Sarah Palin's distortion of the Canadian and American medical systems baffled the public.

What they actually need is a fact-based discussion on how the residents can access timely, affordable, high-quality health care.

The after effect of people like Palin, who make false comparisons, is that many Canadians and Americans are under the impression that their country has "the best health care system in the world". The reality is, however, poles apart.

The truth is that the U. S. spends a large percentage of GDP on health care, $7,439 per person, than most countries.

To determine the health of the population and how good a nation's health system cares for its people, one should measure infant mortality figures and life expectancy.

According to the Wikipedia, the U. S. splurges 16% of GDP on health care in contrast to 10.15 in Canada.

The U. S. has the largest proportion of private-care spending in the industrialized world.

Several say that medical bills are an important factor leading to insolvency in the U. S.