The exact numbers are debatable. I'm not Canadian and so I'm not aware of their reputation. But, the overall point stands. Your taxes are higher, and a significant number of Canadians are paying for insurance on top of socialized medical care, for things like medications. My point isn't that it can't work, its that it isn't "free". That term seems to get thrown around every time someone talks about socialized medicine. Personally, I have no confidence that the US government will negotiate good prices on my behalf, with the medical industry. I'd rather see the US to return to the not for profit model we had before president Nixon, rather than let them hand my money to companies... because they will not hold their feet to the fire... and it will change every election. It would be nice if the actual costs were audited, so they couldn't make up prices... That would remove the need for negating power, to not get screwed.