[grecy]

> It's like being offered a cell phone or a car allowance.

Which reduces your overall salary - you might not be aware of it, and it might not be said in those terms, but it's absolutely true. All "side benefits" or "perks" of employment are just a way for the employer to give you something other than money. Too bad if the last thing you want is a cell phone.

> Why in god's name you would turn down what in many cases is free money is beyond me, but that is your prerogative.

Because it's not free money! My salary is being docked for that expense, as the "benefits overhead" (my company told me to my face it's about 26%). I'm perfectly happy with the public coverage, and want the rest of my salary in my hand, thank you.

[run4yourlives]

At this point though, you are evaluating employers, not health care systems.

It's pretty easy to find an employer in Canada that offers no benefit plan at all, just stay away from larger companies.

Most privately run businesses would be more than happy contracting you at a higher rate and not paying you any additional benefits, or their share of CPP or EI. They are a significant expense to the company. Go get yourself a GST number and have at 'er.

Seriously, if this is that much of an issue for you, you should talk to your boss. I can pretty much guarantee they'd be more than happy to work something out with you.

[grecy]

> you are evaluating employers, not health care systems.

No I'm not. One health care system outright makes that illegal, so it's the health care system defining this, not the employers.

On that note, have you ever lived&worked in a system other than Canada's?

I ask, because you think Canada is "right on the money" with their system... though it makes me think you've not seen how other systems do it.

Don't get me wrong, Canada's system is good, but if I were in a country about to radically overhaul health care, I would by no means adopt Canada's system as-is (or any other single country, for that matter)

> if this is that much of an issue for you

You miss the point here thinking this is about me... The overall effect on society is very interesting and speaks volumes about a given system. Without a doubt, because of this "group plan" idea, Canadians are tied much more strongly to their employer, and that results in employees being treated worse, and overall a "negative" impact on those around me.

I don't like that about Canada's way of doing it.