It’s so frustrating to hear such nonsense in the U.S. media every day about the “evils” of the Canadian healthcare system. The fact is, according to the World Health Organization, Canada’s system is far less expensive than that of the United States — and produces far better outcomes for patients.

Canada’s National Post recently explained some of the reasons why this is the case. Here’s a paraphrased summary of the data:

1. Drugs are cheaper. In the United States, $728 per capita is spent each year on drugs, while in Canada it is $509. Brand-name drugs cost about 40 percent less in Canada on average. The differential is because Canadian provinces buy drugs through a centralized system and get volume discounts.

2. Doctors’ fees are reasonable. U.S. physicians make about twice as much as Canadian doctors, according to health data collected by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

3. Hospitals are not run for profit. Hospitals in Canada are not-for-profit entities run on behalf of patients and governed by regional health boards, which include physicians and other health professionals.

4. Administrative waste is far less. Administrative costs for healthcare in the United States are double those of Canada, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Additionally, U.S. healthcare companies spend billions of dollars on marketing every year.

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