insurance of any kind to be unconstitutional.
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on June 26, 2008 at 7:18 PM
I’m a teacher…tell me about it.
Bob's Kid on June 26, 2008 at 7:23 PM
Duh.. no kidding. Isn’t it great when people finally realize socialism doesn’t work!! Too bad about all the people that have died waiting for treatment. Too bad about all the qualified health professionals that have left the system in disgust. Too bad about all the wasted tax dollars. Too bad about all the distress you’ve caused your citizens because you have destroyed the system and now there is NO adequate health care or way to get it rather than to leave the country.
Maxx on June 26, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Isn’t that hate speech up there?
Dusty on June 26, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Sheesh! Sometimes I look at stuff like this and wonder if I’m the only person in the world that sees through the bullsh*t! When will Canada learn and WHEN will America realize that this socialist crap doesn’t cut it. Same with Britian. I ain’t waiting two years to have my teeth cleaned and six years for heart surgery. (my quadruple was done within one month of diagnosis). America, slap yourself in the face and get over this national health insurance boobdoggle!
second digit on June 26, 2008 at 7:27 PM
uh, “boondoggle.” Freudian slip!
second digit on June 26, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Yeah, but they are still going to keep their failing national health system which proves once again that once a socialistic system is inplace it continues to live on forever.
docdave on June 26, 2008 at 7:32 PM
Hey, Ed. You forgot an “a” in Canadian. :)
This is a very interesting read. Too bad the liberals are so arrogant to think they can do it better than what has been tried before.
StephC on June 26, 2008 at 7:33 PM
Could it just be that the fact that this Castonguay guy is now getting up there in years, years that typically see ones need for medical care go from little if any to usually a whole lot, have something to do with his “epiphany”.
Yah, me thinks so.
MB4 on June 26, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Obama for pres, because THIS time Socialism is gonna work!/sarc
NTWR on June 26, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Yeah, I thought this was an article about some new sort of candy therapy, yum.
NTWR on June 26, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Well, would you give me two out of three for WW 2?
oldleprechaun on June 26, 2008 at 7:39 PM
ARE YOU LISTENING HILLARY, HUSSEIN, AND ALL YOU EFFING SOCIALISTS???
BAAAHAHAHAHAH, Claude Castonguay probably needed a band-aid, and had to wait six months for it.
byteshredder on June 26, 2008 at 7:41 PM
I could give you one out of three for WW2.
misterpeasea on June 26, 2008 at 7:44 PM
Pick up the phone and call Hillary, would ya sir?
johnnyU on June 26, 2008 at 7:47 PM
And now you know……..the rest of the story.
Coronagold on June 26, 2008 at 7:51 PM
Father of Candian healthcare system, “Our system is teh sux, we need to become more like the United States!”
Chakra Hammer on June 26, 2008 at 8:01 PM
What really galls the LLL’s and the Dems is that Wal Mart/Walgreen’s/CVS with their in store clinics to address minor illnesses/injuries and discounts on prescriptions are more efficient at running a health care “system” then they ever would be.
What galls them even more is that all their doctors are moving to Texas. Texas has a six month backlog of issuing licenses to practice because of all the doctors moving there. Pretty soon the bleu states are going to face shortages of doctors just like the Canadians and Europeans are. Not only that but Texas’s decision to cap the awards on most malpractice lawsuits is putting alot of John Edwards wannabe ambulance chasing attorneys out of business, and seeing as lawyers make up one of the largest donors to the Dems they are losing some campaign donations because they can’t afford to donate as much and keep their BMW’s.
Nahanni on June 26, 2008 at 8:05 PM
I think Krydor is correct up above…it was Tommy Douglas that first brought socialized medicine to the fore in Canada…I live in Alberta right next to Saskatchewan where this silly idea was hatched…I think this Claude Chap probably started the socialized system in Quebec but Douglas (the great grandfather of Mr. Sutherland in 24) started in nationwide for Canada…if memory serves….
Albertanator on June 26, 2008 at 8:06 PM
Completely OT but since you mentioned it,Steve Z:
Scientists have noted volcanic activity in the Arctic sea bed. Huge amounts of magma have been observed.
Besides sunspot activity, haven’t volcanoes spewing ash into the atmosphere had consequences on climate in the past?
And now back to the other nonsense of the social engineers…
onlineanalyst on June 26, 2008 at 8:08 PM
Mark Steyn:
Socialist health care is a 10 month wait for the maternity ward.
N. O'Brain on June 26, 2008 at 8:23 PM
“Fixed spelling of “Canadian”. I’m trying to save pixels by rationing A’s. Or something like that.”
I thought there was maybe an a-hole implication in there somewhere.
exhelodrvr on June 26, 2008 at 8:29 PM
This story must go viral.
whitetop on June 26, 2008 at 8:30 PM
BigWyo,
“Half the population would lay down and pee all over themselves…”
What would that do to the sea levels?
exhelodrvr on June 26, 2008 at 8:32 PM
Ed, save pixels by dispensing with the quaint Victorian habit of double-spacing between sentences. You’re on a computer, man, not a typewriter!
Also (ahem), great piece. I’m with whitetop: hopefully this will get around.
illustro on June 26, 2008 at 8:35 PM
Here in Maine we have a state program which with the help of the Democrats who control the state has driven out all of the insurance companies which offer individual policies.
It (the state program “Dirigo”) is going broke faster than I can type.
Take a look at it’s failure to see what the USA will look like with government run health care. It’s not pretty
woodswalking1 on June 26, 2008 at 8:38 PM
Crash programs fail because they are based on the theory that, with nine women pregnant, you can get a baby in a month.
- Wernher von Braun
MB4 on June 26, 2008 at 8:59 PM
What a ‘guey.’ Oops, guAy.
TinMan13 on June 26, 2008 at 9:09 PM
He was a piece of work, wasn’t he? Didn’t he do his thesis on eugenics?
DrSteve on June 26, 2008 at 10:02 PM
No “dirty healthcare” for Americans.
shaken on June 26, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Shocker! Now that he’s forty years older, he’s not so keen on a system that would rather let the elderly die than pay for their treatments.
Spolitics on June 27, 2008 at 12:21 AM
I’m waiting for the Canadian government to hand out $1000 visa gift cards for the unintended victims of this government boondogle so they can
fix their healthcare and get their lives on trackgo buy cheap plasma TVs and beer./Katrina rant
Black Adam on June 27, 2008 at 12:35 AM
He is afraid that he may have to use it.
Johan Klaus on June 27, 2008 at 12:36 AM
Canadians always put an extra ‘a’ at the end of each sentence, just in case, eh?
chriscoolc on June 27, 2008 at 1:30 AM
Wasn’t it just recently that the Canadian supreme court ruled that citizens should be allowed to pay for medical care out of their own out of pocket expense?
DubiousD on June 27, 2008 at 2:44 AM
I have yet to meet a canadian IN person that likes their health care. When I lived at the border MANY canadians would cross the border and visit the USA docs and pay out of pocket for a reason. This was over 15 plus yeara ago.
Says a lot imo.
I also had those same Canadians tell me to NEVER EVER give up our right to guns.
I took those words to heart.
diaphanous on June 27, 2008 at 5:25 AM
Hey now, slow down. No need to bring reality and reason into this. You’re giving the liberals headaches again.
Grafted on June 27, 2008 at 7:36 AM
What kills me (not me but a lot of Canadians) is that they knew up front that there were going to have to ration services. Didn’t that give any one of the a clue?
Kafir on June 27, 2008 at 8:17 AM
Yup, just try sitting in a wainting room for 6 hours for your screaming child’s earache. Or better yet, the 3 months it takes for your elderly parent to get word on their Chemo results.
There needs to be a 2 tier system, and the public one needs to have cards issued to track the abusers who go to emergency for things they could get by makeing an appointment with their own doctor.
Piece of ***t in it’s current format.
I think I saw Micheal Moore running through the Crow’s Nest Pass getting tracked by some of the boys from work. Would be a good trophy for the wall.
Western Canadian on June 27, 2008 at 8:19 AM
Well, the joke used to be that the best argument against US socialised medicine was ‘Then, where will the Canadians go for real health care?’ I guess, if Canada turns its back on their policy, US citizens will have a place to go when we socialize.
Think_b4_speaking on June 27, 2008 at 8:51 AM
Dr. Ponzi, call your office!
profitsbeard on June 27, 2008 at 9:32 AM
Good God man, where’s the sport in hunting something that slow and dim witted?!?!? (And you would need a very big wall for a head that size!)
PatriotPete on June 27, 2008 at 9:42 AM
I have a close friend whose 75 y.o. grand mother was denied dialysis in Canada because she was too old and she smoked. He brought her here, got her treatment, and she died of old age at 92…and never stopped smoking. The theory, of socialized health care is wonderful, there is just no way, economically, to put it in practice as our friends to the North have discovered.
PatriotPete on June 27, 2008 at 9:47 AM
I’m taking a summer MAcroEcon class at Arizona State and we just got into Gov’t taxes & programs. National healthcare was brought up by one of the students, an older guy like myself, as something the Gov’t should be in charge of. I jumped in and bashed his “emotional” arguement with my DMV/school issues and this info, THANKS RUSH!!!. All I got was a “yeah but what about the children with no coverage?” comment.
I love when I get to beat a liberal with a liberal. Usually you have to pay double for that.
I buy a lotto ticket to win millions, these guys play the lotto to try and stay alive!
The full article is here:
http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1502&status=article&id=299282509335931
VikingGoneWild on June 27, 2008 at 11:29 AM