Fair enough. We're in Karlovy Vary region and everything has seemed very efficient.

One thing I have noticed is that Czechs are very critical of their country, which to my eyes seems to function quite well, for what it's worth.

Canadians put up with far worse and yet will defend it. Also, our whole country has a doctor shortage. No sane doctor stays in Canada when the US pays multiples more...

I'm Canadian and since living abroad I can only say how impressed I am with health care systems OTHER than Canada's. Getting a specialist appointment in Canada can take weeks to months and even then the specialist barely has time for you.

I have friends from Europe who (now) have dual citizenship and fly back to their country of origin for anything beyond a basic checkup.

In Asia I go to the hospital and I get all the results in a folder and can review them myself. There are no hidden mysteries like in Canada -- what are they hiding in Canada? I've asked for a copy of my medical file and they've looked me like I'm a lunatic!

In Canada:

"So when do I get my test results?"

"We'll call you if there is a problem."

No joke!

In Quebec I always have to pay $500 a year for medical -- I guarantee you I can get A+ coverage for that amount of money in any SEA country. So it's definitely not "free".

Canadian health care is most certainly a better financial deal than the US system if stories are to be believed. But it's most certainly not the best world wide.

How often do you, personally, use healthcare? I was fine with it too because I'm a very healthy man (let's face it, men don't use health care as much as women for obvious biological reasons) in my 30's. The fact it's so shit doesn't affect me, personally.

But it's objectively bad when compared to every country at our level of income, and bad when compared to most first-world countries. We pay more and receive less. My girlfriend is pregnant (part of the reason for all her medical appointments) and legitimately doesn't want to move back to Canada (where we met) because of the state of health care (and education, and infrastructure, and housing costs, but healthcare is a big one with a child on the way).

Edit - in a comment to another person you're saying you're OK with things being postponed in Canada because it's a pandemic. Nothing is postponed or shut down here... We've been getting appointments just fine. Literally made my point.