A report in a Canadian newspaper exposed the failing state of Quebec’s “now-overburdened” public health care program.

Despite allocating 40 percent of its annual budget to the province’s public health care program, the industry still falls short of meeting the needs of consumers. The implementation of user fees ($100 to see your family doctor) and increasing the province’s sales tax have been suggested to compensate for the program’s inadequacies. However, the province already pours $24 billion a year into the program and sees lackluster results, to say the least.

In contrast, province officials have proposed privatizing hospital management and are considering the repeal of a ban that prohibits doctors from practicing in both public and private facilities.

It appears that at least parts of Canada are seeing the error of their ways and recognize the potential benefit of privatizing their fractured health care program. Americans, and Texans in particular, should take note of the failures in Canada and work to ensure that we do not suffer the same fate.

– Kalese Hammonds