Why does Canada get free health insurance?

Why does Canada get free health insurace? Like, what is the catch? Is there one?
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First of all, they don't spend billions and billions on stupid and pointless wars, so they have more money to spend on other things. Secondly, yes... they pay higher taxes. However, the extra taxes aren't half as much as what we pay for medical insurance in the US, and they're taxed on a sliding scale. And their health care is better (ie: if you need treatment to save your life, you won't be turned away because you can't pay... which IS the case in the US). EDIT: To you Canadians saying your health care is so horrible... in the US, we're taxed *almost* as much as you (about 1/4 to 1/3 of one's income is taxed or put into *social security*, which is rapidly becoming a joke, but that's a different rant...). And... that doesn't include healthcare. We have to pay for a healthcare plan... generally a few hundred dollars a month (ie: way more than $60). And we still have to pay a co-pay when we see a doctor. Likewise, since it's private, they can deny any claim they want, and make a practice of doing so (even things like chemotherapy for cancer patients are often denied as "experimental" treatments... as are heart transplants, pacemakers, etc...). Even if the healthcare plan says they cover such things, there's always a catch allowing them to not cover it if they don't deem it "necessary" (this decision not made by a doctor, btw) or if there are "pre-existing problems" (note: if they have evidence that you don't wear sunscreen, then they don't need to cover cancer treatment... and won't). So... people pay hundreds of dollars for medical insurance just to pay to see a doctor and have to pay COMPLETELY out of pocket for necessary treatments/surgeries that insurance won't cover. So... your slightly higher taxes and measly $60 expenses to cover most anything are WAY better than what we have. So stop complaining. I realise it varies by Province, but even the most expensive isn't what we pay in America. Also, I'll point out that both the UK and Canada have a higher life expectancy than the US.
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