Issues within NB’s/Canada healthcare, makes a market in the US.

I came across an article online http://www.syracuse.com/health/index.ssf/2015/12/wait.html “Syracuse hospitals want to lure Canadians weary of long health care waits” The article was written in December 2015.

Now granted the article is from Syracuse, NY so obviously the market is going to be predominately Ontario residents. However, for cities in the US, close to the border this is an excellent business and marketing strategy.

I wonder how much money Canada and Provinces have lost in health care, due to Canadians opting to receive their surgeries or care in the US?

“The hospital bill alone for knee replacement surgery in Syracuse can be $20,000 or more. Are there enough Canadians who can afford to pay out of pocket for big medical bills like that?

Some Canadians are already spending a lot to travel to Florida in the winter and get medical procedures while there, according to Mankiewicz . "They fly over our heads to another market," he said. Some also go to Buffalo for health care.”

Here’s something I didn’t know, but it sure makes a lot of sense. “A growing number of Canadian businesses buy private health insurance for their executives so they can seek care outside the Canadian system and not be sidelined for extended periods of time by health problems, Mankiewicz said.”

With this little piece of knowledge it makes me ask more questions.

Are there any businesses/ entities in NB paying private insurance for their executives/higher ups, to obtain care outside of New Brunswick?

Does the Government of New Brunswick have private health insurance for the higher ups/execs to receive care in the US?

Have any of the higher ups in the Government of New Brunswick received care or had procedures done in the US, due to the issues within the health system of New Brunswick?

It won’t be the average household (medium income families) in New Brunswick or across Canada who will be able to afford opting to receive care in the US. It’s going to be high income households who will be able to afford this. High income households in my opinion make over 100,000 a year.