Canada

People watch the East York Toronto Canada Day parade, as the country marks its 150th anniversary with "Canada 150" celebrations, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada July 1, 2017. Mark Blinch/Reuters

What's it like living in a country with single-payer healthcare?

In Canada, doctors have waiting lists and the process is more like getting into a country club where you have to be recommended by other members. Once I finally got "inside" the system, I was pleasantly surprised.

The wait to see my doctor is never more than a few days, but referrals to specialists can take a bit longer. Special equipment, like MRI machines, always have a waiting list and work around the clock, so it is not unusual to get an appointment a month or two out, with a middle of the night time slot. It is a little strange to drive an hour to a hospital, which seems deserted at 2 a.m. and find the radiology waiting room packed.

What do you really like about it? What do you think people might overestimate?

Aside from some system glitches, I would say that Canadian healthcare, like an American HMO, works pretty well most of the time, especially if you don't get sick!

I have had my Canadian medical coverage since 2012, and the biggest challenge has been getting the US to acknowledge it is real.

Can you share how much you pay in a typical month for your healthcare?

In Ontario, there is no monthly out of pocket cost, though each province is different. We do carry an additional plan, which covers prescriptions, massage etc.

— Heidi Lamar, business owner, dual citizenship in the US and Canada