Pay-as-you-go health care: Uninsured people in Canada face sky-high bills, delays in treatment - a podcast by CBC Radio

Most Canadians take universal healthcare for granted - secure in the knowledge that all you have to do is walk into a clinic or hospital and you will be treated. For some half a million people who live and work amongst us, it's a different reality. This week, Dr. Brian Goldman reveals what happens to those who have no health insurance. Grace* is a 52-year-old woman who came to Canada 19 years ago to work as a nanny. She lost her access to health insurance when she lost her job. She remained in Canada, working under the table, paying for medical appointments in cash. Four months ago, she discovered a lump in her breast. She paid up front for tests that detected a tumour, but soon ran out of money. By the time she was diagnosed at a clinic for the uninsured in Toronto last month, the tumour was 3 times bigger. She now has stage 3 breast cancer, and needs life-saving surgery. Dr. Paul Caulford heads the Canadian Centre for Refugees & Immigrant Healthcare, which runs the clinic. He's fundraising for Grace's treatment and trying to find a surgeon to operate for free. Despite his best efforts, he tells Dr. Brian Goldman, the delays and lack of treatment can be deadly for some of his uninsured patients.
*Note: Grace is pseudonym given to the patient who has been granted confidentiality to protect her privacy.

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