Many Americans are convinced the Canadian healthcare system is lousy because, it is understood, patients have long waits for appointments, are subject to "rationing" of procedures, and regularly travel to the US to get better, faster treatment. Via Paul Krugman, we see that the healthcare system in Canada is almost as bad as in the US—but it only costs half as much per person. The other nations surveyed, UK, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany, all ranked higher and cost less than either the US or Canada, according to a 2010 survey by the Commonwealth Fund. From the report:
Krugman has followed up with this pie chart of Canadians getting US health care.
PK's source was an Aaron Carroll post at the Incidental Economist, which also debunks myths about differences in doctor satisfaction, doctor emigration trends, and infant mortality, and the supposed link between single payer and rationing.